Villa District
Encyclopedia
The Villa District, also known as Villa Historic District, is a historic district
in Chicago, Illinois
, USA. It is located on Chicago's Northwest Side within the community area of Irving Park
. Its borders are along Pulaski Road
to the west, the Union Pacific/Northwest rail line to the north, Hamlin to the east, and Addison Street
to the south. Located directly north of the Wacławowo area of Avondale
, the Villa District is serviced by the Blue Line
's Addison
street station.
The district was built in 1902 by a number of architects, many of them visibly influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright
's Prairie Style of architecture. Most notable among these were bungalows designed by the architectural firm of Hatzfeld and Knox, whose partner Clarence Hatzfeld would later design the fieldhouse and natatorium at Portage Park
. The area was originally developed as the "Villa addition to Irving Park" and showcases many unique Craftsman
and Prairie style homes fronting on picturesque boulevard
style streets. Although St. Wenceslaus
church, a majestic Romanesque
-Art Deco
hybrid draws many of the tourists visiting the area, this historic church is actually a few blocks south of the district's formal boundaries.
The Villa district was the northwest "bookend" for Chicago's vaunted Polish Corridor along Milwaukee Avenue
that extended from Division
and Ashland Avenue at Polonia Triangle
. Journalist Mike Royko
famously dubbed the area as the Polish Kenilworth
after the posh suburb of Chicago's North Shore
.
The Villa Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places
on September 11, 1979. Its area was increased on March 10, 1983 by the addition of the Villa Apartments, 3948-3952 and 3949-3953 W. Waveland Ave.
The Villa District was designated a Chicago Landmark
on November 23, 1983,
Historic district
A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries, historic districts receive legal protection from development....
in Chicago, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, USA. It is located on Chicago's Northwest Side within the community area of Irving Park
Irving Park, Chicago
Irving Park is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community area located on the Northwest Side. It is bounded by the Chicago River on the east, the Milwaukee Road railroad tracks on the west, Addison Street on the south and Montrose Avenue on the north, west of Pulaski Road stretching to...
. Its borders are along Pulaski Road
Pulaski Road (Chicago)
Pulaski Road is a major north-south thoroughfare in the city of Chicago, at 4000 W., or exactly five miles west of State Street. It is named after revolutionary war hero Casimir Pulaski...
to the west, the Union Pacific/Northwest rail line to the north, Hamlin to the east, and Addison Street
Addison Street
Addison Street is a major east west street on the north side of Chicago. It is most associated with Wrigley Field, located at 1060 West Addison Street, which is the home of the Chicago Cubs.- Chicago communities :From east to west:...
to the south. Located directly north of the Wacławowo area of Avondale
Avondale, Chicago
Avondale is one of 77 officially designated Chicago, Illinois community areas. It is located on the Northwest Side of Chicago. Its main borders are the North Branch of the Chicago River, Diversey Avenue, Addison Street, Pulaski Road and the Union Pacific/Northwest rail line; bisecting the community...
, the Villa District is serviced by the Blue Line
Blue Line (Chicago Transit Authority)
The Blue Line consists of a long trunk line in the Chicago Transit Authority's rapid transit system which extends through Chicago's Loop from O'Hare International Airport at the far northwest end of the city, through downtown via the Milwaukee-Dearborn subway, and across the West Side to its...
's Addison
Addison (CTA Blue Line)
Addison is a station on the Chicago Transit Authority's 'L' system, serving the Blue Line. It is also the only station whose coordinates are equal. It is the first station in the median of the Kennedy Expressway....
street station.
The district was built in 1902 by a number of architects, many of them visibly influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator, who designed more than 1,000 structures and completed 500 works. Wright believed in designing structures which were in harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture...
's Prairie Style of architecture. Most notable among these were bungalows designed by the architectural firm of Hatzfeld and Knox, whose partner Clarence Hatzfeld would later design the fieldhouse and natatorium at Portage Park
Portage Park (Chicago)
Portage Park is a park in the Portage Park community area of Chicago, Illinois on the National Register of Historic Places. The park stretches from Irving Park Road on the south to Berteau Avenue between Central and Long Avenues...
. The area was originally developed as the "Villa addition to Irving Park" and showcases many unique Craftsman
American Craftsman
The American Craftsman Style, or the American Arts and Crafts Movement, is an American domestic architectural, interior design, landscape design, applied arts, and decorative arts style and lifestyle philosophy that began in the last years of the 19th century. As a comprehensive design and art...
and Prairie style homes fronting on picturesque boulevard
Boulevard
A Boulevard is type of road, usually a wide, multi-lane arterial thoroughfare, divided with a median down the centre, and roadways along each side designed as slow travel and parking lanes and for bicycle and pedestrian usage, often with an above-average quality of landscaping and scenery...
style streets. Although St. Wenceslaus
St. Wenceslaus in Chicago
St. Wenceslaus - historic church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago located in, Chicago, Illinois.One of the many Polish churches visible from the Kennedy Expressway, it is, along with St. Hyacinth Basilica, one of two monumental religious edifices that dominates the Avondale skyline...
church, a majestic Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
-Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
hybrid draws many of the tourists visiting the area, this historic church is actually a few blocks south of the district's formal boundaries.
The Villa district was the northwest "bookend" for Chicago's vaunted Polish Corridor along Milwaukee Avenue
Milwaukee Avenue (Chicago)
Milwaukee Avenue is a major diagonal street in the city of Chicago and the northern suburbs. True to its name, it once led to the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Starting with a short section at N. Canal and W. Lake Streets, it begins in earnest at the corner of N Desplaines and W. Kinzie Streets...
that extended from Division
Division Street (Chicago)
Division Street is a major east-west street in Chicago, Illinois, located at 1200 North . Division Street begins in the Gold Coast neighborhood near Lake Shore Drive, passes through Polonia Triangle at Milwaukee Avenue into Wicker Park and continues to Chicago's city limits and into the city's...
and Ashland Avenue at Polonia Triangle
Polonia Triangle
Polonia Triangle , also known as the Polish Triangle, is located in West Town, in what had been the historical Polish Downtown area of Chicago. It is bound by Division, Ashland and Milwaukee Avenue. A single-tiered fountain made of black iron with a bowl about nine feet in diameter is installed...
. Journalist Mike Royko
Mike Royko
Michael "Mike" Royko was a newspaper columnist in Chicago, who won the 1972 Pulitzer Prize for commentary...
famously dubbed the area as the Polish Kenilworth
Kenilworth, Illinois
Kenilworth is a village in Cook County, Illinois, north of downtown Chicago. It is the newest of the nine suburban North Shore communities bordering Lake Michigan, and is the only one developed as a planned community...
after the posh suburb of Chicago's North Shore
North Shore (Chicago)
The North Shore is a term that refers to the generally affluent suburbs north of Chicago, Illinois bordering the shore of Lake Michigan.- History :Europeans settled the area sparsely after an 1833 treaty with local Native Americans...
.
The Villa Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on September 11, 1979. Its area was increased on March 10, 1983 by the addition of the Villa Apartments, 3948-3952 and 3949-3953 W. Waveland Ave.
The Villa District was designated a Chicago Landmark
Chicago Landmark
Chicago Landmark is a designation of the Mayor of Chicago and the Chicago City Council for historic buildings and other sites in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Listed sites are selected after meeting a combination of criteria, including historical, economic, architectural, artistic, cultural,...
on November 23, 1983,