Pray for Kenwood

This area was first settled in the 1850s by inhabitants hoping to separate themselves from the hustle and bustle of downtown Chicago. Many of Chicago’s prominent residents lived in the area and the community continued to prosper through the 1890s. However, once the “L” reached Kenwood in 1907 the population increased greatly along with smaller living accommodations.

The population continued to increase into the 1930s when the community was starting to show signs of deterioration and many existing apartments were subdivided. The transient community was moving either out of the area or into the northern part of community, while the southern part was populated with an influx of African Americans from the southern part of Chicago.

To assist with the transitions in the neighborhood, the Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference was established in the late 1940s in order to maintain a stable and integrated neighborhood. Fortunately, Kenwood benefited from the urban renewal funds from the Community Conference and the designation of historical districts and development of new residential construction. In the 1990s, the creation of charter schools also led many families to move back to the community.