Many Swedish Chicagoans in the wake of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, moved from Chicago’s old “Swede Town” settlement along Chicago Avenue to the intersection of Clark Street and Belmont Avenue; the suburban Town of Lake View.
By the turn of the 20th century the Lake View area had become home to the largest ethnic Swedish community in Chicago. Chicago as a whole boasted the largest Swedish population outside of Gothenburg – Sweden’s second largest city. In Chicago, the Swedish population was the fifth largest ethnic population after Poles, Germans, Russians, and Italians by 1920.
Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, the Lake View community historically was part of the greater Lake View Township, and it transformed from wilderness to scattered farms and estates to suburban town to urban neighborhood in little over 50 years. In 1899 Lake View was officially annexed to Chicago.
Swedish Immigrant, Charles Netterström, built one of the first homes in the Lake View area, a home which remains to this day. The history of that home and the history of the Lake View area can be found online.
click→ LANDMARK DESIGNATION - Charles M Netterström House
As a kid in the 50's and 60's I viewed Lake View as a declining area. The children and grandchildren of those Swedish immigrants had moved on, often to the suburbs. Today Lake View is upscale and thriving. I found this to be an excellant read with loads of information about the formerly Swedish/Chicago area of Lake View. Check it out?
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