Why the Westside is less famous than the Southside and Northside? (Chicago: houses, neighborhoods)

[SouthsideTillIDie]

When you go out of town or speak to outoftowners, they all seem well aware at least of the existence of the Southside of Chicago and Northside of Chicago. Whenever I go to other cities and tell people am from the "Southside of Chicago" it rings bells because it is the most well known "Southside" in America. But Westside doesn't get that same "fame", "notoriety", or whatever you wanna call it. Why? Because the Westside is the smallest side? Or it's the side without a baseball team? Or other reasons?

[Pantless1]

It's because LeRoy Brown is from the Southside & its the baddest part of town.

[K 22]

Isiah Thomas is from the Westside. When he was GM/Coach of the Knicks, he had a tendency to remind everyone as often as he could.

And on a semi-related note, the United Center's on the Westside too.

[svillechris]

Originally Posted by SouthsideTillIDie

When you go out of town or speak to outoftowners, they all seem well aware at least of the existence of the Southside of Chicago and Northside of Chicago. Whenever I go to other cities and tell people am from the "Southside of Chicago" it rings bells because it is the most well known "Southside" in America. But Westside doesn't get that same "fame", "notoriety", or whatever you wanna call it. Why? Because the Westside is the smallest side? Or it's the side without a baseball team? Or other reasons?

I actually do think many people from outside of Chicago know that the Cubs are from the wealthier and yuppier Northside, and the Sox are from the "rougher" Southside. Media outlets add to that perception and even the Sox themselves try to market themselves as that way, more of a blue collar type of team that represents the part of town they're located in. So there's that affiliation.

Also, at least in my experience, the South Side and the areas that people identify as the south side are much larger geographically and population-wise. Think about it, someone may say they're from the Southside of Chicago...and that could actually mean they're from anywhere between 26th street all the way down to Evergreen Park, Calumet Park, maybe even Blue Island... and stretching as far west as about Cicero Ave. Not all are literally part of the south side of Chicago proper, but there's the association. But for some reason that's not the same on the West Side. Does someone from Oak Park say they're from the West Side of Chicago? Not usually, they said they're from Oak Park. Just my observation. One exception I've noticed is that people from Beverly would never say they're from "the South side of Chicago". They say they're from Beverly, and are darn proud of it, understandably so.

[thebizkit]

Cabrini Green was the most infamous west side attraction, even though Chicagoans did not really consider it the west side.

To be honest, the west side is mainly residential ghettos and large swaths of warehouses and closed down car dealerships up and down Cicero. Not much to really talk about.

[North Side Brandon]

When you think of Chicago it's North Side or South Side in the minds of most people around the country. The West Side even when it was a decent place to live was a stepchild and never really had any political clout and was very much neglected by the city. The South Side power structure of the city saw it as a way to take pressure off their side of town.

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by svillechris

Does someone from Oak Park say they're from the West Side of Chicago? Not usually, they said they're from Oak Park.

Many Doopers are too snotty to associate themselves with the West Side, they didn't even when the West Side was white and now that it's black... Not that they don't take every chance they get to let you know how racially enlightened they are, how "diverse", whatever the Hell that means.

Another thing is that many of the people in the south burbs have South Side roots from city neighborhoods their families lived in before they went to Oak Lawn, Tinley, Orland etc. So they still think of themselves as South Siders. I think many modern Oak Parkers don't have Chicago roots at all, much less West Side roots.

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by Pantless1

It's because LeRoy Brown is from the Southside & its the baddest part of town.

"All the downtown ladies call him "Tree-Top Lover",
All the men just call him "Sir"...

[gomexico]

Originally Posted by SouthsideTillIDie

When you go out of town or speak to outoftowners, they all seem well aware at least of the existence of the Southside of Chicago and Northside of Chicago.

That's not been my experience. Most don't know anything about Chicago geography, except for "the Loop."

Whenever I go to other cities and tell people am from the "Southside of Chicago" it rings bells because it is the most well known "Southside" in America.

Sorry, but this, too hasn't been the reaction/commentary I receive/observe.

But Westside doesn't get that same "fame", "notoriety", or whatever you wanna call it. Why?

Amongst people who are originally from Chicago, and particularly amongst seniors ... the history of the West Side hasn't gone un-noticed.

My observations.

[North Side Brandon]

Originally Posted by Irishtom29

Many Doopers are too snotty to associate themselves with the West Side, they didn't even when the West Side was white and now that it's black... Not that they don't take every chance they get to let you know how racially enlightened they are, how "diverse", whatever the Hell that means.

Another thing is that many of the people in the south burbs have South Side roots from city neighborhoods their families lived in before they went to Oak Lawn, Tinley, Orland etc. So they still think of themselves as South Siders. I think many modern Oak Parkers don't have Chicago roots at all, much less West Side roots.

My Uncle who grewup in East and West Garfield Park and whose parents lived in Austin told me that alot of Oak Parkers looked down their noses at West Siders in the old days. My Mother who lived in Austin and Humboldt Park said the same thing. Austin before 1899 was apart of Cicero Township with Cicero, Berwyn and Oak Park and held a voting majority in the township and they used that to extend the Green Line to Austin Blvd and that pissed off alot of Oak Park people and led to them being kicked out of township and being annexed by Chicago in 1899. Oak Park didn't want working class West Siders migrating to their town.