Mental Floss Flosses About How Chicago Neighborhoods Got Their Names
By Jon Graef in News on Mar 9, 2014 5:30PM
Another weekend, another Chicago-related article/listicle to hotly debate. This time around, the article is a Mental Floss piece about how Chicago neighborhoods got their names.
Some are certainly interesting, while others are mind-numbingly self-explanatory. But, as is the case with these articles, the best parts of them are how the commenters point out what's missing, what's perhaps inaccurate, and what nuances are missing. For example, a commenter with the handle 'Pestromy' points out the supposed true origins of North Park's name, while other commenters bemoan the absence of neighborhoods like Avondale, Irving Park, and Chatham.
Also absent: Chicago's Far North Side enclave Bowmanville. [Don't worry, we haven't heard of it either]. Check out how Bowmanville got its name, via the Trib:
Established in 1850, Bowmanville was one of many communities annexed by Chicago in 1889.A local inn keeper, Jesse Bowman, sold tracts here in the 1850s, then skipped town after buyers learned the land was not his to sell. His name lives on as the namesake of one of the neighborhood's main drags.
Neat trick, no?
No doubt you'll learn something—even with considerable omissions, Mental Floss' list is still impressive—but be sure to read the comments as well. You'll probably learn even more there. Either way, check out the Mental Floss piece here.