The Andersonville commercial street,Clark Street, that is featured in this historic district, developedover many years. Originally called Green Bay Road, it was a trail toFort Howard in Green Bay Wisconsin. Before the railroad connectedChicago and Milwaukee, it was a stage coach route. Today’sAndersonville get its name from a subdivision that extended fromClark Street west to Ravenswood and from Foster (then 59th Street)south to Winnemac. The Andersenville/Andersonville School was builton this land with the entrance facing Foster. In 1857, LakeviewTownship held its first election at the school.

After the Chicago Fire of 1871, Swedishimmigrants began moving into Andersonville when their earlysettlement burned to the ground. They worked to build the communityin and around Andersonville and attract more Swedes to the area. Theygathered to form churches and pray together. Among the residents ofthe area was Reverend Paul Andersen Norland, who was known for hisleadership and work among the immigrants. Some say that the schoolwas named for him, which would explain the difference in spelling. Itis known that he lived in the vicinity of Clark and Foster.

In 1865, Lakeview was recognized as atown by the state of Illinois. In 1889, it became a part of the Cityof Chicago. Prior to 1890, there was limited commercial developmentalong Clark Street because there was limited transportation. In 1890,Clark was paved with gravel and, beginning in 1889, there was a horsecar shuttle from Lawrence to Devon. In 1896, this section wasreplaced by electric streetcars (trolleys) that made the trip all theway to the limits car barn just south of Diversey, where transfer wasmade to the cable cars for the trip to downtown. Many settlers whocame were skilled in building, design and finance. This historicdistrict is a tribute to the enterprising and talented people whobuilt the community of Andersonville during the period ofsignificance, 1894-1940.

During this time many Swedishcarpenters, architects, builders and engineers worked to build thiscommercial district. As the 1905 Sanborn map shows, there were fewbuildings built before that date. The oldest buildings in thedistrict include the Gethsemane Garden Center Shop at 5739 Clark, thegray stone building once known as the Round Table restaurant justsouth of it and the Sofo Bar at Argyle and Clark. Another oldbuilding of note, just off Clark, is the GreenSky building at 5357 N.Ashland. The architectural styles of the buildings exhibit elementsof Neoclassicism, Revivalism and Art Deco, but are classified asearly 20th Century commercial architecture.

By 1900, the Andersonville School wasovercrowded and residents sought a new school. There was empty landat the opposite corner and the Chicago Board of Education built theTrumbull School, which opened in 1909. The Andersonville School stoodon its site for several years before it was demolished. The Board ofEducation retained ownership of the land and the Hagelin Companybuilt the building known as the Hagelin Block in 1925. In 1927, theNelson Funeral Home opened in the building on the Ashland Avenueside. It is still family owned and operated.

The photos in the exhibit were takenduring the past year by local architect Thom Greene. The photos showthe full view of the buildings that are often ignored by busyshoppers. They are representative of the best designs of many Swedisharchitects who are recognized in Chicago. The most prolificarchitects include Carl Almquist and Edward Benson, along with AndrewE. Norman and Oscar Johnson. Other well known architects includeDwight Perkins, John Nyden, Niels Buck, Raymond Gregori, H.L.Newhouse, Eric E. Hall and Charles Strandel.

During the years from 1900 to 1960, theClark Street shopping area was referred to by neighbors as “SwedeTown.” There were drug stores, storefront groceries, banks,bakeries, cleaners, bars and restaurants. One, Simon’s Tavern,opened in 1934 and is still in operation. In the 1960s, the UptownClark Street Business Association, which had been an organization forall the small businesses along the street, sought the City ofChicago’s support to rename the area Andersonville. In 1964, agreat celebration was held to reaffirm the historic name of the area.Adding to the improvement of the street, the Chamber instituted theringing of a bell to remind the store owners to clean up and sweep upin front of their storefronts.

The architect and date of constructiononly tell part of the story, as the buildings changed hands andchanged functions. The well known Lind Hardware store has become theSwedish American Museum. The Walgreen’s Drug store at Berwynand Clark is now a Starbucks. The Swedish Merchant’s Bank isnow Hamburger Mary’s. What was once an F.W. Woolworth is nowAcre restaurant and Capital Savings Bank is now the PhiladelphiaChurch. The street started with many small locally owned businessesand has continued in that vein. Residents of the area support thesebusinesses. To celebrate the history of Andersonville, identifyingbanners were hung in 2002 and streetscaping, including designs in thesidewalk with the bells and the date of the Andersonville School,were installed.

The first application for this districtwas developed in 2004 by students of the Preservation Program at theSchool of the Art Institute. In 2006, it was revisited by ThomGreene, who worked with Kristy Menas to make the presentation to theState Historic Preservation Agency. As part of that process, it waspresented to the community at the Swedish Museum in May of 2007. TheState Historic Preservation Agency offered ideas and expanded thenumber of buildings and the area. It was approved at the State leveland placed on the National Register of Historic Places by theDepartment of the Interior in March of 2010. Thanks to Thom Greeneand Ellen Shepherd, Andersonville Chamber of Commerce and Greene andProppe Design for their work in supporting this designation andmaking it happen.

The Edgewater Historical Society wouldlike to thank LeRoy Blommaert, Morry Matson, Thom Greene, Greene andProppe Design, David Gemperle and Kathy Gemperle for their work onthis exhibit.

Don’t miss it!