The Chicago West Side has gone through many transitions in its ethnic and socioeconomic makeup due to its historic role as a gateway for immigrants and migrants as well as its role for funneling poorer African-American residents away from the wealthier lakeside neighborhoods and central business district. On the flag of Chicago, the West Side is represented by the central white stripe. The West Side consists of communities that are of historical, cultural, and ideological importance to the history and development of Chicago.
The West Side is one of the three major sections of the city of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, along with the North Side and the South Side. In later years, the meaning would be confused with other plants of the Allium genus, and it is likely that linguistic confusion over descriptions of the plant’s odor led to the common misconception that “Chicago” translates to “bad smell.The Garfield Park fieldhouse on Central Park Avenue near Washington Boulevard.Ĭoordinates: 41★2′02″N 87☃7′18″W / 41.8671°N 87.6216°W / 41.8671 -87.6216 Coordinates: 41★2′02″N 87☃7′18″W / 41.8671°N 87.6216°W / 41.8671 -87.6216 Those French records also include references to the word being used to the describe the place where it grew, not just the plant itself. As Swenson explains, the earliest historical documentation of European exploration of the area comes from a 17th century French expedition, the records of which contain detailed descriptions of the plant in question, known as chicagoua in a language of the Illinois people.
Swenson in a 1991 article on the etymology of “Chicago” for the Illinois Historical Journal. The precise plant to which the word refers was Allium tricoccum, also known commonly as ramp, argues John F. If you don't get the confirmation within 10 minutes, please check your spam folder.Īnd that garlic theory is the prevailing one today. Click the link to confirm your subscription and begin receiving our newsletters. Another reference book from around the turn of the 20th century adds to those theories that the origin word could refer to a skunk or skunk weed, which is a plant known for its odor, or the Pottowattamie word for “destitute.” The text also brings up the Chicago River and garlic once more, citing that an account from 1695 refers to “the River of Garlic.”įor your security, we've sent a confirmation email to the address you entered. A fort called “Chicagou” is also cited as being listed in French missionary Louis Hennepin’s accounts of the area as well. Also mentioned is the Indian Chief Chikagou.
One 1890 reference book lists a number of possible derivations for the word, including the Pottowattamie words “Shecaugo” and “Choccago,” meaning “playful waters” and “destitute” respectively, as well as the words “Chicag,” “Chicagowunz” and “Chicago,” all relating to leeks or onions. The word first lent itself to the Chicago River, with the city officially incorporated in 1837. Most of the competing theories that have floated around over time have a similar background, detailing that the word “Chicago” - like many American place names - comes from a similarly pronounced or spelled name in a Native American language. The origin story behind the word that would become Chicago West’s first name was debated by historians for some time and involved Native American dialects, odd smells and botany.