Portage Park
The legacy of Portage Park dates back to the early 1800s, when Native Americans once carried (or portaged) their canoes across land from the Des Planes River to the Chicago River. What was then a marshy land-bridge is now a beautiful Chicago neighborhood with scenic parks and a thriving business district, which is situated at the Six Corners outdoor shopping center. Today, Portage Park is home to the largest population of Polish residents in all of metropolitan Chicago. The headquarters for the Polish American Association, the Polish Jesuit Millennium Center, and the Polish Army Veterans Association are all here in this community.
Portage Park is great for folks who enjoy the outdoors and appreciate the value of open space near their homes. The community's namesake park is 36 acres and is filled with nature paths and plenty of space for sports and recreation. The park also features a 1922 prairie-style fieldhouse, which has been transformed into an art center. Parents need not worry about where their kids are after school, as most are enrolled in recreational programs at the park.
Reasonably priced real estate and good schools make this northwest side neighborhood an appealing place to raise a family. Much of the residential housing in Portage Park is comprised of one- and two-story detached homes with large front yards. There is a wide array of frame houses with front porches as well as the occasional Georgian, Victorian, and English Tudor. Several neighborhood streets are lined with historic brick bungalows. New condominiums, townhouses, rehabbed flats, and older multi-unit buildings complete the real estate selection here.