Walking Tour: The Gangsters of West Ridge

Tony Soprano wasn’t the first mobster drawn to quiet suburban-style living. In the Roaring 20’s, the new bungalows of West Ridge provided an idyllic refuge on the northern edge of the city for organized crime figures involved in the gambling, rum-running, vice and gangland struggles for power that defined the Prohibition era in Chicago.

Join Neighborhood Historian Glenna Eaves on a walk through the Rogers Park Manor and Talman West-Ridge Historic Bungalow Districts to enjoy the story of the notorious gangsters who shared this peaceful neighborhood with prosperous business owners, famous athletes, noted architects, creative artists and skilled craftsmen. It’s a fascinating look at a sometimes-glamorized, sometimes-buried aspect of Chicago history.

Begin with an orientation at Warren Park Field House that is free and open to the public. Register now for the ticketed walking tour.