Old Town Triangle Historic District

Old Town Triangle is a compact residential neighborhood just north of Chicago's Loop, set between North Avenue, Lincoln Park, Clark Street and Armitage. Of its 523 structures, 213 are rated significant and 256 contributing. Most are small brick, frame or mixed-material cottages, three- and four-story flats, rowhouses and a few commercial buildings, set on tree-lined streets and overseen by the spire of St. Michael's Church. The area began as farmland subdivided from 1845, settled first by French and then German immigrants, and was rebuilt quickly after the 1871 fire. Developments such as Crilly Court show how working-class artisans and wealthier residents lived side by side. The district is recognized for preserving an early urban working-class character, a cohesive scale and a wide range of post-fire architectural styles. Community revival from the 1930s, the Old Town Art Fair and a 1977 Chicago Landmark designation helped sustain that character.