Norwood Park evolved from open prairie to farm community to subdivision to village, and finally, to a city neighborhood. Its history is entwined with the history of early Chicago. The fertile farmland, clean water and air, and the high ground of Union Ridge had attracted Native Peoples and later, farmers, investors, and families. Today, Norwood Park’s wide, tree-lined curvilinear streets are unique in a city known for its grid street pattern.
