Old Town & Old Town Triangle Community

Old Town, also called East and West Old Town, is an upscale neighborhood between Lincoln Park and the Gold Coast that gives you the best of both of these neighborhoods but still has its own charm. In fact, many of its homes and buildings date back to the Victorian era. You will also notice that many of its streets do not fit into Chicago’s navigational grid because they were laid out before the Great Chicago Fire. Speaking of the Great Chicago Fire, there is a landmark here that was untouched by it-St. Michael’s Church. One of the few buildings left standing after the fire was over.
Many years after the Great Fire, Old Town became the attraction for artists and musicians. Small studios were built to house many of the students of the Art Institute of Chicago. Folk musicians like Janis Joplin and Mama Cass could sometimes be found at the local pubs.

Although one of the smaller neighborhoods, Old Town is an entertainment delight. Wells Street has Zanie’s Comedy Club and The Second City, the improvisational comedy club that produced John and Jim Belushi, Tina Fey, Bill Murray, Alan Arkin and many other outstanding entertainers. Along Halsted Street, are the Tony-award-winning Steppenwolf Theatre and the Royal George Theatre Center. Old Town still hosts one of the nation’s oldest summer art fairs. It has a variety of popular restaurants, coffee houses, and several unusual boutique shops. These shops offer a more personalized shopping experience than the big-name department stores and range in everything from exotic spices to rare books.

Residential Old Town consists mostly of town homes and single-family brick houses. Many homeowners have renovated and restored their homes to the original structures, as close as possible. Some of the schools in this area are-Catherine Cook School, Edward Jenner School, Franklin Fine Art Center, Scott Sojourner Truth School, and Ogden Walter Payton College Prep,  just to name a few. With its vintage charm and closeness to the Loop, this neighborhood is prime real estate for the affluent. Nevertheless, rentals are still just a tad below that of the Gold Coast.

Adequate public transportation is available with the El and buses. For more travel information, visit www.transitchicago.com.