Least Expensive Properties in the Gold Coast
According to Chicago Traveler:
The Gold Coast got its start in the late 1800’s as the Astor Street District. Today’s Gold Coast incorporates this original district and extends beyond it. Its boundaries are now defined as North Avenue and Division Street on the north, Lake Michigan on the east, Chicago Avenue on the south and Clark and Franklin Streets on the west.
The Gold Coast got its start in the late 1800’s as the Astor Street District
The original Astor Street District was named after John Jacob Astor, one of the richest people in the country. He did not live in Chicago, but was a respected citizen with several achievements and his name gave the neighborhood a status of wealth which remains even today.
In 1875, Lake Shore Drive became a popular spot for leisurely lakefront rides. As a result, the Gold Coast area became more frequently visited. In the ensuing two decades, Potter Palmer, the Chicago Archdiocese and James Charnley built mansions in the area. They were soon followed by other wealthy families, bringing up the status of the area and giving it a reputation as a neighborhood of influential citizens. As the neighborhood became more densely populated, there wasn’t as much space for mansions, and high-rise apartment buildings were built.
Today’s Gold Coast retains all of the prestige and reputation that it has enjoyed over the last century. Its name continues to signal wealth, and its inhabitants are intensely proud of the neighborhood in which they live.
