Kenwood Treasures: A Walk-Through Chicago’s Historic Southside Neighborhood

Are you in search of a unique activity for this Saturday? Keen on exploring the history of Chicago and its varied neighborhoods? Come along for our latest neighborhood walking tour! We're exploring a fresh area on the Southside this time, featuring the Kenwood neighborhood. For those with a love for architecture, Kenwood will captivate you!

The walk promises to be delightful on this beautiful early autumn afternoon. It's an event that brings multiple meetup groups together! Although it's not exclusively a photo walk, there will be ample chances to snap photos!

There is a $20 fee per person. THIS IS A PAID PRIVATE NEIGHBORHOOD WALKING TOUR OF THE BEAUTIFUL & HISTORIC KENWOOD DISTRICT WITH AN EXPERT CHICAGO GUIDE. Please check out another walking tour that I have developed for the Kenwood neighborhood.

Starting at the Blackstone Branch of the Chicago Public Library, the tour will showcase an array of Gilded Age mansions, Chicago's oldest synagogue, numerous buildings associated with civil rights icons, homes of renowned architects and philanthropists, and the former residence of the 44th President, Barack Obama.

The tour is approx. 2.5 miles of walking outside so wear good walking shoes and proper outdoor clothing for the Chicago fall weather.

Note that the tour ends about 6 blocks from where we start, so park accordingly if you drive. We start at the Blackstone Branch 4904 S Lake Park Ave, and end at Isidore Heller House 5132 S Woodlawn Ave. so suggest parking somewhere in the middle

EVERYONE PAYS $20 UPFRONT AT THE START OF THE TOUR.

After the walk, some of us may grab a bite at wonderful vegan Restautant Can't Believe It is Not Meat on 53rd Street https://cantbelieveitsnotmeat.com/. If they are too crowded, then we can go to Cafe 53 https://www.cafe-53.com/ or The Sit-Down Cafe https://thesitdowncafe.com/ All are welcome to join! BRING CASH IF JOINING FOR LUNCH AS VENUES WON'T DO SEPARATE CHECKS!

Kenwood was originally part of Hyde Park Township, which was annexed to the city of Chicago in 1889. It has a rich history and beautiful architecture. It’s closely linked with nearby Hyde Park and is known for its stunning residential buildings, Kenwood was once one of Chicago's most affluent neighborhoods, and it still has some of the largest single-family homes in the city. It contains two Chicago Landmark districts, Kenwood and North Kenwood. A large part of the southern half of the community area is in the Hyde Park-Kenwood Historic District. In recent years, Kenwood has received national attention as the home of former U.S. President Barack Obama.

Kenwood was settled in the 1850s by wealthy Chicagoans seeking respite from the increasing congestion of the city. The first of these residents was John A. Kennicott, who built his home near the Illinois Central Railroad at 48th Street. He named the home Kenwood after his ancestral land in Scotland, and when the Illinois Central Railroad built a small depot near 47th Street, they named the station Kenwood as well.

By the early 1860s, Kenwood was fast becoming a fashionable place for many of Chicago's most prominent residents. Enticed by the promise of increased transportation improvements, early residents of note included Lyman Trumbull, the US Senator; Norman Judd and William Rand, of the Rand McNally map corp. In 1874, one publication stated that “Kenwood is the Lake Forest of the south, without the exclusiveness of its northern rival.”

Many notable people have moved to or grew up in Kenwood. A few of these icons are Muhammad Ali, Louis Farrakhan, Valerie Jarrett, Carol Moseley Braun, Elijah Muhammad, Barack & Michelle Obama, Mandy Patinkin, Julius Rosenwald, Bill Veeck & Muddy Waters. Overall, Kenwood remains a vibrant and historically significant part of Chicago with many stories of its past and future!

Some stops featured on the walk:
Blackstone Branch, Chicago Public Library
George Blossom House - FLW Home
Warren McArthur House Frank - FLW Home
Former Elijah Muhammad House
Architect Howard Van Doren Shaw House
Former Home of Muhammad Ali
Charles Adams Goodyear house
Ezra S. Brainerd House
Rainbow PUSH Coalition,
Architects Benjamin Marshall and Horatio Wilson
Julius Rosenwald House
Gustavus Franklin Swift House
Moses Born Residence
Martin Antoine Ryerson House
Mc Gill House
Obama’s former home
KAM Isaiah Israel Congregation
Isidore H Heller House – FLW Home

If you are taking public transportation, please use google maps or CTA trip planner. https://www.transitchicago.com/planatrip/

If you are driving, there is metered street parking along main streets plus free on surrounding side streets but pay attention to parking signs especially permit parking! REMEMBER WALK DOES END WHERE WE START!

PLEASE KEEP RSVP UP TO DATE AND DO NOT BE A NO SHOW!