Insane Dragons

The Dragons started out in the year 1970 as a club of kids hanging around Sacramento and Walton. These kids banded together and mainly fought white greaser gangs like Chi-West, Gaylords and C-Notes.  One of their biggest enemies was Chi-West.  The original Dragons really had no wars with other Hispanic gangs having peace with other East Humboldt Park gangs like Latin Kings, Spanish Cobras and Maniac Latin Disciples.

The Dragons had strict rules of secrecy from the start and this showed when they were interviewed for a Chicago Tribune article on March 26, 1978 when the leader that referred to himself as “Joe” was really concerned about names and addresses of his members being divulged.  He also talked about how other gangs are not like them and are too much trouble.  He also said they had been “organized for at least 8 years,” which is how I came to the conclusion they started in 1970, there is also no history from the 1960s of any gang known as the “Dragons” and there are no street stories that are credible.  Those interviewed in the article were at an apartment at Sacramento and Walton (Chicago Tribune March 26, 1978, P. 34, Greg Herrigas).  Shortly after the article came out in 1978 the Dragons became more recognized in the late 1970s and this brought them into war with other Hispanic gangs, primarily the Latin Kings.

In the year 1979, the Dragons became attached to the “Insane” alliance alongside the Spanish Cobras of East Humboldt Park, the two became very tight.  This took place from after the Maplewood Latin Kings left the neighborhood.

In the year 1981, the Dragons joined the Folk alliance as they were sponsored by the Spanish Cobras while members were behind bars.  In the year 1981, the Dragons became Folks on the streets as the alliance had spread to the streets that year.  By this time Dragons were having conflicts with the Latin Kings.

The Dragons would eventually grow their turf in the vicinity of Augusta to Chicago Ave, Sacramento to Campbell and a piece to this along Iowa Street extended to Western Ave which was known as “Iowa Village.”  The Dragons basically have long shown control of the entire southern park of East Humboldt Park.  Iowa and Campbell became known as “Vato Land.”  Augusta and Mozart became the “Dragons Pitt.”  Augusta and Rockwell became know as “The Rocks.”  All of these sections were within the overall turf of Augusta to Chicago, Sacramento to Campbell.

The Dragons also managed to open turf at Palmer and Kilpatrick and Austin and Diversey in the Belmont-Cragin neighborhood which brought wars with Taylor Jousters and Latin Brothers.    I do not know when Belmont-Cragin turf opened but I believe it was much later in time.

By the year 1992, the Dragons stopped their gang wars with the C-Notes and the two became best allies. The C-Notes were in bad conflict with the Gaylords and Taylor Jousters which was great for the Dragons because they hated the Gaylords and Jousters too.

In 1992 the Spanish Cobras and Latin Disciples began shooting it out which turned into temporary gang wars over the years. The ULO (United Latino Organization) was officially disbanded in place of three rival gang families.  The Dragons .   Legendary Folk Nation rivalries of the IDRs were with the Maniac Campbell Boys, Maniac Latin Disciples, Harrison Gents and Imperial Gangsters but of course the biggest enemy would still be the Latin Kings.

During the 1990s the Dragons showed they had serious firepower and would even use Uzis to shoot up enemies.  This was done in 1993, as an example, when they were shooting at Maniacs during a temporary war with the Maniacs that year.  The Dragons were also known to have many shooters in their group and were quick with the trigger.

The IDRs had always been a ferocious gang but small in size.  Dragons have been well run and organized since the start.  Dragons have always been very selective in recruitment by not letting just anyone in.  Dragons have also been good allies with the Insane Familia gangs and even sponsored the C-Notes into Insane and Folks in 1995.  The Dragons also sponsored the Latin Dragons from South Chicago into the Folk alliance in 1997 creating a close relationship between the two Dragon gangs.

Insane Dragon’s biggest suburban concentration has always been Harvard, IL.

Questions:

1.  What happened to Caveman?
2. What was the time line of leaders up until 2000?
3. What year did the Dragons open Diversey and Austin and Palmer and Kilpatrick?
4. When was Koz Park opened?
5. What year did the suburban sections open?

Known sections of the Insane Dragons past and present

Belmont – Cragin neighborhood 80s-present years

Sections of Belmont-Cragin

Palmer & Kilpatrick 80s-present years

Diversey & Austin 80s, 90s

East Humboldt Park neighborhood Established 1970-present years

Sections of East Humboldt Park

Augusta to Chicago Ave, Sacramento to Campbell (Dragon’s Pitt, The Rocks, Vato Land) Established 1970-present years

Iowa from Western to California (Iowa Village)

Logan Square neighborhood

Sections of Logan Square

Kosciuszko Park (Shared with Orquestra Albany and Spanish Cobras)

Suburbs

Addison

Bensenville

Harvard

River Grove