Beverly, Chicago


Beverly is one of the 77 community areas of Chicago, Illinois, on the South Side at the southwestern edge of the city. The borders are 87th Street on the north; Beverly Avenue, Hale Avenue and Vincennes Road on the east; 107th Street on the south; and Francisco Avenue and Western Avenue on the west.
Sparsely settled until the late 19th century, Beverly was developed by business interests from Chicago, encouraged by the completion in 1889 of the Rock Island Railroad suburban line that runs parallel with the eastern edge of the Blue Island ridge and runs to La Salle Station in downtown Chicago. Its position on the ridge allowed the community to become an exclusive streetcar suburb, and the homes and large lots reflect this.

Geography

North Blue Island

Beverly is one of few areas in the City of Chicago that features a hilly terrain. This geography is due to its location in the middle of the geological formation known as the Blue Island Ridge. In its early years of settlement this area, as well as Morgan Park to the south, was known as North Blue Island, denoting its relationship to the village of Blue Island, which was settled in 1836 and is located a few miles to the south.

Ethnicity

The neighborhood's roots are largely English and Protestant, but it is now home to a large Irish-American/Catholic community and many Irish establishments. Prior to European American settlement the area was home to the Potawatomi Indians, who in 1833, after the Black Hawk War, were moved west of the Mississippi River by the federal government. The community is the home of the South Side Irish Parade, which is held every year on the Sunday prior to St. Patrick's Day. It has been hailed as the largest neighborhood parade of any type in the country.
The neighborhood currently is home to more Irish-style pubs than any other in Chicago. It features a house whose design was inspired by castles from the builder's native Ireland. The Beverly Branch Library has the largest Irish heritage collection in Chicago. This branch opened a new facility in June 2009 which has a new LEED certified design and engineering. Beverly Branch houses a bronze sculpture by Virginio Ferrari entitled Two Lovers; additional art has been commissioned for the new branch. Artwork was funded through the Percent for Art Ordinance administered by the City of Chicago Public Art Program.
It has the highest percentage of black residents among white-majority neighborhoods in the city.

Economy

The top five employing industry sectors of Beverly residents are education, public administration, health care, professional and retail trade. A plurality of the workforce works in the surrounding suburbs with the remainder working in the central business district. A small number of Beverly residents work in the community area. The top 5 employing industry sectors within the community are retail trade, healthcare, education, accommodation and food and administration. Half of these workers reside outside of Chicago.

Education

There are three Catholic parishes: St. Barnabas, Christ the King, and St. John Fisher. Beverly is a main drawing ground for many of the Chicago area's all-boys schools, all-girls schools, Mount Assisi Academy ; and co-educational Marist Catholic high school. Sutherland, Clissold, Barnard and Kellogg are the public elementary schools. Vanderpoel is a magnet public elementary school.

Politics

In the 2016 presidential election, Beverly cast 6,384 votes for Hillary Clinton and cast 1,850 votes Donald Trump. In the 2012 presidential election, Beverly cast 8,437 votes for Barack Obama and 2,914 votes for Mitt Romney.
At the local level, Beverly is located in Chicago's 19th ward represented by Democrat Matt O'Shea.

Transportation

The Rock Island line links Beverly Hills into the heart of the financial district & highest paying jobs in the Midwest and has multiple stops directly into a large lot tree lined single family homes with stops approximately every 4 blocks unique for Chicago 91st St station, 95th St station, 99th St station, 103rd St station, and the 107th St station on the Rock Island District line provide commuter rail service.

Notable people