| Origins | Settled c. 1865 and annexed in 1889 |
|---|---|
| Area | Far Southeast Side |
| Boundaries | 87th Street on the north, 95th Street to the south, South Chicago Avenue on the east, New York, Chicago & St. Louis railroad on the west |
| Gangs headquartered | Gangster Disciples, |
This area was a swampy region in the earlier part of the 19th century and there may or may not have been a few scattered settlers. In the year 1861 this area was annexed into Hyde Park Township; however, this did not help settlement because the area was just too swampy for farmers, so they did not stay long. The earliest settlers that came through this area nicknamed the area “Stoney Island” because the present-day Pill Hill area was shaped like an island of limestone that rose above the rest of the prairie. Stoney Island Avenue is named after this island of raised limestone.
In the year 1881 the New York, Chicago & St. Louis railroad yards were built up at the edge of the western border of this area and from there settlement began from steelworkers and quarry workers that worked at the 92nd Street quarry that opened in that decade.
In the year 1887 Samuel E. Gross platted out the Calumet Heights subdivision which attracted more settlement, many of which were Irish and Italian immigrants.
In the year 1889 this area was annexed into the city of Chicago and became the neighborhood of “Calumet Heights” which was named after the Calumet River and the Calumet Heights subdivision.
In the first decades of the 20th century Polish, Yugoslavian and Hungarian immigrants came to the neighborhood, then in the 1920s apartments were built between 87th and Stoney Island and 91st and Stoney Island and more houses were built.
After World War II Calumet Heights experienced a boom in growth as a shopping strip around 87th and Stoney Island was put in and more houses were built even over the quarry on 92nd Street. After the war many more middle classes began moving into the area and built middle class homes especially in the Pill Hill area.
In the early 1960s African Americans began moving into the neighborhood and as the later 1960s ushered in more white residents began moving out; however, this neighborhood would not experience the same racial strife that surrounding neighborhoods would experience during white flight, whites just packed up and left the neighborhood and by 1970 45% of the neighborhood was African American.
In year 1964 Devil’s Disciples settled on these streets to assist the growing African American community with issues of migrating criminal elements from outside the neighborhood, this established a permanent home for the Disciples beginning the permanent legacy of the Gangster Disciples in this community. In the year 1968 the Outlaw Supreme Gangsters arrived that further dug in the history of Gangster Disciples in this community.
The Bostonian Pimps moved into this community by the 1970s along 93rd Street joining these Black Gangster Disciples in their struggles, both groups became tight allies.
In the 1970s decade more white residents packed up and left as middle-class African Americans moved in. White residents even began leaving Pill Hill and African American doctors moved into this area which gave the area the official name “Pill Hill.”
By the later 1970s the steel industries in the surrounding neighborhoods began to close down and lay off many workers and the working-class white residents began leaving in larger numbers and by 1980 Calumet Heights was 86% African American.
Even though Calumet Heights is not a blighted area with high poverty it still is an area that experiences heavier gang activity and higher levels of violence; however, this community not only has been known to care about upkeep of the neighborhood they also shun gang violence and have been known to set up community watches. Calumet Heights is one of the tougher and more violent neighborhoods in Chicago; however, it is also very middle class and is quite livable for many.
In the south part of the community near 93rd Street gangs like Gangster Disciples, Boss Pimps and Black P Stones get along well and have for decades. They mainly war with invading gangs from other communities that harass residents and cause trouble but these groups tend to blend in with Calumet Heights as most gang violence is wars with outsiders.
The Conservative Vice Lords once had a well-known section at 87th and Jeffrey. This group of Vice Lords was known for being crazy and held this turf down well until it was rested away.
The Gangster Disciples and Boss Pimps have dominated these streets from 1964 to present years
The known gangs to have walked these streets over time are:
Boss Pimps
93rd from Stoney Island to Colfax (Boss Pimp City)
Lynchmen Sercaun Gangsters
93rd & Stoney Island
Black P Stones
93rd & Harper (Crazy Harper, shared with Gangster Disciples)
Blackstone from 91st to 92nd (CHB)
Four Corner Hustlers
93rd & Harper
87th & Crieger
Gangster Disciples Established 1964 as Devil’s Disciples, 1968 as Outlaw Supreme Gangsters and are still present on these streets
93rd & Harper (shared with Black P Stones)
93rd & Saginaw (shared with Boss Pimps)
91st to 92nd, Dorchester to Stoney Island (Sco Block)
92nd to 94th, Jeffery to Chappel (Chinworld LTG)
89th to 92nd, Yates to Phillps (Yates Mob)
Conservative Vice Lords
87th & Jeffrey
Traveling Vice Lords
Traveling Vice Lords-91st & Colfax