This article also includes '''Edgewater''', the more reasonable counterbalance to its neighbor (fewer calamities, and a few terrific bars), and '''West Ridge''', home to several ethnic communities, including nearly a mile of great Indian restaurants and stores.
The nature of Rogers Park is calamity amid beauty and the equality of impulse toward each. In this way, many of the neighborhood's key events can be understood: the secession of the '''West Ridge''' area (sometimes called West Rogers Park) over whether to incorporate as a village (which they did anyway); the 1894 "Home-Made Transfer War," in which Rogers Park residents stuck it to railroad tycoon Charles Yerkes by refusing to pay extra to ride the northern extension of his streetcar line, and tried to pass off the transfers they'd made at home on the conductors; and the "Cabbage Head War" of 1896, in which a Rogers Park politician gave unsophisticated West Ridge farmers an unflattering nickname, and they proved him wrong by putting cabbages on poles and marching on his house.
With regular floods from the wild and swampy beaches to the east, annexation to Chicago and its sewage services proved a strong temptation. As the city surged north, a building boom followed, and Rogers Park was blessed with a gorgeous stock of residential and commercial buildings; West Ridge wound up with long blocks of lovely, modest Prairie-style bungalows. Only one famous name is still in the area (Frank Lloyd Wright's '''Emil Bach House'''), but the routine beauty of the architecture in Rogers Park and West Ridge is still incredible.
The diversity, too, is unrivaled in a notoriously segregated city. Rogers Park has always been the most beautiful place in Chicago where basically anyone could afford to live — silent Irish generations still fighting the Cabbage Head War in their sleep, and immigrants newly arrived from Serbia, from Jamaica, from the Sudan. For a visitor, special mention has to go to the Indian community on '''Devon Avenue'''. Between roughly 2200 W and 2700 W Devon, among thriving import stores that specialize in saris, spices, and the latest Bollywood dreams, there are a number of amazing Indian and Pakistani restaurants that will almost certainly spoil you for the stuff back home (assuming "back home" is anywhere but the Indian subcontinent). The only day ''not'' to go is Tuesday, when many businesses and restaurants are closed.
'''Edgewater''', on the other hand, is remarkably laid-back. It was originally demarcated as part of the Uptown community area, but when that area went into economic decline, Edgewater residents swiftly seceded and established their own neighborhood. Today, it segues neatly into Andersonville to the south, with a few gay cultural institutions and several nice restaurants, coffee shops and bars.
The CTA '''Purple Line''' runs from Evanston to Howard, continuing non-stop southward to the Belmont station in Lakeview during weekday rush periods. The CTA Yellow Line from Skokie ends at Howard.
The Metra [http://www.metrarail.com] '''Union Pacific North Line''' stops in Rogers Park (at Lunt Ave) before moving on to Evanston. Not every train serves that station, though, so check signs or schedules before boarding.
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Several PACE suburban routes depart from the Howard Street bus terminal.
The intersection of Sheridan and Devon can be confusing if you're trying to follow directions. Coming from Rogers Park, although it looks as though Sheridan continues south past Devon, that's where it becomes Broadway; Sheridan actually veers left at that point and then right along the lake. From the other direction, this is the eastern border of Devon Avenue, even though it looks like it continues further east — that's where the Sheridan name has taken over.
Parking is generally no problem in Edgewater and West Ridge, but Rogers Park is never easy. Watch for permit-only streets near Loyola University, and check street signs on Sheridan before parking overnight there. They're usually full, but there are meter parking lots near the beach at the end of Touhy and between Lunt & Greeleaf, and on the western side of the L tracks on Glenwood.
The '''Glenwood Avenue Arts District''' is a nice idea that someone had at some point, and it's still optimistically advertised by banners up and down the street (between Pratt and Touhy), but there isn't much going on. Most of the storefronts are vacant (or appear to be). Occasional group shows are held at the '''Eidolon Art Studio''' [http://www.eidolonartstudio.com] (7001 N Glenwood Ave) and the '''Greenleaf Art Center''' [http://www.greenleafartcenter.com/] (1836 W Greenleaf).
For a better check on the artistic pulse of Rogers Park, check out the block-long concrete bench between Pratt Beach and Loyola Beach (facing the lake and the jogging trail), which is divided up into short segments and re-painted every year by members of the community and a few local businesses, musing on the neighborhood, the city, outer space, and whatever else is on their minds — a good mix of the memorable and the inexplicable.
This area isn't well-known for theater, but it should be — there are some exceptional companies here. The '''Heartland Cafe''' (see Eat) is event-happy, and there are a few great music venues to check out (see Drink).
Outside of Devon Avenue and a couple of cowboy fashion shops on Clark, there are only a few notable places to shop in this part of the city.
Campus police can be relied upon to patrol the area near Loyola University around the clock, extending as far as Devon, but some visitors may feel uncomfortable walking alone on Morse, Jarvis, Glenwood, Howard, and their side-streets late at night. There are police cameras on the streetlights at Morse, so wave and say 'hello'.
Wandering the beaches and parks is fine after dark, but don't go swimming after hours, particularly at the smaller beaches — certain property owners thrive on calling the cops on late swimmers. Climbing the breakwater rocks between beaches can be a lot of fun, but is not allowed by the Chicago Park District lifeguards.