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Morgan Park consists of: Beverly Woods, Kennedy Park, and West Morgan Park.
A southwest side haven of tranquility, Morgan Park's quiet cul-de-sacs and roundabouts are edged with leafy trees, Prairie-style bungalows and beautiful parks, offering families a suburban-esque quality to their big city lifestyle. The community planning commission has seen to it that Morgan Park maintains its historic homes, which include a mix of architectural styles beside the classic, brick Chicago bungalow. Oversized lots surrounded by green grass and verdant vegetation are prime properties in Morgan Park. They are also among the most expensive real estate in the area. Smaller residences, courtyard condominiums and townhomes supply less pricey housing that still boast larger-than-average yards and nearby community playlots. Morgan Parkers enjoy privacy at home, but like to get together at the 410-seat neighborhood arts center for a local play production, film screening or music concert.
The Beverly Area Planning Association has worked hard to promote Beverly and neighboring Morgan Park to potential homebuyers. The group was successful in getting the city to grant landmark status to a section of the neighborhood’s many Prairie-style bungalows. And the association’s home tours have encouraged people to make Morgan Park their home. Detached single-family dwellings in Morgan Park include large houses set on sprawling, gated lots. Some homes were designed in the French chalet-style construction with peaked rooflines, brick exterior and tall chimneys. Other homes include nicely-kept brick bungalows surrounded by leafy trees and green yards. There are some new construction houses as well, but more common are older ranches and a variety of other housing designs in both one- and two-stories. In addition to handsome, well-kept residences Morgan Park does have some less attractive, rundown properties that would require some a bit of TLC. Attached multi-unit housing in this south side Chicago neighborhood is comprised mainly of vintage courtyard condos, new-construction townhomes with attached garages, and older brick low-rise condos.
Like many others Thomas Morgan was an early English settler in the south Chicago area. However, unlike the others, Morgan’s desire to establish a homestead led to much more than the simple deed of planting some roots and building a house to call 'home.' In 1844 he purchased the land that would become the town that assumed his name, and later become one of the many Chicago city neighborhoods.
Mr. Morgan passed the land on to his heirs when he died and it is from them that the Blue Island Land and Building Company acquired it in 1869. This company began developing the area for residential and commercial purposes. To this end the company donated land for the Mount Vernon Military Academy (present day Morgan Park Academy) and even persuaded the Baptist Theological Union to relocate to the area which counted William Rainey Harper among its faculty—Harper would go on to become the first president of the University of Chicago. In 1882 the town was incorporated. Unlike the stringent grid most of Chicago’s city streets adhere to, Morgan Park is an anomaly. The layout was designed in the manner of an English country town. Small parks, roundabouts and curving nonlinear streets give the neighborhood a distinct English feel.
In contrast to many other former suburbs of Chicago, Morgan Park was late in its annexation to the city. It wasn’t until 1914 when this hotly contested union took place after years in the courts and much protest from Morgan Park residents. It was the promise of police and fire stations and better schools that won voters over prompting them to finally approve the annexation.
Morgan Park started out as a Baptist community and was home to many Protestant churches in the late 1880s. Between 1930 and 1960 Morgan Park’s population grew to include Irish Catholics and a large number of African American families. Today, Morgan Park is a stable and diverse community that good old Mr. Morgan would be proud of.
As Chicago neighborhood experts, Dream Town has successfully sold properties in Morgan Park. Dream Town holds a well-earned reputation for its impressive sales volume and dedication to personal, attentive service. Benefit from the Dream Town advantage when selling your Morgan Park home. Utilizing state-of-the-art technology, Dream Town drives more sales than any other Chicago brokerage.
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