| Origins | Settled by Phillip Rogers c. 1838 and annexed in 1893 |
|---|---|
| Area | Far North Side |
| Boundaries | Southern edge of Cavalry Cemetery on the north, Devon Avenue on the south, Lake Michigan on the east, Ridge Road on the west |
| Gangs headquartered | Gangster Disciples, Black P Stones, Latin Kings, Spanish Gangster Disciples, |
Rogers Park was first settled in the late 1830s by Philip Rogers, hence, how to area was later named after him.
In 1872 Patrick Touhy (yes, the Touhy expressway was named after him) divided up the land for settlement and Irish and German settlers began to buy property here.
In the year 1878 the “Village of Rogers Park” was incorporated. In the year 1893 Rogers Park was officially annexed into the city of Chicago.
In the early half of the 20th century, many apartment buildings were constructed making Rogers Park unique for having several of these dwellings.
In the 1940s the apartments were divided into smaller units to house more people, as this happened the buildings began to deteriorate which dragged the property values down. Lower monthly rent payments were attractive to Chicago’s poverty-stricken populace as the lower income classes moved into these buildings bringing about a poverty crisis by the 1960s. It was during these years beginning in the 1940s and worsening by the 1950s when the northern part of this neighborhood became rough especially in the Juneway Terrace and Jonquill Apartments. In these buildings there were many tough greaser gangs that were often violent and dangerous. In the surrounding streets near Howard Street there were dirty unkept streets, seedy bars and abandoned buildings. Many locals growing up here in the 1950s through the mid-70s knew to stay out of this area of the neighborhood.
In the 1950s and 1960s Rogers Park became home to several greaser gangs that often-battled greaser clubs from nearby Uptown. Rogers Park had some tough greaser gangs.
In the year 1975 white flight began out of this neighborhood that was rather abrupt. This paved the way for a sudden large influx of African American and Hispanic migrants moved into Rogers Park from the south side of the city. The many apartment complexes that had cheaper rent became ideal for a poverty stricken black and Hispanic populace. The Juneway Terrace Apartments on the far north side of this community became especially affordable for African American families. Alongside these migrating families came the Black Gangster Disciples that set up the legendary section of the “Juneway Jungle.” Black P Stones also found this community desirable as they settled heavily along Howard Street clashing with the Black Gangster Disciples. Jonquill Terrace Apartments also became a new home to African Americans, BGDs and Stones would settle in these apartments as well. The two complexes always had gang and crime issues but now it was transitioned to the black community.
Among the migrating Mexican population in 1975 came the Latin Kings that settled Columbia and Ashland and Pottawamie Park. The Latin Kings settled in the whiter area of the neighborhood that battled with majority white gangs upset about the changing neighborhood. Among many of the upset longer time residing youths came the Simon City Royals to recruit youths at Clark and Farwell. The Royals recruited among the longer time Hispanic population as well and battled Latin Kings they felt were undesirable outsiders.
In the 1980s gang wars grew more intense as the Spanish Gangster Disciples and La Raza arrived battling with Latin Kings. Hispanic migration increased in the mid-80s which brought more Latin King recruitment and the arrival of SGDs and La Raza. Now Rogers Park was becoming once of the more dangerous neighborhoods in Chicago.
In the 1990s as more Hispanic migration continued more Hispanic gangs arrived like Latin Eagles, Ashland Vikings and Brazers. This brought about perhaps the most violent decade on the Rogers Park streets as gang wars became very intense.
Many renovations have been brought to Rogers Park since the later 1990s and upper classes have moved in. Many college students at Loyola bought property after graduation in this neighborhood bringing about a larger yuppie population into the 2000s decade. This is when Rogers Park was both a gangbanging violent neighborhood while also becoming rather trendy and safe as a home for younger higher class income residents. Over time the trendy stores, restaurants and yuppie population has begun to overtake the gang activity and crime; however, Rogers Park still struggles with higher crime levels and gang conflicts.
In the 1970s Rogers Park was dominated by Black Gangster Disciples, Black P Stones, Latin Kings and Simon City Royals.
In the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s Rogers Park was dominated by Black Gangster Disciples, Black P Stones, Latin Kings, Simon City Royals and Spanish Gangster Disciples
In the 2010s and later Rogers Park is dominated by Gangster Disciples, Black P Stones, Latin Kings and Spanish Gangster Disciples
If you are among the curious Loyola college student populace or the young urban professional class you may be interested to know Rogers Park has had these significant gangs walk these streets over time:
Black P Stones Established 1975-present years
Howard to Birchwood, Ridge to Clark (Stoneville)
Albion to Arthur, Clark to Greenview
Ashland & Pratt (was shared with Outlaw Bloods)
Jarvis & Damen
Howard from Damen to Ridge (The Jungle)
Brazers Established 1996-2010s
Morse & Wayne (Murder world) Established 1996-2010s
Latin Eagles 1990s
Sheridan & Pratt
Morse & Wayne
Devon & Paulina
Simon City Royals Established 1975-2010s
Clark & Farwell Established 1975-2010s
Greenleaf from Clark to Ravenswood
Sheridan & Albion
Touhy & Ridge
Paulina & Lunt Established 1975-1990s
Latin Kings Established 1975-present years
Columbia & Ashland (Bad Boys) Established 1975-present years
Rodgers to Toughy, Ridge to Clark (Pottawamie Park) Established 1975-present years
Devon & Clark
Ashland Vikings Mid-1980s-present years
Lunt from Paulina to Clark Mid-1980s-present years
La Raza Established 1985-present years
Clark & Estes (North Pole) Established 1985-present years
Gangster Disciples Established 1975-present years
Ashland & Farwell
Clark & Rogers
Howard & Ridge
Howard & Ashland (Juneway Jungle)
Howard & Bosworth (Juneway Jungle)
Juneway & Marshfield (Juneway Jungle)
Morse & Greenview
Howard to Juneway, Paulina to Sheridan (L.O.C City)
Morse to Pratt, Ashland to Glenwood (Insane Cutthroat Gangsters, Pooh Bear Gang)
Touhy & Clark
Morse & Clark
Spanish Gangster Disciples Established 1983-present years
Pratt to North Shore Ave, Bosworth to Glenwood (Glenwood City) Established 1983-present years
Black Disciples 2010s-present years
Howard & Ashland