Gold Coast Historic District (Chicago) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Gold Coast Historic District
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district
Gold Coast's Oak Street Beach
Location in Chicago metropolitan area Show map of Chicago metropolitan area Location in Illinois Show map of Illinois Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Roughly bounded by North Ave., Lake Shore Dr., Clark and Oak Sts., Chicago, Illinois
Architect	McKim, Mead & White; multiple
Architectural style	Moderne, Italianate, Queen Anne
NRHP reference No.	78001121
Added to NRHP	January 30, 1978

The Gold Coast Historic District is a special neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois. It's known for its beautiful old buildings and rich history. This area is part of Chicago's Near North Side. It is generally located between North Avenue, Lake Shore Drive, Oak Street, and Clark Street.

The Gold Coast neighborhood started growing after the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. In 1882, a very wealthy man named Potter Palmer moved there. He came from another rich area called Prairie Avenue. Mr. Palmer helped fill in a swampy area, which later became Lake Shore Drive. He also built a huge, castle-like house with 42 rooms. Other rich people soon followed him to the neighborhood. This made the Gold Coast one of the wealthiest places in Chicago.

Today, the Gold Coast has many different kinds of homes. You can find large mansions, connected row houses, and tall high-rise apartment buildings. Important places in the district include the Astor Street District and the James Charnley House. In 1978, the Gold Coast Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is recognized as an important historical site.

About the Gold Coast Neighborhood

The Gold Coast is a very well-off neighborhood. In the late 1980s, it was the second richest neighborhood in the United States. Only the Upper East Side in Manhattan was wealthier. As of 2011, the Gold Coast was still one of the richest urban neighborhoods. The average household income there was about $153,358.

Sometimes, nearby areas are also thought of as part of the Gold Coast. These include the East Lake Shore Drive District and parts of Streeterville. Even some areas near Northwestern University's Chicago campus are sometimes included.

Exploring Gold Coast's History Through Images

You can find many old pictures of Chicago's Gold Coast online. These are available through Explore Chicago Collections. This is a digital collection from Chicago's archives and libraries.

Chicago Gold Coast from North Avenue Beach looking south.

Education in the Gold Coast

Aerial view of the Ogden International School East (elementary) campus

The Chicago Public Schools (CPS) system runs the public schools in the Gold Coast area. The East Campus of Ogden International School of Chicago is located here. This campus serves elementary school students.

If you live in the Gold Coast, you would attend Ogden School for kindergarten through 8th grade. For high school, students are usually zoned to Lincoln Park High School. However, if you finish 8th grade at Ogden, you can automatically go to Ogden's high school program. Students who didn't attend Ogden's middle school must apply to its high school.

The Latin School of Chicago is also in the Gold Coast. It is a very well-known private school for students from kindergarten to 12th grade.

Famous People Who Lived Here

The Gold Coast has a history of being home to many famous and influential people. Some of them include:

• J. B. Pritzker – a businessman and politician who is currently the Governor of Illinois.
• Lori Greiner – an inventor, business person, and TV personality.
• Vince Vaughn – a well-known actor.
• Lee Miglin – a real estate developer.
• Ernest Hemingway – a famous author and journalist.
• Meredith Marks – a television personality.