South Shore...In the Beginning

SOUTH SHORE.....

IN THE BEGINNING

PRESENT DAY SOUTH SHORE APPEARED 8000 YEARS AGO. GLACIERS RETREATED RESULTING IN THE FORMATION OF LAKE MICHIGAN.  NATIVE AMERICANS AND FRENCH WERE THE FIRST INHABITANTS AS HUNTERS AND TRAPPERS.

 
BY 1855, SOUTH SHORE WAS POPULATED WITH GERMAN AND SWEDISH FARMERS.  STREETS APPEARED BY 1874 AND SOUTHWARD DEVELOPMENT WAS BOLSTERED BY THE ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD RUNNING PASSENGERS THROUGH SOUTH SHORE TO SOUTH CHICAGO STEEL MILLS WITH STOPS AT BRYN MAWR, WINDSOR PARK AND CHELTENHAM.  

THE 1893 WORLD’S COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION, IN JACKSON PARK, PRESENTED SOUTH SHORE TO THE WORLD.  IN 1898 161 FAMILIES WERE RECORDED AS RESIDENTS OF SOUTH SHORE FROM 67TH TO 83RD AND FROM THE LAKE TO THE MAINLINE OF THE ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD.  

IN 1905 THE IDEA OF THE SOUTH SHORE COUNTRY CLUB WAS PROMOTED BY LAWRENCE HEYWORTH WHO LIVED WITH HIS FAMILY AT 7651 S. SOUTH SHORE DRIVE.  IN 1906 THE SOUTH SHORE COUNTRY CLUB OPENED AND SOLIDIFYIED THE NOTION OF A GENTEEL AREA FOR THE ELITE….   AS EVIDENCED BY THE SUBSTANTIAL HOMES, CO-OPS AND CODOMINIUMS LINING THE STREETS OF  SOUTH SHORE AND SOUTH SHORE DRIVE COMPLETE WITH BEACH ACCESS, COACH HOUSES, BUTLER’S PANTRIES, FORMAL LIVING AND DINING SPACES.  A WORLD CLASS COMMUNITY WAS BORN.

THIS BLOG IS DEDICATED TO THOSE WHO ARE OR DESIRE TO BE CONNECTED TO THE SOUTHERN SHORE COMMUNITIES OF CHICAGO AND TO THOSE WHO WANT TO SHARE THEIR STORIES OF SOUTH SHORES PAST, PRESENT AND VERY PROMISING FUTURE. SOUTH SHORE IS CHICAGO'S GOLDEN SHORE.

SOUTH SHORE CONNECTED WILL ALSO FEATURE ADJACENT COMMUNITIES BECAUSE THEY ARE SOUTH SHORE CONNECTED.