1850 : A nd e r s o n v i l l e e x i s t s on ly a s a c h e r r y o rc h a rd n or th of t h e c i t y. S w e d i s h F a r m e r s b e g i n mo v i n g in to th is d i s t a n t s u b u r b o f C h ic a go.
1854 : Andersonville school is built and serves as the p r i ma r y s c h o o l u n t i l 1 9 0 8 .
1 8 7 1 : A f t e r t h e G re a t Ch i c a g o F i re , b u i l d i n g with wood was outlawed w i t h i n t h e Ci t y o f Ch i c a g o . S w e d i s h i mmi g r a n t s mo v e i n t o A n d e r s o n v i l l e i n o rd e r t o b u i l d w o o d e n h o u s e s a l o n g Cl a r k S t re e t . B u s i n e s s e s b l o s s o m: d e l i s , h a rd w a re s t o re s , s h o e s t o re s , b l a c k s mi t h s , b a k e r i e s , re a l t y c o mp a n i e s , a n d l o c a l c h u rc h e s .
1965 : M i d s o mma r f e s t i s c e le br a te d f o r t h e f i r s t tim e to h o n o r t h e S w e d i s h tr a dition o f ma r k i n g t h e Summer Solstice.
1 9 6 4 : T h e U p t o w n Cl a r k S t re e t B u s i n e s s A s s o c i a t i o n re n e w s i t s c o mmi t me n t t o i t s S w e d i s h He r i t a g e b y re n a mi n g i t s e l f t h e A n d e r s o n v i l l e Ch a mb e r o f Co mme rc e .
1 9 3 4 : S i mo n ’s Ta v e r n opens, one of the oldest S w e d i s h e s t a b l i s h me n t s t i l l i n t h e n e i g h b o r h o o d t o d a y.
1976 : K u r t Ma t h i a s s o n ope n s th e S w e d i s h A m e r ic a n Mu s e u m.
1988 : The Swedish A me r i c a n Mu s e u m i s re d e d i c a t e d b y Ki n g Ca r l XVI Gustaf of Sweden at its c u r re n t l o c a t i o n , 5 2 1 1 No r t h Cl a r k S t re e t .
1 9 9 0 : Wo me n & Ch i l d re n F i r s t B o o k s t o re re l o c a t e s to Andersonville, attracting mo re l e s b i a n a n d q u e e r people to Andersonville, and establishing the neighborhood as a safe h a v e n f o r Ch i c a g o ’s L G B T Q + c o mmu n i t y.
2009 : Th e A n d e r s o n v i l l e F a r m e r s Ma r k e t b e g i n s i t s f ir st se a so n f ro m Ma y t o Oc tobe r o n B e r w y n b e t w e e n C la r k & A s h l a n d .
2004 : The Andersonville Study is published, showing t h a t mo n e y s p e n t i n a l o c a l b u s i n e s s re c i rc u l a t e s i n t h e c o mmu n i t y mo re t h a n mo n e y s p e n t a t a c h a i n s t o re .
2 0 0 1 : B r u n k Ch i l d re n ’s Mu s e u m o f I mmi g r a t i o n opens in the Swedish A me r i c a n Mu s e u m.
2010 : A nd e r s o n v i l l e is n a m e d a Na t i o n a l C om m e rc i a l Hi s t o r i c D i s t r i c t .
2014 : The iconic Swedish A me r i c a n Mu s e u m Wa t e r To w e r i s re mo v e d d u e t o i r re p a r a b l e w a t e r d a ma g e .
2015 : Andersonville celebrates 50 years of Mi d s o mma r f e s t !
2017-201 9 : 3 9 n e w b r i c k & m or ta r bu s i n e s s e s o p e n i n A n de r son v i l l e w i t h i n a t w o ye a r spa n.
2 0 1 7 : T h e n e w Wa t e r To w e r re p l i c a i s i n s t a l l e d a t o p t h e mu s e u m ro o f o n A u g u s t 8 , re i n s t a t i n g A n d e r s o n v i l l e ’s beloved icon.
2016 : Andersonville S u s t a i n a b l e Co mmu n i t y A l l i a n c e i s a w a rd e d t h e Illinois Governors S u s t a i n a b i l i t y Aw a rd .
Historien Om [ t h e st ory of ]
Th e st ory of A n de rson v ille b e g in s a s a c h e r r y orc h a rd i n t h e 1850s a n d e v o lv e s t h ro u g h o u t t h e ye a rs, a ddi n g se ve ra l la y e r s o f id e n t it y : f ir s t a s a S w e di sh se t t l e m e n t on t h e o u t s k ir t s o f C h ic a g o ; t h e n a s a h om e ba se f o r C h ic a g o ’s L G B T Q I A+ popu l a t i on ; a n d n ow a s a h o m e t o h u n d re d s o f l oc a l a n d i n de pe n de n t b u s in e s s e s . All o f t h e s e i de n t i t i e s a n d m ore m a k e u p An d e r s o n v ille ’s n e i gh borh ood fa bri c . V ie w t h e t im e lin e sn a psh ot s t o t h e ri gh t , o r v is it t h e f u ll h is t o r y a t a n de rson vi l l e . org/ t h e -ne ig h b o r h o o d .
2020-2021 : 18 n e w br ic k & m or ta r bu sin e sse s ope n or e xpa n d in A n de r son ville in spite of th e on goin g C OV I D-19 pa n de m ic .
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