BOYSTOWN, CHICAGO

'Boystown' is the popular name of a locally recognized neighborhood enclave within Chicago, Illinois. Situated within the formal neighborhood of Lakeview, it was the first officially recognized gay village in the United States[1] as well as the cultural center of one of the largest lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender (LGBT) communities in the nation. Since its unofficial inception — marked by Chicago's first Gay Pride parade in June of 1970 — Boystown has grown into a cultural haven for the nearly 300,000 LGBT residents estimated to live within Chicagoland today.
The sector's informal boundaries are generally considered to be Addison Street on the north, Lake Shore Drive on the east, Belmont Avenue on the south, and Clark Street on the west. These streets correspond to the Chicago grid between blocks 3200 to 3600 north and east of 1100 west, which places Boystown approximately 6 km (4 miles) north of the Chicago Loop. More generally situated west of Belmont Harbor, north of the esteemed Lakeview East community, and just south of the Chicago Cubs' home base Wrigleyville, Boystown has carved a niche all its own within the urban fabric of Chicago proper.
Famous among day-trippers throughout the Midwest for its colorful nightlife and inviting atmosphere, Boystown is host to a true "round-the-clock" urban experience. It is within walking distance of trendy fashion outlets, Chicago's "Off-Loop" theater district, spectacular architecture, and many wine boutiques, specialty restaurants, and one-of-a-kind shops. Two major train stops fall within Boystown's sorted boundaries, as well as numerous bus lines along routes plentiful with taxicabs, making the full Chicago experience accessible within minutes via mass transit.
North Halsted Street, also known as "Northalsted", is the central hub of this bustling district. It sports Chicago's highest concentration of LGBT-friendly establishments—-an eclectic mix of bars, coffeehouses, and restaurants in accord with the equally eclectic population of local hipsters and open-minded progressives. City planners have designated Northalsted an official pedestrian and bike route following a 1998 community project that resulted in 11 pairs of rainbow-colored abstract Art Deco pylons being erected along the strip. Coupled with the ever-present rainbow flag that is posted upon nearly every entrance encountered on the Northalsted strip, these pillars also denote the many respectable gay-owned and operated venues that have become hotspots for weekenders throughout the city as well as residents of Boystown.
With Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley agreeing to endorse and host the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago, the city government's general acceptance of the LGBT community is as vibrant as ever, especially in the 44th ward that includes Boystown. Fittingly, Chicago's only openly gay alderman—Thomas M. Tunney—represents the area on the Chicago City Council.

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External links

See also

External links

★ Fusion Radio Chicago. The Future Of Dance;Boystown & Beyond!!

★ America's First Official Gay Neighborhood

★ Encyclopedia of Chicago History—Boys Town.

★ Same-sex Couples and the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Population: New Estimates from the American Community Survey October 2006

★ Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce

★ Northalsted Merchants Association

★ Gay Games Chicago

★ ChicagoPride.com - The Ultimate Guide to Gay Chicago

★ Popular nightclubs and restaurants in Boystown

★ The Unofficial Mayor of Boystown, Bill Pritchard

See also

★ Lakeview, Chicago

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