Wildwood

Can you imagine a time when Chicago’s elite sought refuge from the city’s hustle and bustle, not in sprawling suburban mansions, but in shared summer cottages? Let’s journey back to the turn of the 20th century, right here in what would become the Wildwood neighborhood of Highland Park. Before grand estates lined the streets, a unique social experiment unfolded. In 1900, four prominent Jewish families – the Foremans, Schwabs, Leopolds, and Steeles – purchased a half-block of land. They envisioned a communal summer retreat. They christened it “Wildwood.” These families, at the pinnacle of Chicago’s Jewish society, built individual cottages but shared a central clubhouse for meals and socializing. Imagine children’s laughter echoing through the trees as they played games. Picture adults enjoying leisurely afternoons, their conversations punctuated by the clinking of glasses. This idyllic scene was made possible by a dedicated staff, a detail often overlooked in romanticized portrayals of the past. Diaries and photo albums, passed down through generations, reveal a vibrant community. They capture the essence of Wildwood, showcasing not only the families’ leisure activities but also the fashions, modes of transportation, and even the gardens that flourished under their care. The Wildwood experiment wasn’t just a personal retreat. It sparked a social trend. Other families, drawn to the allure of this communal summer living, followed suit. Highland Park, once a quiet village, began to transform. By the 1920s, it boasted two Jewish country clubs and a synagogue, marking the birth of a thriving year-round Jewish community. The story of Wildwood epitomizes this transition. It offers a glimpse into a unique moment in Chicago’s history, a time when the seeds of suburban life were sown in the shared laughter and camaraderie of a summer retreat.