Gage Park - Chicago, IL

Gage Park was originally just a stretch of prairie land until farmers settled there in the 1840s. With only 30 wood-frame cottages, the community looked nothing like the charming streets speckled with residential architecture it does today. The neighborhood was named after the Gage family, who owned a majority of land and initiated the actual Gage Park. George W. Gage began working on the park around 1873; when he died in 1875, the park was renamed for him.

The diverse food scene tends to overshadow the art scene in Gage Park, but a few places to take in creative works exist. The fieldhouse at Gage Park features two murals adorning interior walls. Tom Lea painted one of the murals in 1931 inside the fieldhouse auditorium. Additional murals embellish the streets and can be found on anything from garage doors to elementary schools. The community also hosts a few yearly events, such as the Hamilton Fall Garden Show. This festival showcases mums, crafts, and food vendors with an all-day event every fall.

Explore Kedzie Avenue and 51st Street for a variety of restaurants, or stick to 59th Street for a cluster of eateries. While you'll find a variety of choices, this neighborhood wouldn't be Chicago without great pizza.

Pizza Castle on 55th Street lives up to its name with homemade sausage and crispy thin crust. The majestic King Arthur packs that same homemade sausage on a cheesy pie with onions and mushrooms. Locals say you often score a free liter of soda with your dinner and recommend grabbing a side of spicy buffalo wings to go.

For the best al pastor tacos this side of Tijuana, visit Atotonilco Tortilleria on Kedzie Avenue. Parking is scarce, and this place doesn't accept credit cards, but one bite of a homemade tortilla overflowing with steak and chunky salsa has you handing over your cash for seconds. Save room for dessert, because locals say the horchata milkshake makes for a heavenly finale.

With only 2.5 miles of residential roads and street-level businesses, Gage Park is perfectly suited for walking. Residents can access at least two coffee shops, restaurants, or bars in five minutes on foot. This is especially true of the Kedzie Avenue and 59th Street intersection, where many more choices cluster the area. In colder weather, access one of eight bus routes or the Metra Orange Line from Pulaski Road. Taxi services need to be arranged beforehand, and Uber service can be used as well.

Bike lanes provide locals with yet another means of navigating the neighborhood. Designated lanes run the length of Kedzie Avenue, 51st Street and 55th Street. If you're heading out of town, rent a car from the neighborhood's single car share, RelayRides. The nearest roads leading away from town are the Stevenson Expressway and I-90.

Gage Park holds a special place in residents' hearts and is the primary gathering spot for community events and recreation. Located on the intersection of 55th Street and Western Avenue, the free park spans 29 acres and features gymnasiums, a fitness center, an auditorium and multi-purpose clubrooms. Athletes and families can take advantage of a paved track, a playground, tennis courts, and baseball fields. Holiday-themed events and Hispanic Heritage Month events draw huge crowds to the space and provides residents with a fun getaway.

The stage in the park is used for live events and productions. Seven Sundays in Gage Park takes the prize for most popular event. Featuring a new act or performance every Sunday throughout select summer months, Seven Sundays events wrap up with a family movie. Bikers take to streets bordering the park, while locals who own dogs stroll inside the greens.

The cost of renting apartments and houses in Gage Park offers a variety of options to suit your preferences and budget. For those seeking a cozy one-bedroom apartment to call home, the average rent hovers around $900 per month. If you're yearning for a bit more space and the quintessential charm of a house for rent in Gage Park , you'll pay an average of $1,600 per month. And for those considering putting down more permanent roots, Gage Park's real estate market beckons with an average house price of around $280,000. So whether you're cozying up in an apartment or settling into a house, Gage Park welcomes you with various choices to make your new chapter truly unforgettable!

Big-name retailers on Kedzie Avenue, such as Kmart and TJ Maxx, primarily provide for the neighborhood. Pick up common necessities at Walgreens or CVS, or opt for one of several Latin American grocery stores to gather your goods. The nearest shopping mall would be Ford City Mall, roughly five miles southwest. This mall contains an AMC movie theater, Old Navy, HH Gregg, Marshalls, JC Penney, and Carson's.

For fresh produce, Pete's Fresh Market is a local favorite. Residents choose Pete's for the incredible prices and sales, and they say staff "treat the produce with respect." Visitors even journey to Gage Park from miles away to get a few bags of ripe fruit from the floor-to-ceiling walls of produce.