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Kenwood, Chicago facts for kids

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Kenwood
Community area
Community Area 39 - Kenwood
Obama Family Home
Obama Family Home
Streetmap
Streetmap
Location within the city of Chicago
Location within the city of Chicago
Country United States
State Illinois
County Cook
City Chicago
Neighborhoods
List
Kenwood
North Kenwood
East Hyde Park
Indian Village
Area
 • Total 1.09 sq mi (2.82 km2)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 19,116
 • Density 17,557/sq mi (6,779/km2)
Demographics 2020
 • White 20.9%
 • Black 66.0%
 • Hispanic 2.2%
 • Asian 6.0%
 • Other 4.8%
Time zone UTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes
parts of 60615 and 60653
Median household income 2020 $52,336
Source: U.S. Census, Record Information Services

Kenwood is one of Chicago's 77 official community areas. It sits right on the shore of Lake Michigan on the city's South Side. Its borders are 43rd Street, 51st Street, Cottage Grove Avenue, and the lake.

Kenwood was once part of Hyde Park Township, which became part of Chicago in 1889. It used to be one of Chicago's richest neighborhoods, and you can still find some of the biggest single-family homes here. Kenwood has two special areas called Chicago Landmark districts: Kenwood and North Kenwood. A large part of the southern area is also in the Hyde Park-Kenwood Historic District. In recent years, Kenwood became famous as the home of former U.S. President Barack Obama and his family.

Exploring Kenwood's History

Kenwood was first settled in the 1850s by wealthy people from Chicago. They were looking for a quieter place away from the busy city. The first person to build a home here was John A. Kennicott. He built his house near the Illinois Central Railroad at 48th Street. He named his home "Kenwood" after his family's land in Scotland.

When the Illinois Central Railroad built a small train station nearby, they also named it Kenwood. Soon, the name Kenwood was used for the whole area.

Neighborhoods and Landmarks

The southeastern part of Kenwood includes a neighborhood called Indian Village. Here, you can find the Chicago Landmark Powhatan Apartments and the National Register of Historic Places Narragansett.

The Blackstone Library, built in 1902, is another well-known landmark in the neighborhood. It is still part of the Chicago Public Library system today. The Hyde Park Art Center, located on Cornell Avenue, is Chicago's oldest place for showing art. It also has a school and studios for artists.

The Hyde Park community area is just south of Kenwood. Because of this, the southern half of Kenwood (south of 47th Street) is sometimes called Hyde Park-Kenwood.

In the 1890s, the Kenwood Astrophysical Observatory was located in Kenwood. This observatory was started by a famous astronomer named George Ellery Hale. It was built close to the new University of Chicago at that time.

Learning in Kenwood

Kenwood has several public schools for students. These include:

  • Kenwood Academy
  • Canter Middle School
  • King College Prep High School
  • Ariel Community Academy
  • William C. Reavis Math and Science Specialty School
  • Beulah Shoesmith Elementary School

There are also private schools in Kenwood:

  • Ancona Montessori School
  • Cambridge School of Chicago
  • Akiba-Schechter Jewish Day School
  • Hales Franciscan High School

Famous People from Kenwood

Many well-known people have lived in Kenwood. Here are some of them:

Gallery

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