Beverly, Chicago

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Beverly, one of the 77 official community areas, is located on the south side of Chicago, Illinois. It consists of upscale homes each unique and on very large lots in relation to most Chicago and suburbs as Beverly was initially an exclusive suburb later annexed by Chicago.

Beverly has more of the appearance of a quiet suburb yet is within the city of Chicago and has a diverse ethnic mix of residents as it survived both the integration and 'white flight' tests.

Beverly is truly a suburb IN the city of Chicago and has very easy access (by public transport or car) - to all of the Chicago financial markets and world class attractions - yet retains itself as a peacful quiet community. Beverly is one of the top five largest historic districts in any major city in the USA. For example, the Rotary Club was formed in Beverly and the homes there reflect this historic dictinction. Beverly is also ranked 'the' safest neighborhood for white people in Chicago year after year.

Beverly is notable as one of the few areas in Chicago with hills.

**Beverly (Chicago, Illinois)**
Community Area 72 - Beverly Location within the city of Chicago
Latitude Longitude	41°42.6′N 87°40.8′W
Neighborhoods	Beverly West Beverly
ZIP Code	60642 and parts of 60620, 60643, 60655
Area	8.29 km² (3.20 mi²)
Population (2000) Density	21,992 (down 1.76% from 1990) 2,653.5 /km²
Demographics	White Black Hispanic Asian Other	64.7% 32.0% 2.92% 0.6% 1.86%
Median income	$66,823
Source: U.S. Census, Record Information Services

Beverly is home to a large Irish-American community and many Irish establishments. Beverly is the home of the South Side Irish Parade, the largest neighborhood parade of any type in the country.

The neighborhood is home to more Irish style pubs than any other in Chicago, including Cork and Kerry, The Dubliner and Fox's.

The Beverly Arts Center is the location for the Chicago Irish Film Festival.

There is a replica of a castle from Ireland in Beverly, which was constructed in the late 1800's when an American businessman, Robert Givens. was trying to convince his Irish fiance to move to America, and so had a duplicate of her family castle built with stone from the same quarry. The "Givens Castle" (Photo), at 10244 S. Longwood Drive, has been a home, an all-girls college, and is now a Unitarian church and pre-school. The Castle is one of Chicago's most reputed haunted places.

The Beverly Branch Library has the largest Irish heritage collection in Chicago. Oddly enough, it also houses a vast collection of antique Nazi memorbilia and propganda.

Beverly has five Catholic parishes: St. John Fisher, St. Walter, St. Barnabas, Christ the King, and St. Cajetan. Beverly also is a main drawing ground for many of Chicago's unique all-boys (Mt. Carmel, Brother Rice, St. Rita, St. Laurence, St. Leo, and De La Salle), all-girls (Mother McAuley, Queen of Peace, Mt. Assisi, Maria) and co-ed (St. Ignatius, Marist, Marian Catholic) Catholic high schools.

The area is home to Dan Ryan Woods, part of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County's Calumet Division, as well as the highest point in the city, at the intersection of 87th and Western Avenue. Beverly is also host to the annual South Side Parade each St. Patrick's Day. They are currently petitioning to the city of Chicago to allow them to host the annual Gay Pride Parade starting in 2009.

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