West Beverly, Chicago
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Beverly, officially Beverly Hills, is the 72nd of Chicago's 77 community areas. Located from the
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, it is on the city's far south side. Beverly is considered part of the Blue Island Ridge, along with the nearby community areas of Morgan Park and
Mount Greenwood Mount Greenwood is one of the 77 community areas in Chicago. The 74th numbered area, it is about southwest of the Loop. It is surrounded by the neighborhoods of Beverly and Morgan Park to the east, the suburb of Evergreen Park to the north, ...
, and Washington Heights, and the City of
Blue Island Blue Island is a city in Cook County, Illinois, located approximately south of Chicago's Loop. Blue Island is adjacent to the city of Chicago and shares its northern boundary with that city's Morgan Park neighborhood. The population was 22,558 ...
. , Beverly had 20,437 inhabitants. Sparsely settled until the late 19th century, Beverly was incorporated as part of the Village of Washington Heights in 1874 and began development by business interests from Chicago. The area was annexed by the city of Chicago in 1890 and continued to grow with the completion in the Rock Island Railroad that runs parallel along the eastern edge of the Blue Island ridge to its terminus at
LaSalle Street Station LaSalle Street Station is a commuter rail terminal at 414 South LaSalle Street in downtown Chicago. First used as a rail terminal in 1852, it was a major intercity rail terminal for the New York Central Railroad until 1968, and for the Chicago, R ...
in downtown Chicago. Beverly's situation along on the ridge allowed the community to become an exclusive streetcar community, which is reflected in the homes and large lots.


History


Etymology

In 1889, when the Rock Island Railroad realigned its suburban tracks, it expanded service north of 99th Street. The new station on 91st Street was named "
91st Street–Beverly Hills station 91st Street–Beverly Hills is one of five Metra stations within the Beverly Hills neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, along the Beverly Branch of the Rock Island District Line. It is located at 9105 South Prospect Square near 91st Street, from L ...
". By the late 1910s, the telephone network established a Beverly exchange. The exact significance of the name "Beverly Hills" is no longer known. Many speculate it is named after
Beverly, Massachusetts Beverly is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, and a suburb of Boston. The population was 42,670 at the time of the 2020 United States Census. A resort, residential, and manufacturing community on the Massachusetts North Shore, Beverly incl ...
at the suggestion of Alice Helm French, a prominent resident and wife of the first director of the
Art Institute of Chicago The Art Institute of Chicago in Chicago's Grant Park, founded in 1879, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the world. Recognized for its curatorial efforts and popularity among visitors, the museum hosts approximately 1.5 mill ...
, or that the Rock Island Railroad simply named it after the hilly terrain. It is likely not named after
Beverly Hills, California Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. B ...
, which was named after the city in Massachusetts and received its name nearly 20 years after the 91st Street Station was named.


19th century

Beverly and the surrounding area was sparsely populated by the
Potawatomi The Potawatomi , also spelled Pottawatomi and Pottawatomie (among many variations), are a Native American people of the western Great Lakes region, upper Mississippi River and Great Plains. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, a m ...
and some white settlers until 1833, when the indigenous people ceded their land rights to the United States under
Indian removal Indian removal was the United States government policy of forced displacement of self-governing tribes of Native Americans from their ancestral homelands in the eastern United States to lands west of the Mississippi Riverspecifically, to a de ...
. The earliest known non-indigenous inhabitants of the area were DeWitt Lane, who settled near 103rd Street and Seeley Avenue in 1832, and Norman Rexford, who opened a tavern near 91st Street and Pleasant Avenue. The area famously became a dry settlement, prohibiting saloons and the sale of liquor. A permanent settlement was established with the sale of the land to John Blackstone in 1839. In 1844, Blackstone sold the land along the Blue Island Ridge from 91st to 115th Streets to Thomas Morgan, after whom Morgan Park is named. The transformation of the area to a suburban community began in 1869 when the descendants of Thomas Morgan sold his lands to the Blue Island Land and Building Company. The area, which was at the intersection of the Rock Island Railroad and the
Panhandle Route The Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad, commonly called the Pan Handle Route (Panhandle Route in later days), was a railroad that was part of the Pennsylvania Railroad system. Its common name came from its main line, whi ...
, saw a substantial period of growth sustained by Chicagoans displaced by the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. It became an attractive community with the establishment of several schools in the 1870s. In 1874, much of Beverly and the area to the east was incorporated as the Village of Washington Heights. In 1890, the section of modern-day Beverly north of 95th Street was
annexed Annexation (Latin ''ad'', to, and ''nexus'', joining), in international law, is the forcible acquisition of one state's territory by another state, usually following military occupation of the territory. It is generally held to be an illegal act ...
to the City of Chicago. The section west of Western Avenue and south of 99th Street was added to Washington Heights.


Geography

Beverly is community area #72. It is on Chicago's far south side, from the
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. Its northern border is 87th Street and its southern border is 107th Street. Its western border runs along Western Avenue from the northern border to 99th Street, then along Fairfield Avenue to 103rd Street, and finally along the rail line to the southern border. Its eastern border runs along Vincennes Avenue from 107th to 103rd Street, then along Beverly Avenue up to the northern border. The community covers an area of . Beverly is connected to the Interstate system via I-57, located immediately to the east. Beverly, Morgan Park,
Mount Greenwood Mount Greenwood is one of the 77 community areas in Chicago. The 74th numbered area, it is about southwest of the Loop. It is surrounded by the neighborhoods of Beverly and Morgan Park to the east, the suburb of Evergreen Park to the north, ...
, Washington Heights, and the City of
Blue Island Blue Island is a city in Cook County, Illinois, located approximately south of Chicago's Loop. Blue Island is adjacent to the city of Chicago and shares its northern boundary with that city's Morgan Park neighborhood. The population was 22,558 ...
are considered part of the Blue Island Ridge. The prehistoric glacial ridge was once an island in a lake and later part of its western shore. The distinct geological history is the most significant in Chicago, being the point of highest elevation at nearly above the water line of
Lake Michigan Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the east, its basin is conjoined with that o ...
. It was named for its color, due to atmospheric conditions or its blue wildflowers. , the area had of single-family housing, of multifamily housing, of commercial development, of institutional development, of mixed-use development, and of open space. An additional was defined as "transportation and other". over three-quarters of the housing stock, 77.7percent, in Beverly consists of single-family detached homes. Most of the houses were built before 1969 (44.9percent between 1940 and 1969 and 47.1percent before 1940). The median number of rooms in an area house is 7.2, compared to 4.8rooms citywide. About 95percent of the housing units were occupied. Of the total number of units, 77.6percent were owner-occupied and 16.3percent were renter-occupied. No multifamily buildings in the area were considered affordable according to a study conducted by the
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government. It administers federal housing and urban development laws. It is headed by the Secretary of Housing and Urb ...
.


Demographics

Prior to European American settlement, the area was home to Potawatomi people, who in 1833, after the
Black Hawk War The Black Hawk War was a conflict between the United States and Native Americans led by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis (Fox), and Kickapoos, known as the "British Band", crosse ...
, were forcibly moved west of the Mississippi River by the federal government. Beverly's early Caucasian settlement was largely English and Protestant, but by the early 20th century, a large influx of
Irish American , image = Irish ancestry in the USA 2018; Where Irish eyes are Smiling.png , image_caption = Irish Americans, % of population by state , caption = Notable Irish Americans , population = 36,115,472 (10.9%) alone ...
s began to arrive in the neighborhood and the construction of several Roman Catholic church parishes and business establishments saw Beverly develop into a stronghold of the city's
South Side Irish The South Side Irish is the large Irish-American community on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois. After 1945, a large-scale movement to the suburbs occurred because of white flight and the steady upward social mobility of the Irish.Although the ...
community. , 20,437 people in 7,557 households lived in Beverly. This represents an increase of 2.0percent from the
2010 U.S. Census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servin ...
, which in turn had represented a 8.9percent decline from the
2000 U.S. Census The United States census of 2000, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2 percent over the 248,709,873 people enumerated during the 1990 cen ...
. The area's
racial composition A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
was 56.7percent white, 34.9percent black, 0.9percent Asian and 2.1percent other racial categories. Hispanics or Latinos of any race made up 5.4percent of the population. Along with being known for its Irish American community identity, Beverly is also known for being one of the most racially integrated neighborhoods in Chicago with one of the city's highest percentage of black residents among white-majority neighborhoods. The age range was broad, with 25.2percent under the age of 19, 13.8percent aged 20 to 34, 20.3percent aged 35 to 49, 24.4percent aged 50 to 64, 10.3percent aged 65 to 74, 4.2percent 75 to 84, and 1.7percent 85 and older. The median age was 43. English was the only language spoken by 93.5percent of the population aged five and older, compared to a citywide figure of 64percent. The median household income was $98,416, compared to the citywide median income of $55,198. Eightpercent of households earned less than $25,000 annually; 14.4percent earned between $25,000 and $49,999; 13.2percent earned between $50,000 and $74,999; 15.4percent earned between $75,000 and $99,999; 17.2percent earned between $100,000 and $149,999, and 31.9percent earned more than $150,000. This compares with a citywide distribution of 25.4percent, 20.5percent, 15.6percent, 11.0percent, 13.2percent and 14.3percent respectively. , the western census tracts in the area had a median household income of over $86,900; the eastern tracts had a median household income between $57,900 and $86,900. The entire area placed above the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's low-income limit. The hardship index is a metric used by the City of Chicago which considers six indicators of public health to quantify the relative amount of hardship in a community area: the percentage of occupied housing units with more than one person per room; the percentage of households living below the federal poverty level; the percentage of persons in the labor force over the age of 16 years that are unemployed; the percentage of persons over the age of 25 years without a high school diploma; the percentage of the population under 18 or over 64 years of age; and per capita income. The index is represented as a score from 1 to 100, with a higher score indicating greater hardship. , Beverly's hardship index was 12.


Economy and employment

, 66.7percent of Beverly's population was in the labor force; the unemployment rate was 4.3percent, compared to the citywide rate of 8.9percent. Of those employed, a plurality (36.5percent) worked outside Chicago; 32.9percent worked in the Loop, 5.0percent on the Near North Side, and 4.6percent on the Near West Side. About 9.7percent of those employed in Beverly lived there; nearly half lived outside Chicago. Among Beverly residents, education was the leading employer, accounting for 19.1percent of the population. The next two major industries of employment were health care (13.1percent) and public administration (12.1percent). Within the community area, professional employment, accommodation and food service, retail trade, and health care were the top four employer industries, accounting for 16.3, 15.7 14.1, and 11.8percent, respectively. Western Avenue and 95 Street are
zoned Zoning is a method of urban planning in which a municipality or other tier of government divides land into areas called zones, each of which has a set of regulations for new development that differs from other zones. Zones may be defined for a si ...
for business, as well as the intersection of 99th Street and Longwood Drive (i.e. the area surrounding the 99th Street station) and the intersection of 103rd Street and Longwood Drive (i.e. the area surrounding the 103rd Street station).


Politics


Local

In the
Chicago City Council The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Chicago in Illinois. It consists of 50 alderpersons elected from 50 wards to serve four-year terms. The council is gaveled into session regularly, usually mont ...
, Beverly located entirely within the 19th Ward, represented by
Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...
Matthew O'Shea Matthew J. O'Shea is the Alderman of the 19th ward of Chicago, serving since 2011. Early life and education, and career O'Shea is a lifelong resident of the 19th ward. O'Shea attended Christ the King elementary school and Mount Carmel High Scho ...
. A long-time resident of the community area, he has represented the ward since 2011. In the
Cook County Board of Commissioners The Cook County Board of Commissioners is a legislative body made up of 17 commissioners who are elected by district, and a president who is elected county-wide, all for four-year terms. Cook County, which includes the City of Chicago, is the Uni ...
, contained within the
11th district 11 (eleven) is the natural number following 10 and preceding 12. It is the first repdigit. In English, it is the smallest positive integer whose name has three syllables. Name "Eleven" derives from the Old English ', which is first attested i ...
, represented by John P. Daley since the district was established in 1994.


State

In the
Illinois House of Representatives The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The House under the current constitution as amended in 1980 consists of 118 re ...
, most of Beverly within the 35th district. Small portions at the edges of the community area (along 107th Street and Beverly Avenue) are a part of the 27th district, and other portions north of 95th Street lie within the 36th district. The respective representatives of the three districts are Democrats
Frances Ann Hurley Frances Ann Hurley was the Illinois state representative for the 35th district. The 35th district includes the Mount Greenwood neighborhoods of Chicago along with all or part of Orland Park, Orland Hills, Palos Heights, Palos Park, Worth, Oak ...
(since 2013),
Justin Slaughter Justin Quincy Slaughter (born April 24, 1980) is an American politician and retired college basketball player. Slaughter has served as a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives from the 27th district, which consists of portion ...
(since 2017), and
Kelly M. Burke Kelly M. Burke is a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives, representing the 36th District since January 2011. The 36th District includes all or parts of the Beverly, Mount Greenwood and Auburn-Gresham neighborhoods in the ...
(since 2011). In the
Illinois Senate The Illinois Senate is the Upper house, upper chamber of the Illinois General Assembly, the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state, State of Illinois in the United States. The body was created by the first state constitution adop ...
, most of Beverly within the 18th district and small portions at the edges of the community area (along 107th Street and Beverly Avenue) are a part of the 14th district. The respective senators of the two districts are Democrats
Bill Cunningham Bill Cunningham may refer to: People *Bill Cunningham (rugby union) (1874–1927), New Zealand rugby union player *Bill Cunningham (footballer), Irish international footballer active in the 1890s *Bill Cunningham (infielder) (1886–1946), profes ...
(since 2013) and Emil Jones III (since 2009).


Federal

Most of Beverly within Illinois's 3rd congressional district. Portions of Beverly just north of 99th Street and east of Western Avenue as well as the east side of Longwood Drive the 1st congressional district. The respective representatives of the two districts are Democrats
Marie Newman Marie Newman (née Klassen; born April 13, 1964) is an American politician and marketing consultant who served as the U.S. representative from Illinois's 3rd congressional district from 2021 to 2023. The district encompasses parts of southweste ...
(since 2021) and Bobby Rush (since 1993). In 2017, the Cook Partisan Voting Index rated the two districts at D+6 and D+28, respectively. Beverly, with the rest of Illinois, is represented in the United States Senate by Democratic senators Dick Durbin (since 1997) and Tammy Duckworth (since 2017). In the
2016 presidential election This national electoral calendar for 2016 lists the national/federal elections held in 2016 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *7 January: Kirib ...
, Beverly cast 6,384 votes for Hillary Clinton and 1,850 votes Donald Trump. In the
2012 presidential election This national electoral calendar for 2012 lists the national/federal elections held in 2012 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *3–4 January: E ...
, Beverly cast 8,437 votes for Barack Obama and 2,914 votes for
Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusetts f ...
.


Government


Courts and governance

All of Beverly is in the third subcircuit of the Circuit Court of Cook County, with the exception of the area between 104th and 107th Streets east of Prospect Avenue, which is in the second subcircuit. With the rest of Chicago, the community area is part of the Circuit Court's first municipal district, and with the rest of Cook County, it is in the first judicial district of the
Supreme Court of Illinois The Supreme Court of Illinois is the state supreme court, the highest court of the State of Illinois. The court's authority is granted in Article VI of the current Illinois Constitution, which provides for seven justices elected from the five ap ...
and the state's appellate courts. All of Beverly east of Western Avenue is in Calumet Township in Cook County. The area west of Western Avenue is in Worth Township. Townships in Chicago were abolished for governmental purposes in 1902, but are still used for property assessment.


Public safety

Beverly is in the
Chicago Police Department The Chicago Police Department (CPD) is the municipal law enforcement agency of the U.S. city of Chicago, Illinois, under the jurisdiction of the City Council. It is the second-largest municipal police department in the United States, behind t ...
's 22nd district, whose headquarters is nearby in Morgan Park.
Chicago Fire Department The Chicago Fire Department (CFD) provides fire suppression, rescue services, Hazardous Materials Response services and emergency medical response services to the city of Chicago, Illinois, United States, under the jurisdiction of the Mayor of Chi ...
Engine121/Truck40 is located at 1724 West 95th Street.


Postal service

Beverly's ZIP Codes are 60620, 60643, and 60655. One U.S. Post Office is located in the community at 10238 South Vincennes Avenue, and some are located in nearby Auburn Gresham, Roseland, and Morgan Park community areas.


Transportation


Public transportation

Within Beverly, Metra operates five stations on the Rock Island District line, providing daily inbound commuter-rail service to
LaSalle Street Station LaSalle Street Station is a commuter rail terminal at 414 South LaSalle Street in downtown Chicago. First used as a rail terminal in 1852, it was a major intercity rail terminal for the New York Central Railroad until 1968, and for the Chicago, R ...
in Chicago and outbound service to the Joliet Transportation Center. The line stops approximately every four blocks in a distinct difference between other regions it services: the 91st Street station, 95th Street station, 99th Street station, 103rd Street station, and the 107th Street station. All stations are in Zone C for fare-collection purposes. The 95th/Dan Ryan station on the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)'s Red Line, the 14th busiest rapid-transit station on the
Chicago "L" The Chicago "L" (short for "elevated") is the rapid transit system serving the city of Chicago and some of its surrounding suburbs in the U.S. state of Illinois. Operated by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), it is the fourth-largest rapid tr ...
, is in nearby Roseland. Local buses include the CTA 95, 103, and 112 routes with full-time service, and part-time service on the 9 CTA route and the 349 and 381
Pace Pace or paces may refer to: Business *Pace (transit), a bus operator in the suburbs of Chicago, US * Pace Airlines, an American charter airline *Pace Foods, a maker of a popular brand of salsa sold in North America, owned by Campbell Soup Compan ...
routes.


Private transportation

, a plurality of occupied housing units (41.9percent) have two vehicles available; 37.4percent of units have one vehicle available. Three or more vehicles are available in 16.8percent of housing units; 3.9percent of units have none. Most workers 16 years and older (70.2percent) drive alone to work. The rest use other means of transportation; 20.8percent take transit (compared to 23.5percent citywide), 6.1percent carpool, 2.0percent walk or bicycle, and 0.9percent use other modes. Highly-walkable areas account for over 95percent of residents and jobs; the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning defines such areas by population density, city-block length, tree-canopy cover, fatalities (or serious injuries) to pedestrians and bicyclists, density at intersections, and nearby amenities.


Education

In the Chicago Public Schools system, Beverly contains Elizabeth H. Sutherland, Alice L. Barnard, and Kate Starr Kellogg elementary schools. It is also home to Vanderpoel Magnet Elementary School. The community is home to three
private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...
Catholic elementary schools: St. Barnabas, St. John Fisher and Christ the King. a plurality (28.1percent) held a bachelor's degree. 28.0percent held a graduate or professional degree, 18.3percent had some college education without a degree, 13.3percent held a
high school diploma A high school diploma or high school degree is a North American academic school leaving qualification awarded upon high school graduation. The high school diploma is typically obtained after a course of study lasting four years, from grade 9 to gra ...
or equivalency, 8.7percent held an associate's degree, and 3.7percent had not completed high school. Respective citywide figures were 22.7, 15.6, 17.6, 22.9, 5.7, and 15.5percent. The Chicago Public Library opened a branch on 95th Street on June 8, 2009, featuring LEED certified design and engineering. It is home to the largest Irish heritage collection in Chicago. Artwork for the branch was funded through the Percent for Art Ordinance administered by the Chicago Public Art Program. They include a bronze sculpture entitled "Two Lovers" by Virginia Ferrari, a series of oil on canvas paintings entitled "Faces of Change" by Tim Anderson, five small and two large oil pieces on shaped birch entitled "Clerestory Suite" by Brian Ritchard, and two archival ink jet prints entitled "Imaginary Play" by Cecil McDonald Jr.


Parks and recreation

Several of the parks within Beverly were once part of the Ridge Park District, one of 22 independent park districts in Chicago before their amalgamation in 1934 into the Chicago Park District. Beverly contains 2.0 accessible park acres (0.81 ha) per 1,000 residents, compared to a citywide figure of . The area includes Barnard, Ridge, Hurley, Cosme, Graver, Munroe, Beverly, Ridge Wetlands, and King-Lockhart parks. Barnard Park was created after Erastus A. Barnard donated of land to be named in honor of his deceased daughter Amy. Alice L. Barnard, a local teacher and historian and Amy's aunt, had recently been honored with the renaming of a nearby school. The park contains a playground and open space for sports and picnicing. Ridge Park, named after the tree-studded ridge that lines the western border of the property, is a established in 1908. The outdoor space contains three baseball diamonds, a playground, tennis courts, and a walking path. It also contains a set of war memorials. The park's fieldhouse was constructed in 1913 expanded in the late 1920s. It features a gymnasium, auditorium, indoor swimming pool, fitness center, woodshop, and multi-purpose rooms. The fieldhouse is also home to the Vanderpoel Memorial Art gallery, a collection of approximately 500 works by American painters and sculptors. Hurley Park is a established in 1923 at the petition of local residents. In 1984, the park was named after Father Timothy Hurley, the founder of the St. Barnabas Catholic parish located one block south of the park. The park contains a playground at the bottom of its hill and a nature preserve at the top. Cosme Park is a established in 1927 at the persuasion of the Beverly Hills Improvement Association. In the early 1990s, it was named in memory of Margaret Cosme, a young girl who tragically died after being struck by a moving vehicle. Her father and grandfather helped construct the park's baseball diamond in the years before her death. The park also features a playground and tennis courts. Graver Park is a that was acquired and constructed throughout the late 1920s and early 1930s. The park's fieldhouse contains an auditorium, science lab, woodshop, and a multi-purpose room. Outside, the park offers a water park; tennis courts; a playground; and softball, baseball, and soccer fields. It was named after Philip S. Graver, vice president of the Chicago Park District from 1937 until his death in 1945. Munroe (Roy) Park is a featuring multi-purpose field, two baseball diamonds, two playgrounds, sand volleyball and T-ball courts, and a running track. It was originally under the jurisdiction of the Village of Morgan Park's Bureau of Parks and Recreation until 1961, when it was transferred to the Chicago Park District. The significance of Roy Munroe, the park's namesake, is unknown. Beverly Park is a which was established by the Chicago Park District in 1947 and constructed in the 1950s. It features tennis courts at the southern end, volleyball courts, a playground, and a spraypool at the northern end, a fieldhouse on the western side, and baseball diamonds in the middle of the park. These facilities are separated by large meadow expanses. Within the park is a memorial dedicated to Cpl. Conner T. Lowry, who died during combat in Afghanistan. Before his death in 2012, he asked his mother to memorialize him at Beverly Park should he not survive. On the first anniversary of his death, Mayor Rahm Emanuel dedicated the
bronze Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids such ...
statue of
marine Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean. Marine or marines may refer to: Ocean * Maritime (disambiguation) * Marine art * Marine biology * Marine debris * Marine habitats * Marine life * Marine pollution Military * ...
's boots, a rifle, and helmet. The 10200 block of South Maplewood Avenue adjacent to the park was designated Honorary Cpl. Conner T. Lowry way. Located less than a block away from Ridge Park, Ridge Wetlands Park was purchased from Metra in 1991 in order to save the wooded
wetlands A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The ...
from being paved over for parking space. It totals . King-Lockhart Park is a and plaza located at 10609 South Western Avenue. It is the former site of the Beverly Tire Store, which was destroyed in a fire on February 11, 1998. The park district acquired the property, which remained vacant since the fire, in 2009. The park is named after Chicago firefighters Patrick King and Anthony Lockhart, who died while battling the fire. Two
pergolas A pergola is most commonly an outdoor garden feature forming a shaded walkway, passageway, or sitting area of vertical posts or pillars that usually support cross-beams and a sturdy open Latticework, lattice, often upon which Woody plant, woo ...
mark the locations where each firefighter died.


Landmarks

* Givins Irish Castle: Arguably the most notable architectural feature in Beverly, the castle is located at the corner of 103rd Street and Longwood Drive. Robert C. Givins directed its construction in 1886 and 1887, inspired by castles from his native Ireland. He used it as his private residence until 1894. The three-story castle with its three crenellated towers has been extensively renovated over its history, though the iconic outer shell has remained unchanged. The Beverly Unitarian Church is the fifth and current "keeper". The castle is the only building of its kind in Chicago and is commonly claimed to be haunted. * Beverly/Morgan Railroad District: This
historic district A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from c ...
is a set of six train stations: the 91st Street, 95th Street, 99th Street, 107th Street, 111th Street and 115th Street. Of the six, the first four are located within Beverly. These stations, which were collectively constructed between 1889 and 1945, represent rare examples of late 19th to early 20th century train station architecture in Chicago. They were designated a
Chicago Landmark Chicago Landmark is a designation by the Mayor and the City Council of Chicago for historic sites in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Listed sites are selected after meeting a combination of criteria, including historical, economic, archite ...
on April 15, 1995. * Longwood Drive District: The houses along Longwood Drive atop the iconic hill were built beginning in 1873 by various architects. Longwood was named for a long
copse Coppicing is a traditional method of woodland management which exploits the capacity of many species of trees to put out new shoots from their stump or roots if cut down. In a coppiced wood, which is called a copse, young tree stems are repeated ...
of trees that ran along the lee side of the hill where the rest of Beverly is located. Some of the community's grandest houses line the street, as it was a lofty overview for wealthy Chicagoans looking to build homes in a rural area. The houses along the street represent a mixture of different styles of architecture, such as Italianate, Carpenter Gothic, Queen Anne,
Shingle Shingle may refer to: Construction *Roof shingles or wall shingles, including: **Wood shingle ***Shake (shingle), a wooden shingle that is split from a bolt, with a more rustic appearance than a sawed shingle ***Quercus imbricaria, or shingle oak ...
,
Prairie School Prairie School is a late 19th- and early 20th-century architectural style, most common in the Midwestern United States. The style is usually marked by horizontal lines, flat or hipped roofs with broad overhanging eaves, windows grouped in ...
, and Renaissance Revival. The district was designated a Chicago Landmark on November 13, 1981. * Guy C. Smith and H. Howard Hyde Houses: These two houses are a set of
American System-Built Homes The American System-Built Homes were modest houses designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright. They were developed between 1912 and 1916 to fulfill his interest in affordable housing. Wright was devoted to the idea of providing beautiful yet affo ...
located at 10410 and 10541 South Hoyne Avenue, respectively. They were constructed in 1917 and designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The first house was intended to be the first of a subdivision of homes. Both houses are two-story, single-family units. They were designated a Chicago Landmark on July 13, 1994. *
William and Jessie M. Adams House The William and Jessie M. Adams House is a Prairie school style house located at 9326 South Pleasant Avenue in Chicago, Illinois. Description and history The house was built between 1900 and 1901 by Frank Lloyd Wright. This squarish two-stor ...
: The William and Jessie M. Adams House is a Prairie school style house located at 9326 South Pleasant Avenue. The squarish two-story structure was built between 1900 and 1901 by Frank Lloyd Wright. It was designated a Chicago Landmark on June 16, 1994. In March 2014, the house sold for $980,000 after being owned by the same family since 1952. * Walter Burley Griffin Place District: The district is an area along the 1600–1800 blocks of West Griffin Place containing homes built between 1909 and 1914. Seven of the homes (numbers 1666, 1712, 1724, 1727, 1731, 1736, and 1741) were built by Walter Burley Griffin, one by Spencer and Powers, and the rest by various architects. It was designated a Chicago Landmark on November 13, 1981.


Notable residents

* Lance Ten Broeck (b. 1956), professional golfer. He was raised in Beverly. * Mike Castle (b. 1989), actor best known for starring in the TBS television series Clipped. He was raised in Beverly. * William Cunningham (b. 1967), member of the
Illinois Senate The Illinois Senate is the Upper house, upper chamber of the Illinois General Assembly, the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state, State of Illinois in the United States. The body was created by the first state constitution adop ...
since 2013. He is a Beverly resident. * Count Dante (1939–1975), American martial artist. He was born and raised in Beverly. * Richard Duchossois (born 1921), businessman and owner of Arlington Park. He was a childhood resident of Beverly. *
Henry K. Holsman Henry K. Holsman (1866–1963) was an American architect and car manufacturer from Chicago, Illinois, who is mostly known for the building of Parkway Garden Homes in Chicago, Illinois. Buildings * Henry D.L. and Jennie Adkins house (1909), 24 Nor ...
(1866–1963), car manufacturer and founder of
Holsman Automobile Company The Holsman Automobile Company was an early United States automobile manufacturer in Chicago, Illinois, between 1901 and 1910. Founded by Henry K. Holsman, the company produced a high wheeler automobile. Display models * 1902 is on display in ...
. He resided at 9332 South Damen Avenue. *
Michael Howlett Michael J. Howlett Sr. (August 30, 1914 – May 4, 1992) was an American politician who served as the 24th Illinois Auditor of Public Accounts and 33rd Illinois Secretary of State. He was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Illinois in th ...
(1914–1992), 33rd
Secretary of State of Illinois The Secretary of State of Illinois is one of the six elected executive state offices of the government of Illinois, and one of the 47 Secretary of State (U.S. state government), secretaries of states in the United States. The Illinois Secretary o ...
. He resided at 9630 South Winchester Avenue during his political career. * Daniel Hynes (b. 1968), 6th Illinois Comptroller. He served from 1999 until 2011. He was raised in the Beverly area. * Thomas Hynes (1938–2019), 34th President of the Illinois Senate and longtime Cook County Assessor. He is the father of Daniel Hynes. * John R. Lausch Jr. (b. 1970),
U.S. Attorney United States attorneys are officials of the U.S. Department of Justice who serve as the chief federal law enforcement officers in each of the 94 U.S. federal judicial districts. Each U.S. attorney serves as the United States' chief federal c ...
for the Northern District of Illinois (2017–present) * Richard H. Lawler (1895–1982), transplant pioneer. He was a Beverly resident. *
Vincent LoVerde Vincent LoVerde (born April 14, 1989) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman. He is currently playing under contract with Kunlun Red Star of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Playing career On January 9, 2013, LoVerde was loaned fr ...
(b. 1989), American Hockey League player. He was raised in Beverly and has played with Ontario Reign and the
Manchester Monarchs Manchester Monarchs may refer to: *Manchester Monarchs (AHL) (2001–2015) *Manchester Monarchs (ECHL) The Manchester Monarchs were a professional ice hockey team in the ECHL which began play in the 2015–16 season. Based in Manchester, New ...
. *
Morgan F. Murphy Morgan Francis Murphy (April 16, 1932 – March 4, 2016) was an American attorney and United States Representative from Illinois. Murphy attended Chicago parochial schools. He received a Bachelor of Science from Northwestern University in 1955 a ...
(1932–2016), Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from 1971 to 1981, resided in Beverly. *
P. Scott Neville Jr. P. Scott Neville Jr. is an American lawyer who has served a justice of the Illinois Supreme Court. Education Neville received his undergraduate degree from Culver–Stockton College and his Juris Doctor from Washington University School of Law. ...
, jurist and member of the
Illinois Supreme Court The Supreme Court of Illinois is the state supreme court, the highest court of the State of Illinois. The court's authority is granted in Article VI of the current Illinois Constitution, which provides for seven justices elected from the five ap ...
. *
Matthew O'Shea Matthew J. O'Shea is the Alderman of the 19th ward of Chicago, serving since 2011. Early life and education, and career O'Shea is a lifelong resident of the 19th ward. O'Shea attended Christ the King elementary school and Mount Carmel High Scho ...
(b. 1969), member of the Chicago City Council from the 19th ward. A lifelong Beverly resident, he has represented Beverly and the surrounding area on the City Council since 2011. * Craig Robinson (b. 1971), actor and comedian, best known for the role of Darryl Philbin on the television show '' The Office''. He was raised in North Beverly. *
Ethel Spears Ethel Spears (1903–1974) was an American artist known for her humorous paintings of Depression-era urban life. Education Ethel Spears was born in Chicago, Illinois, on October 5, 1903, and grew up in the Beverly area. After high school, she ...
(1903–1974), American painter. She grew up in Beverly. *
John Paul Stevens John Paul Stevens (April 20, 1920 – July 16, 2019) was an American lawyer and jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1975 to 2010. At the time of his retirement, he was the second-oldes ...
(1920–2019), attorney and jurist who served as
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States An associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States is any member of the Supreme Court of the United States other than the chief justice of the United States. The number of associate justices is eight, as set by the Judiciary Act of 18 ...
from 1975 to 2010. He resided at 9332 South Damen Avenue at the start of his legal career. * Daniel Sunjata (b. 1971), actor. He was raised in the Beverly neighborhood. * Marie H. Suthers (1895–1983), longtime member of the Chicago Board of Elections from 1952 to 1983 and a member of the
Illinois House of Representatives The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The House under the current constitution as amended in 1980 consists of 118 re ...
from 1951 to 1953. She was a resident of Beverly. * Duke Tumatoe (b. 1947), American blues musician and guitarist who was a member of
REO Speedwagon REO Speedwagon (originally stylized as R.E.O. Speedwagon) is an American rock band from Champaign, Illinois. Formed in 1967, the band cultivated a following during the 1970s and achieved significant commercial success throughout the 1980s. The ...
and is best known for his independent career. He was raised in Beverly. *
James C. Tyree James C. Tyree (October 30, 1957 – March 16, 2011) was a Chicago financier who was chairman and chief executive officer of Mesirow Financial since 1994. In 2009, he led a team of investors that took control of the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' newspaper, ...
(1957–2011), chief executive officer of Mesirow Financial from 1994 until his death. He was raised in the Beverly area. *
Paul Vallas Paul Gust Vallas (born June 10, 1953) is an American politician and former superintendent of the Bridgeport Public Schools and the Recovery School District of Louisiana, former CEO of both the School District of Philadelphia and the Chicago Public ...
(b. 1953), superintendent of the post-Katrina, statewide Recovery School District in Louisiana. He lived in Beverly while serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the City of Chicago School District #299. * Lana (b. 1965) and Lilly Wachowski (b. 1967) (known professionally as The Wachowskis), are film directors best known for ''The Matrix'' trilogy. The two sisters were raised in Beverly. *
D. Everett Waid Dan Everett Waid (1864–1939) was a prominent 20th century architect operating primarily in Illinois and New York. As chief architect for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (New York City), he and his partner designed the Home Of ...
(1864–1939), architect who designed, among others, the
Metropolitan Life North Building The Metropolitan Life North Building, now known as Eleven Madison, is a 30-story art deco skyscraper in the Flatiron District adjacent to Madison Square Park in Manhattan, New York City, at 11-25 Madison Avenue. The building is bordered by Eas ...
and the
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Hall of Records Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Hall of Records is a historic corporate archives located at Yonkers, New York, Yonkers, Westchester County, New York. It was designed by architect D. Everett Waid and built by the MetLife, Metropolitan Life Ins ...
. He designed, built, and resided at 9332 South Damen Avenue. * George Wendt (b. 1948), actor and comedian, best known for the role of Norm Peterson in the television show ''
Cheers ''Cheers'' is an American sitcom television series that ran on NBC from September 30, 1982, to May 20, 1993, with a total of 275 half-hour episodes across 11 seasons. The show was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions in association w ...
''. He was raised in Beverly. * Jamila Woods (b. 1989), poet and musician, best known for collaborations with rap artist
Chance the Rapper Chancelor Johnathan Bennett (born April 16, 1993), known professionally as Chance the Rapper, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, and record producer. Born and raised in Chicago, Bennett released his debut mixtape '' 10 Day'' in 2012. He ...
. She was raised in Beverly, and references this in her poem ''Ghazal for White Hen Pantry''. *
Graham Elliot Graham Elliot Bowles (born January 4, 1977)Vettel, Phi ''Chicago Tribune'' blog, July 29, 2010 is an American chef, restaurateur, and reality television personality. He first gained recognition in the restaurant business as a three-time nominee fo ...
(b. 1977), American Chef who co-hosted the TV series Master Chef Jr. He has been nominated three times for the James Beard Award.


Notes


References

Bibliography * * * * * * *


External links


Official City of Chicago Beverly Community Map

Ridge Historical Society

Beverly Area Planning Association
{{Geographic Location 2 , Center = Beverly, Chicago , Northeast =
Auburn Gresham, Chicago Auburn Gresham, most commonly referred to simply as Gresham, is one of the 77 official community areas of the city of Chicago, Illinois. It is located on the far south side of the city and was the original location of the South Side Irish Parad ...
, East =
Washington Heights, Chicago Washington Heights is the 73rd of Chicago's 77 community areas. Located from the Loop, it is on the city's far south side. Washington Heights is considered part of the Blue Island Ridge, along with the nearby community areas of Beverly, M ...
, South = Morgan Park, Chicago , Southwest = Mount Greenwood, Chicago , WNW = Evergreen Park, Illinois , Northwest = Ashburn, Chicago Community areas of Chicago South Side, Chicago Irish-American neighborhoods Irish-American culture in Chicago