Bucktown

Bucktown is a neighborhood located to the east of the Logan Square community area in Chicago northwest of the Loop. It's original boundaries are Fullerton Ave. on the north, Western Ave on the west, Damen Ave. on the east, and Armitage Ave. on the south. Over time, real estates agents extended it's boundaries as a selling point to the Chicago River to the east, Western Avenue to the west, Bloomingdale Avenue to the south and West Fullerton Avenue to the north. It is primarily residential, with a mix of older single family homes, new builds with edgy architecture, and converted industrial loft spaces. The neighborhood's origins are rooted in the Polish working class, which settled in the area in the 1830s. A large influx of Germans began in 1848 and in 1854 led to the establishment of the town of Holstein, which was eventually annexed into Chicago in 1863. Additional population influxes include European Jews, Mexican immigrants and Puerto Rican migrants. Puerto Ricans concentrated along Damen and up Milwaukee Aves. from the 50's until the 80's.They supported the Young Lords and other groups that campaigned in the 80's and voted strongly for Harold Washington's victorious,mayoral campaign which called for "Neighborhoods First" not city hall. In the last quarter of the 20th century, a growing artists' community led directly to widespread gentrification, which brought in a large population of young professionals. Bucktown is directly north from Wicker Park.
There are many bars and restaurants in the vicinity and there has been a large number of "teardowns" of the older housing stock - replacing them with new and large residential buildings.
There is a significant amount of shopping on Damen Avenue from North Avenue (in Wicker Park) going north until Webster Avenue. Bucktown is readily accessible on the Blue Line.
Bucktown gets its name from the large number of goats raised in the neighborhood during the 19th century. A male goat is a buck. The original Polish term for the neighborhood was Kozie Prery (Goat Prairie).
Category:Neighborhoods of Chicago