Neighborhood Spotlight: Old Town

From its rich Puerto Rican roots to its lively park, the Humboldt Park neighborhood provides the perfect mixture of urban culture and bucolic charm. So what do you need to know if you want to call Humboldt Park home? Today, we dive into what the diverse community has to offer:

A Brief History of Humboldt Park

Named after German naturalist and geographer Alexander von Humboldt, Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood has been a vibrant hub for many of Chicago’s European and Latino communities since its inception. After the annexation of the neighborhood in 1869 – the same year the community’s park was laid out – low construction costs made it accessible for almost anyone to relocate to Humboldt Park. Today, the neighborhood’s park is lined with stunning graystone houses, many of which have landmark status.

What to Explore

Because of Humboldt Park’s rich Puerto Rican roots, there are countless family-owned restaurants and stores to explore, along with the neighborhood’s annual Fiestas Puertorriquenas celebration. Division Street provides one of the neighborhood’s landmark locations, where visitors can find the entrance to the historic Paseo Boricua underneath two Puerto Rican flag monuments. The neighborhood’s other staple belongs to its namesake park, which totals 207-acres. Brimming with various sculptures, monuments and public artwork, community gardens, beaches and pools, a fieldhouse and the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture, the park is sure to have something to satisfy anyone’s interests.

What to Consider as a Resident

Because Humboldt Park is one of the city’s larger neighborhoods in size, each smaller community within it has its own unique personality, providing potential residents a multitude of options of where to live. Whether you’re searching for a historic graystone that sits comfortably next to the neighborhood’s beloved park, a modern construction or a classic two-/three-flat nestled inside a residential area, Humboldt Park has a mix of it all.

If you’re interested in searching for your own place in Humboldt Park, feel free to contact someone from our team. And stay tuned for more neighborhood spotlights on our blog!