Bucktown
By far, the most frequent
question asked is the origin of the name “Bucktown.” Though not documented, it
is believed the term was coined early in the area’s history, probably the
1830’s, since many of the Polish settlers raised goats (the male is called a buck).
The term faded away and emerged again in the 1920’s. Lending credence to this
version, a long-time resident of the area recalls, “when my mother was little, there
were only open fields where people raised goats. That’s how it became known as
Bucktown.
The Bucktown area is bounded
roughly by Fullerton on the north, on the east by the Kennedy Expressway, the Milwaukee
Road railroad tracks on the south, and on the west by Milwaukee Avenue to Western, and
Western north to Fullerton.
An array of trendy new shops
line the major Bucktown avenues, including Robin Richman, Pavilion Antiques, The Red
Balloon Co, Niche, Pagoda Red, Tangerine, Stitch, Embelezar. Fine restaurants
and cafes abound, as well, including Meritage, Le Bouchon, Club Lucky and Caffe De
Luca. These and other fine destinations for savvy shoppers and foodies led Travel
and Leisure Magazine to declare present-day Bucktown, along with its neighbor, Wicker
Park, as home to Chicago's New Mag Mile.
