You know how to give directions around the city, but do you know how some of Chicago’s major streets got their names?
- Belmont Avenue — Named after the Battle of Belmont, Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s first command during the Civil War.
- Fullerton Avenue — Named after Alexander N. Fullerton, a Vermont native who was one of the first three attorneys to settle in Chicago.
- Cermak Avenue — Named for influential Chicago mayor Anton Cermak, who was assassinated in Miami during an attempt on the life of Franklin D. Roosevelt.
- Irving Park Road — The road and neighborhood are both named after author Washington Irving, whose works include The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
- Clark Street — Named after Revolutionary War general George Rogers Clark, who successfully led the Illinois campaign against several British fortresses.
- Rush Street — Named after Dr. Benjamin Rush, one of the original signers of the Declaration of Independence and the nominal father of American psychiatry.
- Diversey Parkway — Named after Michael Diversey, owner of one of America’s largest breweries until it burned down during the Great Chicago Fire.
- Sheridan Road — Named after Philip Henry Sheridan, a former Union general whose actions during the Chicago Fire have been celebrated for their heroism.
