Bridgeport, Chicago
Bridgeport | |
---|---|
CDT) | |
ZIP Codes | parts of 60608, 60609 and 60616 |
Median income 2020[1] | $58,670 |
Source: U.S. Census, Record Information Services |
Bridgeport is one of the 77
History
Bridgeport was initially called the "
A settler named Charles Lee or Leigh came from Virginia and settled along the south fork of the Chicago River by 1804, but soon moved nearer to
Heacock became a vocal proponent of the proposed Illinois and Michigan Canal, which led to the area's development in the 1830s, although others since the voyageur era had previously seen the potential replacing the portage with a canal.[4] A limestone quarry was established in 1832 or 1833, which provided stone to improve the Chicago harbor. In 1836 the area was renamed Bridgeport, the first Chicago neighborhood.[5] In the 1830s, large numbers of immigrants from Ireland started settling in this working-class neighborhood, which became an Irish-American enclave. Many of them had earlier helped build the Erie Canal, then arrived to work on the Illinois and Michigan Canal. Funding remained a problem, and the State of Illinois began issuing "Land Scrip" to the workers rather than paying them with money. A large number of those Irish-Americans who received the scrip used it to purchase canal-owned land at the northern end of the canal where it meets the south branch of the Chicago River. The original Bridgeport village, named "Hardscrabble", was centered around what is now the section of Throop Street north of 31st Street.[6]
Bridgeport also reflects its proximity to a bridge on the Chicago River, which was too low to allow safe passage for boats, forcing cargo to be unloaded there.
Bridgeport's Polish history is most visibly represented in its two churches in the
The Chinese influence in Bridgeport has also followed in other ethnic groups in establishing neighborhood places of worship; the Ling Shen Ching Tze (真佛宗美) Buddhist Temple on West 31st Street was established in 1992.[9]
Politics
Bridgeport has been the home or birthplace of five
Kelly, Kennelly, the elder Daley, and Bilandic comprised an unbroken, 46-year period (1933–1979) in which Bridgeport was home to the city's mayor. Richard J. Daley is widely acknowledged as being the architect of the Chicago's
Thompson represents the third generation of the Daley family to serve in Chicago politics. He is the grandson of Richard J. Daley and the nephew of Richard M. Daley. Thompson was sworn into office in May 2015 (serving until a criminal conviction in February 2022 disqualified him from public office).In the 2016 presidential election, Bridgeport went for Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump by a two-to-one margin. Residents cast 7,471 votes for Clinton, 2,859 votes for Trump, and approximately 550 ballots for third party candidates.[14] In 2012, Barack Obama won Bridgeport by a larger margin of nearly three-to-one. The area cast 6,988 votes for Obama, 2,352 votes for Mitt Romney, and approximately 200 votes were cast for third party candidates.[15]
Bridgeport is represented in the Illinois Senate by Tony Muñoz and in the Illinois House of Representatives by Theresa Mah.[16]
Education
Neighborhood
The Richard J. Daley Branch of the Chicago Public Library system is located at 3400 South Halsted Street.[22]
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1930 | 53,553 | — | |
1940 | 49,109 | −8.3% | |
1950 | 46,070 | −6.2% | |
1960 | 41,560 | −9.8% | |
1970 | 35,150 | −15.4% | |
1980 | 30,923 | −12.0% | |
1990 | 29,877 | −3.4% | |
2000 | 33,694 | 12.8% | |
2010 | 31,925 | −5.3% | |
2020 | 33,702 | 5.6% | |
Historical population citation[23][1] |
According to an analysis by the
The median household income was $54,915 compared to a median income of $58,247 for Chicago at-large. The area had an Income distribution in which 23.0% of households earned less than $25,000 annually; 23.0% of households earned between $25,000 and $49,999; 17.4% of households earned between $50,000 and $74,999; 11.3% of households earned between $75,000 and $99,999; 13.3% of households earned between $100,000 and $149,999 and 12.0% of households earned more than $150,000. This is compared to a distribution of 24.3%, 19.9%, 15.1%, 11.2%, 13.8% and 15.7% for Chicago at large.[1]
81.9% of Bridgeport residents have graduated from high school and 33.9% of residents have graduated with a Bachelor's degree or higher.[1]
Economy
Culture
In 2008 the Chicago Sun-Times listed Bridgeport as one of the four most ethnically diverse neighborhoods in Chicago, alongside Albany Park, West Ridge, and Rogers Park. A traditionally
The neighborhood is served by the Bridgeport News, a community newspaper delivered weekly on Wednesdays to homes throughout the neighborhood.
Television
Fictional Chicago Police Department Sergeant Hank Voight lives in Bridgeport.[28]
Public transit
The East part of the area is served by the Red Line CTA train at the Sox/35th stop which is at Guaranteed Rate Field.[30]
Notable residents
- Richard J. Daley, 38th Mayor of Chicago for a total of 21 years beginning on April 20, 1955, until his death on December 20, 1976.
- Richard M. Daley, 43rd Mayor of Chicago, tenure for 22 years; from 1989 to 2011.
- Benn Jordan, composer and recording artist
- Ed Marszewski, publisher, artist and entrepreneur
- Martin Felsen, architect at UrbanLab
- Morgan M. Finley, Illinois State Senator and politician
- Jonathan Sadowski, movie and TV actor
- John Vitek, Illinois State Representative
- Michelle Wu (born 1985), 55th Mayor of Boston. She was a resident of Bridgeport for a period of her childhood.[31]
- ShanZuo and DaHuang Zhou(known professionally as the Zhou Brothers), visual artists and founders/directors of the Zhou B Art Center on 35th Street
References
- ^ Chicago, Illinois: Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. June 2021. Retrieved August 1, 2021.
- ^ "Bridgeport Rising: The consequences of the whiteout of a neighborhood's changing face". newcity.com. June 30, 2010. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
- ^ "Lock zero". Archived from the original on April 22, 2018. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
- ^ user-generated source]
- ISBN 9780738577302. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
- ^ "Bridgeport: Lock Zero". uic.edu. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
- ^ DeGrane, Susan (July 12, 2001). "A Little Italy". chicagoreader.com. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
- ^ "Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood comes out as diverse - Jeff McMahon - Scorched Earth - True/Slant". trueslant.com. Archived from the original on July 29, 2013. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
- ^ "Google Maps". google.com. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
- ^ "BRIDGEPORT: CHAPTER V". University of Illinois at Chicago. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
- ^ Weisberg, Jacob (July 23, 2012). "Chicago Style". Slate. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
- ^ "Despite Suburban Address, Finley An Old Machine Pol". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
- ^ "11th Ward". 11thward.com. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
- Chicago, Illinois. Archived from the originalon March 17, 2017. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
- Chicago, Illinois. Archived from the originalon March 17, 2017. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
- ^ Xiao, Xiao; Zhou, Ya (February 17, 2016). "Chinatown Forum Airs Issues in State Representative Race". Medill Reports. Evanston, Illinois: Medill School of Journalism. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
- ^ Black, Lisa. "Army of volunteers gives Bridgeport school a makeover." Chicago Tribune. June 14, 2008.
- ^ "Home". Charles N. Holden School. Retrieved November 15, 2008.
- ^ "Geographic Information Systems". Chicago Public Schools. Archived from the original on November 6, 2008. Retrieved November 15, 2008.
- ^ Buckley, Madeline (November 29, 2018). "Chicago Archdiocese shares plans to merge several South Side parishes, schools". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
- ^ "Our History". St. Therese School. Archived from the original on November 20, 2021. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
- ^ "Daley Library". Chicago Public Library. Archived from the original on December 10, 2008. Retrieved November 15, 2008.
- ^ Paral, Rob. "Chicago Community Areas Historical Data". Archived from the original on March 18, 2013. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
- ISBN 978-0226428833.
- ^ "Economic Fact Sheet #1: Chicago and Cook County Economic Trends" (PDF). University of Illinois Chicago. July 11, 2016. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
- ^ "Archived Document". Archived from the original on September 19, 2011. Retrieved July 10, 2011.
- ^ Organic Restaurantsurbanspoon.com Archived November 16, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Chicago PD TV Show Filming Leads to Parking Restrictions in Bridgeport". DNAinfo Chicago. Archived from the original on March 16, 2023. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
- Sangamon State University. pp. 33–36. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
- ^ "Sox-35th Station Information". CTA.
- ^ Sweet, Lynn (November 2, 2021). "Boston mayoral winner Michelle Wu: Raised in Barrington, ran tea house on Lincoln Avenue in Chicago". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved November 3, 2021.