Ever wondered why Mount Greenwood is called Mount Greenwood? Let’s uncover the secrets of this captivating Chicago neighborhood.
Picture this: the mid-1800s. German and Dutch farmers settled this area. They were drawn by fertile land perfect for their crops. The area’s name emerged in 1879. Surveyor George Washington Waite received an eighty-acre land grant. He named the area Mount Greenwood. The name honored the lush green trees atop a gently rising ridge.
Mount Greenwood’s early days weren’t without their challenges. The abundance of saloons sparked a movement. This movement aimed to make Mount Greenwood a “dry” area like nearby communities. But residents fought back. They successfully incorporated Mount Greenwood as a village. This clever move preserved their beloved saloons. Twenty years later in 1927 the community voted for annexation into Chicago. They hoped for better services. The Great Depression delayed improvements. However the Works Progress Administration finally installed sewers in 1936. Even into the 1960s residents still fought for improvements like curbs.
Mount Greenwood also held the distinction of being home to Chicago’s last farm. Peter Ouwenga owned the farm until the mid-1980s. He sold his land to the Chicago Public School system. The school district built the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences there. This experimental magnet high school taught agricultural science to city students. It was only the second school of its kind in the nation.
Yet Mount Greenwood’s story isn’t just about farms and infrastructure. The area has faced racial tensions. In the 1970s a civic group filed a complaint. They alleged racial quotas at a local school. The New York Times published an article in 1992. The article highlighted de facto segregation and prejudice. Even in the late 1990s an African-American family reported harassment. In 2016 Mount Greenwood witnessed a clash between the Blue Lives Matter and Black Lives Matter movements.
Today Mount Greenwood thrives. It remains a predominantly white community. It is however a community with a strong sense of identity. It is a neighborhood where local history is deeply valued. The area is known for its impressive homeownership rates. Mount Greenwood remains a unique blend of small-town charm and big-city proximity. It’s a community steeped in history and character. It’s a place worth exploring and discovering.