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For those of you who know the Chicago suburbs of Evanston and Oak Park, you would be aware of how totally linked these two towns sixteen miles apart and parts of totally different suburban regions (North Shore/North Suburbs Evanston and Oak Park in the West suburbs).
The similarities are incredible:
• Evanston first suburb north of Chicago; Oak Park first suburb to the west
• Both actually come across as some sort of transition from city-to-suburbs
• Comparable (and by far the best) public transportation in the form of Metra (commuter rail) and CTA (rapid transit). Evanston and Oak Park have the only side by side location of Metra and CTA el's in the suburbs)
• Both began conservatively but both are now seen as liberal bastions
• Both are largely white with significant numbers of blacks
• Similar downtowns with high rise residential development and even identical former Marshall Field's dept. store buildings
• Similar range and style of houses...both have the large homes built more than a century ago for the wealthy. both have stretches of three flat apartments
• Incredibly sense of identity and sense of place in both
• both are prized for diversity, view and treat it as an asset
Now I do realize that many of the things I wrote would be specific to Chicagoland, but there is plenty in what I said that could be generalized. And, quite frankly, there are suburbs in the Chicago area that share similarities with these two, but no suburb could be said to be really like what these two have in common. And, of course, there are differences between the two: Evanston has a glorious lakefront, Oak Park is inland, Evanston is famed for being the home of Northwestern University; nothing comparable in Oak Park. Oak Park is the home of Frank Lloyd Wright and has an historical district loaded with homes he build....Evanston, while architecturally interesting, has nothing like this. Blacks were always part of Evanston, starting as domestics for the tony North Shore suburbs to the north; Oak Park integregrated in the second half of the 20th century. And on and on. But the fact remains...they are remarkably alike.
So given what you know about Evanston and Oak Park and considering anything I may have contributed here, Are there other suburbs across the nation that fit in nicely with Evanston and Oak Park, that have many of the same overlaps
For those of you who know the Chicago suburbs of Evanston and Oak Park, you would be aware of how totally linked these two towns sixteen miles apart and parts of totally different suburban regions (North Shore/North Suburbs Evanston and Oak Park in the West suburbs).
The similarities are incredible:
• Evanston first suburb north of Chicago; Oak Park first suburb to the west
• Both actually come across as some sort of transition from city-to-suburbs
• Comparable (and by far the best) public transportation in the form of Metra (commuter rail) and CTA (rapid transit). Evanston and Oak Park have the only side by side location of Metra and CTA el's in the suburbs)
• Both began conservatively but both are now seen as liberal bastions
• Both are largely white with significant numbers of blacks
• Similar downtowns with high rise residential development and even identical former Marshall Field's dept. store buildings
• Similar range and style of houses...both have the large homes built more than a century ago for the wealthy. both have stretches of three flat apartments
• Incredibly sense of identity and sense of place in both
• both are prized for diversity, view and treat it as an asset
Now I do realize that many of the things I wrote would be specific to Chicagoland, but there is plenty in what I said that could be generalized. And, quite frankly, there are suburbs in the Chicago area that share similarities with these two, but no suburb could be said to be really like what these two have in common. And, of course, there are differences between the two: Evanston has a glorious lakefront, Oak Park is inland, Evanston is famed for being the home of Northwestern University; nothing comparable in Oak Park. Oak Park is the home of Frank Lloyd Wright and has an historical district loaded with homes he build....Evanston, while architecturally interesting, has nothing like this. Blacks were always part of Evanston, starting as domestics for the tony North Shore suburbs to the north; Oak Park integregrated in the second half of the 20th century. And on and on. But the fact remains...they are remarkably alike.
So given what you know about Evanston and Oak Park and considering anything I may have contributed here, Are there other suburbs across the nation that fit in nicely with Evanston and Oak Park, that have many of the same overlaps
Kind of Eggertsville/Snyder outside Buffalo (the metro as a whole is much smaller than Chicago, so only a rough comparison can be made)
-It is the first suburb NE of the city along Main street with a lot of old money
-Very good transition from inner city 1950s housing to 1960s colonials farther in
-Not sure of public transport, but talks of extending metro line
-Isn't exactly a liberal bastion, but votes 2-to-1 for Democrats
-10% AA 10% Asian 80% White (which as far as Buffalo suburbs go is quite diverse)
-No "downtown"
-Huge mix of housing from million dollar mansions to 100k starter homes
Per capita income (14226 covers Eggertsville/Snyder)
14226 - $38,210
Oak park - $51,890
Evanston: $45,956
2015 population
14226: 29,467
Oak park: 52,229
Evanston: 75,557
Median age
14226: 37.0
Oak park: 39.0
Evanston: 36.0
Population with Bachelor's
14226: 55.9%
Oak park: 68.7%
Evanston: 65.3%
Housing built before 1970
14226: 88.5%
Oak park: 83.8%
Evanston: 78.3%
Not perfectly analogous, but pretty close considering Chicago is much larger and wealthier than Buffalo
For those of you who know the Chicago suburbs of Evanston and Oak Park, you would be aware of how totally linked these two towns sixteen miles apart and parts of totally different suburban regions (North Shore/North Suburbs Evanston and Oak Park in the West suburbs).
The similarities are incredible:
• Evanston first suburb north of Chicago; Oak Park first suburb to the west
• Both actually come across as some sort of transition from city-to-suburbs
• Comparable (and by far the best) public transportation in the form of Metra (commuter rail) and CTA (rapid transit). Evanston and Oak Park have the only side by side location of Metra and CTA el's in the suburbs)
• Both began conservatively but both are now seen as liberal bastions
• Both are largely white with significant numbers of blacks
• Similar downtowns with high rise residential development and even identical former Marshall Field's dept. store buildings
• Similar range and style of houses...both have the large homes built more than a century ago for the wealthy. both have stretches of three flat apartments
• Incredibly sense of identity and sense of place in both
• both are prized for diversity, view and treat it as an asset
Now I do realize that many of the things I wrote would be specific to Chicagoland, but there is plenty in what I said that could be generalized. And, quite frankly, there are suburbs in the Chicago area that share similarities with these two, but no suburb could be said to be really like what these two have in common. And, of course, there are differences between the two: Evanston has a glorious lakefront, Oak Park is inland, Evanston is famed for being the home of Northwestern University; nothing comparable in Oak Park. Oak Park is the home of Frank Lloyd Wright and has an historical district loaded with homes he build....Evanston, while architecturally interesting, has nothing like this. Blacks were always part of Evanston, starting as domestics for the tony North Shore suburbs to the north; Oak Park integregrated in the second half of the 20th century. And on and on. But the fact remains...they are remarkably alike.
So given what you know about Evanston and Oak Park and considering anything I may have contributed here, Are there other suburbs across the nation that fit in nicely with Evanston and Oak Park, that have many of the same overlaps
Great thread. Agree with all of Ed's comments (I have live(d) in both of these suburbs).
On the way to O'Hare this morning, I was thinking if River Forest and Oak Park merged, it would nearly be Evanston. Don't forget OP's Hemingway angle and the fact both suburbs have leading U.S. libraries.
University City and Clayton for St. Louis. Several other inner-ring streetcar suburbs fit the general profile, but U. City and Clayton have more amenities.
Great thread. Agree with all of Ed's comments (I have live(d) in both of these ed OPRF, huhallsuburbs).
On the way to O'Hare this morning, I was thinking if River Forest and Oak Park merged, it would nearly be Evanston. Don't forget OP's Hemingway angle and the fact both suburbs have leading U.S. libraries.
Hey, BigLake, thanks for the comment. A suburb called OPRF, huh? Evanston could retaliate by annexing Wilmette...worth just tocwatch those kids dragged out of New Trier kicking and screaming and deposited at ETHS
University City and Clayton for St. Louis. Several other inner-ring streetcar suburbs fit the general profile, but U. City and Clayton have more amenities.
Yep, no question it would becthose two for metro StL, particularly U City. Claytn may not fit as well as UC as it really serves as StL’s second downtown
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