New Chicago History Museum Exhibit Puts The Spotlight On West Side Attractions And Neighbors

WEST SIDE — Visitors to the Chicago History Museum can learn about some of the West Side’s top attractions and hear from residents as part of a new exhibit.

“Westside Love Map” is on view through March at the Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St. The exhibit features three hand-drawn maps of Austin, North Lawndale and Garfield Park and directories of top attractions in the neighborhoods. An accompanying short film, “Love Letter to the West Side,” highlights experiences and family histories from 14 West Siders.

Organizers hope the exhibit can help kick off a wave of West Side-focused historic preservation.

“Oftentimes when you talk about the history of Black Chicago, it’s a very South Side-centered story, and the West Side has contributed in great lengths to Black Chicago. There needs to be that level of representation,” said Drea Slaughter, a Garfield Park native and one of the organizers of the exhibit.

The installation is featured as part of the Chicago History Museum’s “Chicago: Crossroads of America” exhibition on the building’s second floor. Nestled near galleries exploring the 1968 riots and the trial for the murder of Emmett Till, the exhibit offers a vibrant view of life on the West Side.

Neon colors and cartoon drawings of iconic landmarks from the three neighborhoods decorate the maps. The images include the Golden Dome at the Garfield Park fieldhouse, the original Sears Tower in North Lawndale and the Austin Town Hall.

Each map includes a directory checklist of sites to visit. Organizers said encouraging museumgoers to visit places like MacArthur’s Restaurant, 5412 W. Madison St., a soul food institution; Austin’s Pink House, 556 N. Central Ave.; Beelove Cafe, 1111 S. Homan Ave.; and the Garfield Park Conservatory, 300 N. Central Park Ave., works to destigmatize the area and provide family fun.

“The West Side is more than just a pathway of taking [Interstate] 290 from one spot to another. It is landmarks, engagement, culture and everything that makes up any of the other 77 neighborhoods,” said Slaughter.

For example, Austin’s iconic Pink House — a 2,600-square-foot, five-bedroom Victorian gingerbread house — has a rich history in the neighborhood dating to the late 1800s. The local landmark was frequently visited and admired by neighbors for years despite falling into disrepair, Block Club reported.

Unable to get enough funding for upkeep, the home was sold in 2021. In 2023, the new owners painted the home green.

For most, a home being painted isn’t major news, but for the West Side Map exhibit organizers, the story emphasizes the importance of documenting West Side icons that are no more.

“It was imperative that we include things that people wouldn’t normally know, like the Pink House … another great example of why we need to document these things because we know what that meant to the culture,” Slaughter said.

The exhibit pairs the maps with a 25-minute short film, “Love Letter to the Westside,” which includes oral histories from 14 neighbors — including the three lead organizers of the exhibit. Slaughter worked alongside Corey Dooley and Jay Simon in a trio known as Capstone Clique. As fellows in the Community Leadership Fellows program, the exhibit serves as their final project for the program. But organizers said their work is far from over.

“A lot of times you don’t get to hear the stories of West Siders in terms of their perspective and Black Chicago experience,” Slaughter said. “We want to document this because when the people go, the stories go with them … The people are the stewards when the institutions aren’t.”

To learn more about “Westside Love Maps” and the Chicago History Museum, visit the museum’s website. Viewing of the exhibit is included in museum admission.

______________________________________________________________________

Support Local News!

Subscribe to Block Club Chicago, an independent, 501(c)(3), journalist-run newsroom. Every dime we make funds reporting from Chicago’s neighborhoods. Already subscribe? Click here to gift a subscription, or you can support Block Club with a tax-deductible donation.