Is the Southeast/ Calumet region culturally different than the rest of the South side? (Chicago: houses, neighborhoods)

[EddieOlSkool]

I have heard it said that many on the South Side (particularly along the Dan Ryan and further West that the Southeast neighborhoods (east of Stony Island and south of Hyde Park) but closer to South Chicago on down are very different than the rest of the South Side.

But can someone enlighten me on this? Being a guy who spent the majority of his life in Chicago's South Side (all parts but mainly undisputed Southeast south of 87th) I have not seen that much of a difference. Maybe because the SE region is so...Black and Hispanic like the rest of the South Side? Or because it looks like practically any South Side neighborhood? Except Jeffery Manor that is a weird looking place! But I digress. The SE side is very Rust Belt...like most of the South Side. The SE side is very working class...like most of the South Side. The SE Region is historically Polish, Mexican, and Black...like much of the South Side.

So I don't buy it. Is it something about all the weird street names that are off the grid? Like Ridgeland Avenue? Or Farragut Street? Or how Colfax becomes Torrence for some odd reason? Or how they have flood walls?

Enlighten me good sirs and madams!

[NealIRC]

Yes.

[EddieOlSkool]

Originally Posted by NealIRC

Yes.

Because...

[Alacran]

SE side is not necessarily more black/Hispanic. There's plenty of that.

To me it feels different because there aren't any Arterial streets that connect it to the rest of the city.
Ashland, Western, Cicero, Halsted, Michigan...

and there's a lot more remnants of Industrial past

[EddieOlSkool]

Originally Posted by Alacran

SE side is not necessarily more black/Hispanic. There's plenty of that.

To me it feels different because there aren't any Arterial streets that connect it to the rest of the city.
Ashland, Western, Cicero, Halsted, Michigan...

and there's a lot more remnants of Industrial past

95th? 87th? 79th?

South Shore Drive runs into South Chicago and it connects to Hyde Park.

[Alacran]

Those are east west. they don't connect the north and south.
I can live in Uptown and take Ashland south to the 100s

LSD is an expressway like I said. They don't have businesses along them or pedestrians.


If the lake curved on the northside east of Roger park and there was an imaginary neighborhood there with no Streets connecting it south, I feel it would have the same effect of isolation.s

So yeah, those off grid streets do a lot.
Plus it borders Indiana which has a minor difference in laws that creates a small difference in culture.

[EddieOlSkool]

Originally Posted by Alacran

Those are east west. they don't connect the north and south.
I can live in Uptown and take Ashland south to the 100s

LSD is an expressway like I said. They don't have businesses along them or pedestrians.


If the lake curved on the northside east of Roger park and there was an imaginary neighborhood there with no Streets connecting it south, I feel it would have the same effect of isolation.s

So yeah, those off grid streets do a lot.
Plus it borders Indiana which has a minor difference in laws that creates a small difference in culture.

Lots of neighborhoods aren't connected north to south. Even those that are have little in common. You can't tell me Ashburn and Rogers Park have many similarities.

[Alacran]

Personally, I feel like half the southside is not what people imagine when they think of Chicago.
It's less dense than the West and North sides.

But once again, those farther west have the busier arterial streets that connect those traveling up and down.

[EddieOlSkool]

Originally Posted by Alacran

Personally, I feel like half the southside is not what people imagine when they think of Chicago.
It's less dense than the West and North sides.

But once again, those farther west have the busier arterial streets that connect those traveling up and down.

I guess. That's a strange criteria but whatever. I think the North Side is the least typical of Chicago because it has the least natives. It is generic bland Americana and just like a denser Indianapolis. Little Chicago culture exists there. It's like a combo of a bunch of small Heartland towns of Big 10 colleges. How exactly is that super Chicago?

[Alacran]

I hate when southsiders think the northside is just the transplant oriented Lincoln Park, Wicker, Lakeview, etc.

There's plenty of culture on the NS. We have a denser population with more multi family buildings which makes it easier for people to come and go.

Southside has a bunch of actual houses where people buy and commit to. So it has a more steady population.


and I don't feel it's a strange criteria. Without those streets it feels a bit isolated. Less outsiders pass through. That's a big thing.