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Future Woodlawn is mostly swampy wilderness
Future Woodlawn is mostly swampy wilderness in the early 19th century. -
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Farming in Woodlawn
Dutch farmers settle the area during the 1850's for truck farming. Most farmers in the area cultivate vegetables from the marshy, somewhat unproductive land. -
Illinois Central Railway opens stop in Woodlawn
The Illinois Central Railway opens at stop at 63rd St in Woodlawn. Because of this improved access to transportation, Woodlawn saw an influx of settlers, though the community was sparsely populated until the 1890's. -
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Settlement in Woodlawn
During the 1870's, most of Woodlawn's population lived between the Illinois Central Railway tracks and University Avenue (named because of the University of Chicago just to the north of Woodlawn). The area between Midway and 63rd St remained muddy pastures with country roads. -
Population of Woodlawn is 500
In 1884 the population of Woodlawn is about 500. -
Population of Woodlawn is 1,000
By 1886, the population has doubled to 1,000 -
Woodlawn is annexed to the City of Chicago
In 1889 the area now known as Woodlawn is annexed ot the City of Chicago and its population grows to 2,000. -
Chicago's World Fair
The Columbian Exposition is held in nearby Jackson Park. In anticipation of the fair, many hotels, apartment buildings and stores are built in Woodlawn. The "El" line is also completed in Jackson Park. 63rd St and Cottage Grove Ave become popular commercial areas. By the time of the fair, Woodlawn has a population of 20,000, though this drops after the fair ends and growth slows considerably in the neighborhood. Many hotels and apartment buildings stand empty after the end of the fair. -
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Population growth resumes
Population growth in Woodlawn resumes when the City of Chicago develops plans for the south lakeshore area. -
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Population demographics begin to emerge
Apartments are built in the northwest corner of Woodlawn (once occupied by railroad tracks). The neighborhood is mostly single-family homes with an increasing number of 2-, 3-, and 4-story buildings. Most residents near 63rd St commute to the Loop for work. The population includes Irish and German immigrants. Around 1910 there is an influx of African-Americans moving to Woodlawn from the Near South Side who lived in servants quarters working for wealthy families. -
Housing in 1920
There is a citywide shortage of housing in Chicago after World War I causes an influx of returing veterans and a migration of rural southern blacks come to the Chicago area. African-Americans move primarily south beyond 47th and 60th Sts. Most of the newer construction that occurs is for apartment hotels. -
African-Americans in Woodlawn in 1920
By 1920 2% of Woodlawn's population is African-American. -
African-American population in Woodlawn in 1930
By 1930, 13% of the population in Woodlawn is African-American. They are concentrated between 63rd St, South Chicago Ave, South Park, and Cottage Grove Ave. -
University of Chicago and Woodlawn in 1930
In 1930 half of the faculty from the University of Chicago lived in Woodlawn. Many faculty were against the idea of the University expanding its borders south into Woodlawn. High property prices also were a deterant in expaning the campus. -
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Population increases but lack of housing construction
From 1930 to 1960 the population of Woodlawn grows by 23% to an all-time high of 81,000. However, no new housing was constructed this time aside from Midway Gardens--a 318-unit project built in 1953. During this period the African-American population of Woodlawn began to move east of Cottage Grove Avenue. -
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Population growth in the 1930's
Chicago as a whole sees little growth in population during this time period but Woodlawn experiences a 22% growth. By now the African-American population of Woodlawn has reached 17%. The area of the neighborhood west of Cottage Grove Ave has almost no white residents. -
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Housing and Commercial Activity in the 1930's
Despite the population growth during this time, hardly any new construction took place. Existing buildings were subdivided to create more units and an era of substandard housing began in the neighbhood. Older buildings begin to be neglected and lead to "neighborhood decay". The City of Chicago then works with the Woodlawn Planning Commission to rehabilitate and improve the community's appearance. -
African-American Population in Woodlawn in 1950
By 1950 the black population has reached 39% in Woodlawn and they begin to replace immigrants at unskilled labor after WWII. Immigrants in the area generally moved away into other expanding neighborhoods with better jobs, yet many blacks in Woodlawn were unable to secure these higher paying jobs. The plethora of African-Americans with low-paying jobs in Woodlawn plus a high rate of unemployment led to widespread poverty in the neighborhood. -
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Population changes in the 1960's
A massive racial change in the population occurred during the 1950s so that by 1960 89% of Woodlawn's population is African-American. The white population had dropped by 40,000 and the black population grew by the same amount. At this time the remaining white population is concentrated in eastern Woodlawn and Jackson Park. By now the Puerto Rican population has also grown to about 2,000. -
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Housing in the 1960's
By 1960 there are almost 30,000 housing units in Woodlawn. Only 20% of them are owner-occupied. 48% of housing structures have 10+ units per building. -
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Poverty, Gangs, and Controversy in the 1960's
Ongoing poverty in Woodlawn leads to the deterioration of buildings and streets in the neighborhood. Gang membership begins to rise and controvrsy erupts over the use of gang members in "leadership roles in federally-funded community programs". Controversy also exists between The Woodlawn Organization (TWO) and the University of Chicago who wants to expand its borders southward. TWO fears that this will dislocate Woodlawn residents. -
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Housing in the 1970s destroyed by fires
In 1970 there are 22,263 housing units in Woodlawn - a decline from the 30,000 units in 1960. This is due in part to the general deterioration of buildings in the neighborhood but also because a large number of fires had destoryed many houses and businesses in the area. -
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Housing decline continues in the 1980's
By 1980, less than 16,000 housing units stand in Woodlawn. Only 14% of these are single-family homes and less than 15% are owner-occupied. For comparison, Chicago as a city at this time has 39% owner-occupied housing. The median value of owner-occupied housing is $26,647 where in Chicago as a whole it is $47,200. -
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Population demographics in the 1980's
By the 1980's 96% of Woodlawn's population is African-American. The population is only 36,000, which has dropped 55% from the high 20 years ago. 1,200 whites remain in the neighborhood and the population of hispanics and other races are negligible. -
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Poverty and unemployment in the 1980's
The unemployment rate in Woodlawn in the 1980s is 16.7% and Woodlawn becomes one of Chicago's poorest neighborhoods. The unemployment rate in Chicago is only 10.7%. By this time the median family income in Woodlawn is $10,545 - one of the lowest in the Chicago area.