Garfield Park is anchored by its namesake park, a centerpiece of William Le Baron Jenney's West Park and Boulevard System. The former Central Park—renamed in 1881 after the assassination of President Garfield—features a gold-domed field house and the stunning Garfield Park Conservatory.

The neighborhood consists of east and west halves separated by the park and featuring a remarkable collection of ornate 19th-century greystones. These homes were built at a time when well-to-do Chicagoans flocked to the area looking for larger lots, less congestion and access to green space, all amenities the neighborhood offers to this day. Garfield Park also supports a host of newer light manufacturing businesses, maker spaces, and art galleries.

North Lawndale is best known for beautiful Douglass Park, laid out by William Le Baron Jenney in the 1870s to help spur the westward growth of Chicago. Many of North Lawndale's first residents were Bohemian immigrants who worked at the McCormick Reaper Plant to the south. Later, the area welcomed a large Jewish population.

Today, it is home to a predominantly African American community. North Lawndale residents have provided significant contributions to progressive policies around community development, racial equity and urban farming. The neighborhood also boasts an outstanding collection of greystone homes in the K-Town historic district, and the massive former Sears, Roebuck & Co. warehouse complex which has been gradually undergoing a visionary redevelopment.

Geoffrey Baer’s picks, curated by WTTW’s Geoffrey Baer