GreektownGabriella Rizko, Karina Luna, David

Faust, and Aldin Polovina

History❖First Greeks in Chicago arrived as ship captains in the 1840’s

❖Started out as food peddlers and gradually became restaurant owners

➢ There are A LOT of restaurants in Greektown

❖Around 1960’s, it was forced to move a little north from where it originally was due to the Eisenhower Expressway and UIC

❖In 1968, gyros and saganaki were introduced IN THIS COUNTRY by Chicago’s Greektown (crazy, right?)

Today❖Greek culture/life is still extremely dominant in Greektown

(obviously)

➢ Greek is commonly spoken in the neighborhood

❖The community :”comes out in full ethnic pride during the annual Greek Independence Day parade, the Taste of Greece and the days surrounding Greek Easter”

➢ Especially Greek Easter

❖Greektown has grown to be a world renowned attraction

Location ❖Greektown, Chicago, Il

❖West Loop

❖Red Line Loyola stop- Jackson, going towards 95

❖Off of UIC campus and UIC-Halsted Blue Line Stop CTA

❖Ranges from 5 blocks North South and 2 blocks East West

Fun Facts and Attractions❖Traditional Greek pavilions were built in 1996 and funded by the City

of Chicago in order to celebrate the heritage

❖Taste of Greece festival➢ Celebration of Greek culture through food, dance lessons, and Hellenic bands

❖National Hellenic Museum➢ Showcases Greek-American artists and documents Greek immigrant stories

Demographics from 2013 (Greektown Neighborhood)

❖Population: 912➢ Mostly Caucasian and African American, with some Asian and Hispanic exceptions

➢ Male: 528

➢ Female: 384

❖Average House Size: 1.6 people

❖Median Household Income: $97, 136

❖Median Rent: $1,534

Personal Reflections

Works Cited"Greektown History." Chicago's Greektown. Virtus Creative Group, 2014. Web.

"Greektown Neighborhood Demographics." Greektown Neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois (IL), 60607, 60661 Subdivision

Profile. Advameg, Inc., 2015. Web. 13 Oct. 2015.