The neighborhood of Kenwood is defined by its architecturally-diverse mansions and famous residents. Located only five miles southeast of the Loop, Kenwood was settled by those seeking relief from the growing congestion of Chicago. The neighborhood came by its name when Dr. John A. Kennicott built a house on 48th Street, and named it Kenwood after his ancestral home in Scotland.
Kenwood was once one of the most elite neighborhoods in the city, and still contains some of its largest homes. Julius Rosenwald, one of the owners of Sears, Roebuck & Company lived on 49th Street and Ellis Avenue in a house that still stands. The home of meatpacker Gustavus Swift is just up the block on Ellis; Muhammad Ali lived in a handsome Tudor mansion at 4944 South Woodlawn Avenue. More modest greystones can be found on the 4500 blocks of both Ellis and Greenwood Avenues.
An immensely walkable area, South Kenwood is mostly comprised of quiet streets and century-old mansions shaded by majestic trees. South Kenwood includes Madison Park, one of only three remaining private parks in Chicago.
North Kenwood is experiencing an exciting revival. Once the area of Kenwood threatened with deterioration and blight, it was aided by the Hyde Park–Kenwood Community Conference, created in the 1940s to help maintaining a stable and integrated neighborhood, as well as urban renewal funds that became available in the late 1950s. The neighborhood began a renaissance in the late 1970s, as several areas were designated historic districts. By the late 1990s, families were moving back in.
Chicago Public Schools in Kenwood include Kenwood Academy, Canter Middle School and Shoesmith. Private Schools in Kenwood include the Ancona Montessori School, the Cambridge School of Chicago and Hales Franciscan High School.
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