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CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY EXPLORATIONS
Join a rotating selection of our expert guides for a tour that will help you decipher Chicago's unique architectural quirks, distinctive infrastructure, and topographic clues to make educated inferences about your city surroundings.

Whether you use your newfound knowledge to impress dates, look cool in front of your mom, or as a foundation for creating history tours of your own, this tour (and accompanying handout) distills years of study into a quick, interesting walk that will open your eyes to the beauty and history around you.

Highlights include:
  • Street numbering, re-numbering, and how to tell what's been where for how long
  • Building materials: what's terracotta, what's Chicago brick, and what do those materials tell you?
  • Architectural styles and the secrets to dating the buildings around you
  • Remnants of past tenants: who lived in your neighborhood, when, and where were they from?
  • And much, much more!

Developed by Patti Swanson and Laura Schuetz, with Phil Thompson of Cape Horn Illustration.
Sat, June 22: 1pm-3pm
Ravenswood with Brick of Chicago's Will Quam
Wed, July 3: 6:30-8:30pm
Wicker Park with Patti Swanson 
Sat, July 27: TBA
Edgewater with Leyla Royale and Ava Battocchio​
Sun, July 28: TBA
Edgewater with Leyla Royale and Ava Battocchio​

2019 Walking tours

Chicago for Chicagoans is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit offering tours on a "pay-what-you-can" basis. A suggested tip of $10-20 per person is suggested & appreciated, but not required. Reviewing us on Yelp, liking us on Facebook, spreading the word, and attending future tours tells us how much you love us too! Donate online at chicagoforchicagoans.org/donate.
PRAIRIE AVENUE DISTRICT WALKING TOUR
Saturday, June 29th • 1:00-3:30PM
Sunday, June 30th • 1:00-3:30PM

Chicago for Chicagoans returns to the South Side for a 2 hour walk through Chicago's Prairie Avenue District, with special guest collaborator Amy (Weber) Simoneau! Amy's South Side pride and love of historic gems found off the beaten path will serve us well as we explore an area once nicknamed "Millionaire's Row" for the magnificent mansions of Chicago's elite that lined historic Prairie Avenue.

Beginning at the Cermak-McCormick Place Green Line stop, the tour will cover the architecture, landmarks, and stories of Prairie Avenue and nearby South Michigan Avenue -- from Marshall Field and Motor Row, to Chicago blues, legendary crime-scene analysts, and early Chicago settlers. The afternoon will end with a meal at Spoke & Bird, a South Loop farm-to-table spot known for its coffee, beer, & tasty food. Come learn something new about your place in space!
ROSCOE VILLAGE WALKING TOUR
Saturday, July 13th • 3:00-5:30PM
Sunday, July 14th • 10:00-12:30PM

Chicago for Chicagoans is excited to announce the newest iteration of our 2.5-hour walk through the lively pocket neighborhood of Roscoe Village, featuring special guest collaborators Korena Dill and Barry Love! Korena and Barry are enthusiastic Roscoe Village residents with a wealth of combined knowledge about the neighborhood's historic patchwork of industrial, residential, and commercial landmarks. 

Beginning at the Paulina Brown Line stop, we'll explore the history & architecture of a neighborhood once known for its pencil factory, amusement park, and kooky aldermen. These days, it's a bustling part of the city filled with small businesses, historic homes, and just about everything in between. After the tour, participants are encouraged to check out the annual Roscoe Village Garden Walk (Sunday, noon to 5PM)! 
OLD TOWN WALKING TOUR
Saturday, August 3rd • 2:00-4:00PM
Sunday, August 4th • 2:00-4:00PM

Chicago for Chicagoans is excited to welcome you on a one-of-a-kind journey through Chicago's Old Town neighborhood, led by neighborhood collaborator Liz Garibay of History On Tap and the Chicago Brewseum! Liz is a native resident of Old Town who leads tours and curates exhibits on the rich history of Chicago's tavern culture.
​
​Beginning at Twin Anchors (1655 N Sedgwick St), the tour will cover the history, landmarks, and architecture of one of Chicago's oldest neighborhoods. From immigration history to the Great Chicago Fire, from prohibition and speakeasies to movements in music and art, this engaging walking tour explores the history of the neighborhood beginning and ending at some of its wonderfully historic bars. Come learn more about your place in space!

Please note: attendees of all ages are welcome to join us for the tour, though please be aware that the day's final location (Old Town Ale House) is limited to guests 21+.​
BOYSTOWN WALKING TOUR
August 2019 • TIME TBA
August 2019 • TIME TBA

Chicago for Chicagoans is excited to announce the return of one of our most popular tours-- a totally unique, 2 hour exploration of the Boystown neighborhood, featuring special guest collaborators Vitaliy Vladmirov & Steve Migalski!

Beginning at the Belmont Red/Brown Line stop, the tour will cover the queer history the country’s first recognized LGBTQ district. As gentrification displaces gay spaces and queer people of color, as wealthy home-owners push out homeless youth, and as strollers grow more common, the cultural fabric of the neighborhood is threatened. 

We'll explore the intersection of urban planning and LGBT politics, the limits of diversity, and the difference between acceptance and assimilation. We'll discuss how cities benefit from enclaves, how minorities carve out space, and how to be a better ally.  Come learn something new about your place in space!
 BEVERLY WALKING TOUR
Saturday, August 17th • 1:00-3:30PM
Sunday, August 18th • 1:00-3:30PM

​Chicago for Chicagoans is excited to revisit the far South Side with a repeat of our 2-hour tour Beverly tour, featuring special guest collaborator Tim Moran! Tim is a local journalist for Patch.com, and a homegrown Beverly resident who brings decades of passion for his community to a one-of-a-kind exploration of this time capsule neighborhood.

Beginning at the 103rd/Beverly Hills Metra station, the tour will cover the history, architecture, and landmarks of this unique neighborhood– from churches and castles, to Irish immigration, historic homes, and contemporary controversy. The afternoon will end with a meal at Janson's Drive In, a Chicago institution serving up hotdogs, hamburgers, & Italian Beef sandwiches since 1960. Come learn something new about your place in space!
**NEW** LAKEVIEW WALKING TOUR
Saturday, August 24th • 1:00-3:30PM
Sunday, August 25th • 1:00-3:30PM

Chicago for Chicagoans is excited to announce its newest tour, a 2.5-hour walk of the West Lakeview area, with special guest collaborator Walter Kiefer! Walter has lived in Lakeview for the past decade, discovering all the wonderful gems of forgotten history that line its streets. 

Beginning at the Addison Red Line Station, the tour will cover the history, architecture, and landmarks of Lakeview's western side -- from atypical historic construction on Alta Vista Terrace, to Wrigley Field's storied past, to tied houses, railroads, and relics of the industry that once dotted the neighborhood. The afternoon will end at a local restaurant, where participants are encouraged to have a meal with the group. Come learn something new about your place in space!
​
Chicago for Chicagoans is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit offering tours on a "pay-what-you-can" basis. A suggested tip of $10-20 per person is suggested & appreciated, but not required. Reviewing us on Yelp, liking us on Facebook, spreading the word, and attending future tours tells us how much you love us too! Donate online at chicagoforchicagoans.org/donate.

FARTHER OUT...

Fall 2019
PULLMAN
with 
Beatrice Hardy
September 7-8
UPTOWN
​with 
Vitaliy Vladimirov
September
TRAIN TOUR
​​with 
Ava Battocchio
September
ANDERSONVILLE
​with
Leyla Royale
October 26-27
EDGEWATER
with
​ Sam Prestigiacomo

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PLEASE NOTE:
Help us plan a tour in your neighborhood!
We're prioritizing tours in the following areas-- contact us to get in touch:
  • Bronzeville
  • Bridgeport
  • Hyde Park
  • Avondale
  • ​Logan Square
  • Buena Park
  • Englewood 
  • ​South Shore
  • Tours involve approximately 3 miles of walking, and may prove difficult for those with limited mobility or mobility issues. While we stay primarily on paved paths and sidewalks, these routes may still include potholes and uneven surfaces. Please get in touch if you would like to arrange a special tour adjusted for your mobility, or would like to simply grab a coffee and chat about the neighborhood. We will do our best to help everyone, regardless of ability, learn about their city.
  • By RSVPing for, and participating in, any Chicago for Chicagoans event, you waive your right to hold Chicago for Chicagoans liable for any injuries sustained on the tour, and agree to be photographed. Read our liability & photography statements here.