Chicago's Historic Andersonville Neighborhood Walking Tour - Clio

Entries on This Tour

1. Edgewater Historical Society

Edgewater emerged in the late 19th-century as a prominent neighborhood in the northern part of Chicago. Wealthy families purchased lakeside homes featuring modern amenities while immigrant families moved into the Andersonville and Argyle enclaves within Edgewater. Founded in 1988, the Edgewater Historical Society preserves and interprets the rich history of their local community. In 2002 the Society found a permanent home in a former firehouse on Ashland Avenue, and today the Society offers rotating exhibits on local history.

2. Swedish Bakery (1929-2017) & Lost Larson

For nearly a century, the Swedish Bakery was a well-known culinary landmark along Clark Street in Andersonville. A Swedish ethnic enclave, Andersonville benefited from significant Swedish migration to Chicago in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Although the neighborhood's Swedish roots have waned in recent decades, the Swedish Bakery remained an important connection to the area's Scandinavian past. In 2017, after 88 years in business, the Swedish Bakery closed its doors. Within a year, however, it was replaced with Lost Larson, a Scandinavian inspired bakery that continues to serve traditional Swedish food.

3. Swedish American Museum

Located in Chicago's Swedish cultural center Andersonville, the Swedish American Museum is the “cultural center for the education, celebration and interpretation of Swedish American history and culture in Chicago, Illinois” (“About”). The museum serves to honor and celebrate Swedish culture, history, customs, traditions, and the Swedish immigrant experience. Home to over 12,000 artifacts, the museum has a special exhibits gallery that hosts 4 exhibits a year as well as a permanent exhibit entitled “The Dream of America-Swedish Immigration to Chicago” that is updated annually; the exhibit is about immigration to Chicago at the end of the 1800s and features artifacts, immigrant experiences, and immigrant perspectives. The 24,000 square foot museum hosts events, language classes, programs, and field trips, as well as the Brunk Children's Museum and the Nordic Family Genealogy Center.

4. Simon's Tavern

Found inside Chicago’s historically Swedish neighborhood of Andersonville is the indispensable establishment of Simon’s Tavern. The tavern was named after the bar’s founder Simon Lundberg, a Swedish immigrant. After WWI, Lundberg operated a grocery store; but once Prohibition took effect, he secretly began selling whiskey with his coffee, likely acquiring the alcohol from Al Capone. Lundberg became so successful selling bootlegged whiskey that he afforded to purchase a new location for a second storefront which concealed the No Name Club speakeasy, which is the current location of Simon’s Tavern. After the end of Prohibition, Simon converted his storefront on Clark Street into a bar which continues to be a cornerstone establishment in the Andersonville neighborhood.

5. Lyman Trumbull Elementary School (1909-2013)

As Chicago's population boomed around the 20th century, demand skyrocketed for more schools. The Chicago Board of Education's chief architect Dwight Perkins oversaw the construction of several new schools in the city. Dwight was one of a handful of architects giving rise to the Prairie School, which featured imposing walls and strong vertical and horizontal lines. In 1908, the cornerstone was laid for Lyman Trumbull Elementary School in the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago. Named for the Illinois senator who introduced the 13th Amendment to end slavery, Trumbull Elementary showcases Prairie School design. The school opened its doors to students in 1909 and continued operation until 2013. In 2018, the private Chicago Waldorf School opened in the historic Trumbull building and continues operation today.

6. Ebenezer Lutheran Church

During the late 19th and early 20th century, millions of Swedes immigrated to the United States. Many settled in the growing, bustling Midwestern metropolis of Chicago. The Swedish immigrants brought with them their Protestant beliefs and new churches emerged across the Midwest. Established in 1892, the Ebenezer Lutheran Church serves as a religious and social hub within the ethnically-Swedish Andersonville and Edgewater communities of Chicago. The great limestone church was completed in 1908, designed by local Swedish architect Andrew Norman. The church has evolved over the years to reflect Chicago's changing community, but it still proudly carries on Swedish religious traditions such as the celebration of St. Lucia's Day and julmässa.

7. Swedish American Telephone Company Building

The Swedish American Telephone Company Building stands as a reminder of the Swedish enclave that lived near the business and the prominent role Swedish Americans played in the early days of the telephone. Accurate or not, the Swedes enjoyed a reputation for mastering telephone technology. The F.S. Betz Medical Supply Company constructed the historic building, but the Swedish American Telphone Company (established in 1899) moved into the building in 1905 after F.S. Betz vacated the facility. They remained in the building until 1923, when Denoyer-Geppert Company, a map and globe maker, moved in; they used the historic building as their headquarters for sixty years.

This Tour is a Walking Tour.

Chicago's Historic Andersonville Neighborhood Walking Tour

Created by Zachery Cowsert on December 4th 2020, 3:56:31 am.

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Description

A small neighborhood within the larger Edgewater district of Chicago, Andersonville holds a rich legacy as a historic Swedish enclave. As Chicago transformed into a great Midwestern metropolis in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it attracted many Swedish immigrants in search of jobs. By 1930 over 200,000 first and second-generation Swedish-Americans called Chicago home, and many of them settled in Andersonville. This short walking tour highlights a number of historic sites in Andersonville. It begins with the Edgewater Historical Society [Stop 1], whose exhibits offer a great starting point to learn about the neighborhood. The next three stops offer a slice of Swedish culture. Grab a baked treat at Lost Larson [Stop 2], which continues the legacy of Clark Street’s historic Swedish Bakery. The Swedish American Museum [Stop 3] explores the story of Swedish immigration to the U.S. Simon’s Tavern [Stop 4] is steeped in speakeasy history. Lyman Trumbull Elementary School [Stop 5] and Ebenezer Lutheran Church [Stop 6] complete the tour with glimpses into the unique architectural and religious history of Andersonville.

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