Bellwood

Bellwood

During most of the 19^th century, Bellwood was exclusively farmland.  It took until the early 1890s for an actual town to be built as the first two subdivisions were developed.  Some businesses opened that included several taverns giving this new town an identity as a tavern friendly community.  The land was up for grabs for neighboring communities to annex, Maywood was especially interested.  Maywood had no interest in the alcohol industry and their village was dry of alcohol; therefore, the taverns in Bellwood did not want Maywood to take over and shut their businesses down.  On May 21, 1900, the Village of Bellwood was official as tavern owners pushed the agenda to incorporate. The name “Bellwood” comes from the Bellewood subdivision in the village. (Fact source: www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org)

In the 1910s decade, Bellwood’s population grew considerably when Russian and German immigrants moved into the village.  This was the first cultural identity of Bellwood.  In late 1950s a new cultural identity came to Bellwood when Italian, Serbian and Polish residents moved in.  Manufacturing was growing in the area and the new Eisenhower Expressway brought in more traffic (Fact source: www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org).  Several more businesses opened in the village to support the population now it doubled by the 1960 census.  Bellwood is notable for Italian beef and hot dog restaurants along Mannheim Road including Mickey’s Drive In that opened in 1959.

In the year 1975, it was discovered that a local real estate agency was steering African Americans away from Bellwood which was accounting for Bellwood’s small African American population in the 1970 census as 1.1% The Supreme Court became involved and the Village of Bellwood sued this real estate company, after this decision African American families began moving to Bellwood.  (Fact source: www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org).  The earliest wave of African American families was middle-class but white flight still happened in the late 70s.  A loss of manufacturing along with fear of racial change put a white flight drive in place.  Most of the white flight was on the east side of town, east of Mannheim Road.

In the early 1980s, white flight touched west of Mannheim Road, Mexican families took their place.  This part of Bellwood would become Hispanic and white.  East of Mannheim Road was more rapid white flight.  This part of Bellwood began to fall in value as housing became cheaper and affordable for low-income families.  Maywood and Bellwood were always very close communities and by the early 1980s the gangs of Maywood were bonding with Bellwood African American youths.  Some racial issues would happen in Bellwood many times between African Americans and Hispanic youths.  Hispanic youths began to bond with Latin Kings from Maywood leading to an eventual Latin King chapter started in Bellwood west of Mannheim Road.  African American youths were joining the same groups as Maywood youths.  Black Gangster Disciples, Black P Stones, Four Corner Hustlers, Conservative Vice Lords, Traveling Vice Lords moved into Bellwood in the early 80s and started sections.  Latin Kings battled with some of these groups especially the Black Gangster Disciples.  These gangs all date back to the early 80s, approximately 1980.

In the early 80s, Bellwood fell on hard times as the recession at the time brought unemployment.  White flight would continue through the 1980s.  In 1980, Bellwood was 35% African American.  In 1990, Bellwood was over 70% African American.  Much of the manufacturing in Bellwood closed in the early 80s a continued issue with poverty up to present years.  For decades, Bellwood has had several shuttered businesses and some urban blight especially along Mannheim Road.

In the 80s Bellwood had some wild gang activity and higher crime but the 1990s were worse of a decade especially after more Hispanic gangs moved to the community in 1992.  The Maniac Latin Disciples and Latin Counts opened territory near the Latin Kings west of Mannheim Road.  The Unknown Assassins would also open turf at the Bellwood/Berkely border.  This was also a time of more white flight to this part of Bellwood as the white population went from 23% in 1990 to 11% in 2000.  The gangbanging of the 1990s was intense and reached its peak in the mid-90s.  The Unknown Assassins went defunct in the late 90s, but Latin Kings, Latin Counts and Maniac Latin Disciples remain in the community.  In the 1990s or 2000s the Black Souls and New Breeds moved to Bellwood.

In recent decades the crime and gang activity is not as rampant as the village and the police cracked down on much of the crime.  Bellwood still is considered a higher crime area but it is also a mostly safe community.  Gangs still exist and it is still a long list of gangs but the gangs are much quieter than they were in the 90s and earlier 2000s.