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Kenwood
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Kenwood

Surround yourself with distinctive architecture and enjoy local wildlife.

Bounded by 43rd St., 51st St., Cottage Grove Ave., and Lake Michigan, Kenwood is a neighborhood rich in architecture. Its Kenwood District and North Kenwood District were both designated as Chicago Landmark districts. As the “Lake Forest of the South Side,” the Kenwood District boasts architectural styles ranging from Italianate and Colonial Revival to Queen Anne and Prairie School. The Kenwood Evangelical Church, a Romanesque building listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is in the North Kenwood District. KAM Isaiah Israel Temple, the oldest Jewish congregation in the Midwest, is also in the neighborhood.

The Burnham Wildlife Corridor stretches along the lakefront and gives Kenwood a touch of nature. The neighborhood has attracted Muddy Waters, Muhammad Ali, the Obamas, and Bill Veeck as its former residents.

Photo Gallery

The harbor at 31st Street Marina.
Planting trees in Burnham Park.
Community gardens at Canter Middle School.
The Chicago Free School.
MacArthur Award winner Jason Moran working with Kenwood Academy students.
The 41st St. pedestrian bridge over Lake Shore Dr.
The first day of school at the Chicago Free School.
Yoga along Lake Michigan.
Jazz concert at Room 43.
Commencement at Kenwood Academy.
A football game at Kenwood Academy.
Homecoming at Kenwood Academy.
Glass blowing class at Little Black Pearl Art Center.
Hip Hop dance class at Shoesmith Elementary School.
St. Thomas the Apostle Church Fundraiser Concert.
Dawn on a winter morning at 31st St. Harbor.

Neighborhood photos: Marc Monaghan

Deborah Nelson, Helen B. and Frank L. Sulzberger Professor of English and the College
“After living quite happily for 20 years in Lakeview and Uptown on Chicago’s North Side, we moved to Hyde Park a few years ago so that our children could have more social independence with their friends from school. My daughter is a sixth grader at Lab; my son an eighth grader at Hyde Park Day School, a wonderful place for children with learning differences. My partner and I were surprised by how much our own social life was enhanced by being walking distance from friends at the University, and my partner was particularly delighted to discover how many friends who have no relationship to the University live in Hyde Park.”
—Deborah Nelson, Helen B. and Frank L. Sulzberger Professor of English and the College
JC Rojas, Coggeshall Instructor of Medicine in the Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care
“I moved to Chicago in 2006 for medical school and spent many years living in Little Italy. Last year my family bought our home in North Kenwood. We live on a great street with a neighborhood feel where we know many neighbors and have an annual block party. We can walk to the park, out to breakfast, and downtown and campus are only a short drive away.”
—JC Rojas, Coggeshall Instructor of Medicine in the Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care
Catherine Kearns, Assistant Professor in the Department of Classics
“Since moving to South Kenwood, we’ve enjoyed spending time along the lake shore and going for runs on the Burnham nature trail, and have been grateful for the number and variety of other parks in the neighborhood. One of our favorite activities is biking to the Woodlawn Community Garden, where we share a plot with neighbors and spend time introducing our toddler to the joys (and failures) of vegetable harvests. We’ve come to really appreciate the opportunities for spending time outside and exploring the south side by bike.”
—Catherine Kearns, Assistant Professor in the Department of Classics