South Side, Chicago

South Side
District
The Victory Monument, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is located in the Black Metropolis-Bronzeville District near the starting point of the Bud Billiken Parade
The Victory Monument, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is located in the Black Metropolis-Bronzeville District near the starting point of the Bud Billiken Parade
Coordinates: 41°45′56″N 87°37′40″W / 41.76556°N 87.62778°W / 41.76556; -87.62778
CountryUnited States
StateIllinois
CountyCook
CityChicago
Elevation
597 ft (182 m)
Time zoneUTC−06:00 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−05:00 (CDT)

The South Side is one of the three major sections of the city of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Geographically, it is the largest of the three sections of the city, with the other two being the North Side and the West Side. It radiates and lies south of the city's downtown area, the Chicago Loop.

Much of the South Side came from the city's annexation of townships such as Hyde Park.[1] The city's Sides have historically been divided by the Chicago River and its branches.[2][3] The South Side of Chicago was originally defined as all of the city south of the main branch of the Chicago River,[4][5] but it now excludes the Loop.[3] The South Side has a varied ethnic composition and a great variety of income levels and other demographic measures.[6] It has a reputation for crime, although most crime is contained within certain neighborhoods, not throughout the South Side itself,[7][8] and residents range from affluent to middle class to poor.[9][10] South Side neighborhoods such as Armour Square, Back of the Yards, Bridgeport, and Pullman host more blue collar and middle-class residents, while Hyde Park, the Jackson Park Highlands District, Kenwood, Beverly, Mount Greenwood, and west Morgan Park range from middle class to more affluent residents.[11]

The South Side boasts a broad array of cultural and social offerings, such as professional sports teams, landmark buildings, museums, educational institutions, medical institutions, beaches, and major parts of Chicago's parks system. The South Side has numerous bus routes and 'L' train lines via the Chicago Transit Authority, it hosts Midway International Airport, and includes several Metra rail commuter lines.[12] There are portions of the U.S. Interstate Highway System and also national highways such as Lake Shore Drive.[13]

  1. ^ Cain, Louis P. (2005). "Annexation". The Electronic Encyclopedia of Chicago. Chicago Historical Society. Archived from the original on September 19, 2008. Retrieved September 8, 2008.
  2. ^ "City Layout". Frommers.com. 2007. Archived from the original on October 12, 2000. Retrieved October 28, 2007.
  3. ^ a b Nobleman, Marc Tyler (2005). Chicago. Gareth Stevens, Inc. p. 7. ISBN 978-0-8368-5196-0. Archived from the original on March 13, 2024. Retrieved October 28, 2007.
  4. ^ "Chicago (city, Illinois)". Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia. Microsoft Corporation. 2007. Archived from the original on August 13, 2007. Retrieved August 13, 2007.
  5. ^ "The Municipal Flag of Chicago". Chicago Public Library. Archived from the original on March 30, 2013. Retrieved October 28, 2007.
  6. ^ Pacyga, Dominic A. (2005). "South Side". The Electronic Encyclopedia of Chicago. Chicago Historical Society. Archived from the original on October 17, 2007. Retrieved August 10, 2007.
  7. ^ Sobel, Anne (February 14, 2011). "What the South Side of Chicago Could Learn from Egypt". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on September 15, 2016. Retrieved October 4, 2012.
  8. ^ Tough, Paul (August 15, 2012). "What Does Obama Really Believe In?". The New York Times Magazine. Archived from the original on September 28, 2012. Retrieved October 4, 2012.
  9. ^ "Housing, A Short History". You Are Here. The University of Chicago. 2007. Archived from the original on November 27, 2020. Retrieved August 19, 2007.
  10. ^ "Cinéma vérité". The University of Chicago Magazine. 2007. Archived from the original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved August 19, 2007.
  11. ^ "Chicago Demographics: Median Household Income (as of the 2000 Census)" (PDF). CityofChicago.org. Retrieved October 31, 2007.[permanent dead link]
  12. ^ "The RTA system" (PDF). The Regional Transportation Authority. February 21, 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 27, 2007. Retrieved October 25, 2007.
  13. ^ "FHWA Route Log and Finder List: Table 1". Federal Highway Administration. March 22, 2007. Archived from the original on April 22, 2012. Retrieved October 25, 2007.