Clearing, one of the 77 semi-official community areas, is located on the southwest side of the city of

Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

. The southern portion of

Chicago Midway International Airport Chicago Midway International Airport is a major commercial airport on the southwest side of Chicago, Illinois, located approximately 12 miles (19 km) from the city's Loop business district, and divided between the city's Clearing and ...

is located within this community area.

History

The history of Clearing is unclear. An anomalous subdivision appears on maps as early as 1870. Local author and historian Robert Hill calls this the "Lost Village". This subdivision appears between present day Nashville and Narragansett and between 59th and 63rd streets. These names are different from what they are currently, with Narragansett being renamed to Major. The area gets its name from the fact that farm goods from the area were "cleared" (delivered) through the airport and railroad yards. Clearing was first incorporated as a

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

in 1912, within the Township of Stickney. The Clearing area quickly became a part of

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

in 1915 when the growing population needed services provided by the city. It is bordered on the west by Harlem Avenue, on the east by railroad tracks just east of Cicero Ave., to the north by 59th street, and to the south by 65th street. The southern portion of Midway Airport is in Clearing. The Clearing Industrial District was founded in 1909. Lawler Park (), is located in Clearing. Created in 1947, Lawler Park is home to organized Little League softball, a brick recreation building, sandboxes, and other playground equipment. Hale Park and Nathan Hale Elementary School, at 61st and Melvina, are also located in Clearing. Hale Park is home to an outdoor swimming pool, field house, ball fields, and playground equipment.

Neighborhoods

Chrysler Village

Chrysler Village is on the eastern edge of the Chicago neighborhood of Clearing nestled between

Midway Airport Chicago Midway International Airport is a major commercial airport on the southwest side of Chicago, Illinois, located approximately 12 miles (19 km) from the city's Chicago Loop, Loop business district, and divided between the city's C ...

and the Clearing Industrial District. Beginning at Lavergne Avenue on the east and extending to Long Avenue on the West the sturdy brick single family, duplex and townhouse homes surround Lawler Park and were constructed in 1943 during World War II to house the Chrysler Defense Plant workers building the B29 Bomber Engines in the huge plant later housing the Ford Aircraft Engine Division, builders of the B52 Bomber Engines and now known as Ford City.

Politics

Clearing has supported the Democratic nominee in the past two presidential elections. 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: Kiri ...

, Clearing cast 5,601 votes for

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...

and cast 3,139 votes for

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

(61.37%-34.39%). 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: ...

, Clearing cast 5,147 votes for

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...

and cast 2,764 votes for

Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American businessman and retired politician. He served as a United States Senate, United States senator from Utah from 2019 to 2025 and as the 70th governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 ...

(64.19%-34.47%).

Religion

The

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago The Archdiocese of Chicago () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction, an archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church located in Northeast Illinois, Northeastern Illinois, in the United States. The Vatican erected it as a diocese in 1843 and e ...

operates Catholic churches. On July 1, 2020, St. Rene Parish and St. Symphorosa Parish merged.

References

External links

Official City of Chicago Clearing Community Map
{{Portal bar, Chicago, Illinois Community areas of Chicago South Side, Chicago Populated places established in 1907 Neighborhoods in Chicago Former municipalities in Illinois Former populated places in Illinois