Small in acreage but big on character, Longwood Manor is home to some of the most historic houses on Chicago's south side. Like its neighboring communities of Brainerd and Washington Heights, Longwood Manor built an identity based on working-class traditions tied to the once-thriving railroad industry and an immigrant past that still defines much of the area's legacy to this day. Community parks and recreation facilities provide residents with ample room for exercise, play, sports and amusement. In addition to housing the usual tennis courts and baseball fields, the parks in Longwood Manor host free live music concerts and movie screenings. The rest of the neighborhood encompasses long blocks of classic Chicago bungalows and a few rib houses and seafood shacks for the best in southern-style cooking.
Like its sister community of Brainerd to the north, Longwood Manor was established primarily by German and Irish immigrants whose families began to settle in the Midwest around 1880. Originally part of the larger neighborhood of Washington Heights, the area that is now called Longwood Manor was annexed along with Washington Heights into the city in the late 1800s.
The advent of the Rock Island Railroad, which still runs between Chicago’s far southwest side and the Loop, transformed the area just south of 95th Street into a bedroom community for immigrant workers. Many worked in the city by day and slept here by night. By the 1920s, development of the rail system prompted a population boom on the southwest side, which included the neighborhood of Longwood Manor. Overall, the area experienced a population increase of 80 percent, due largely to the influx of immigrants and the abundance of railroad jobs.
Longwood Manor was once home to a large number of oak tree groves that were scattered throughout the neighborhood. The tall, leafy trees provided a picturesque locale for a homestead, and it attracted many folks to settle down in the area. As immigrant workers moved in, they built durable homes that reflected the 1920s and ‘30s architectural style on the south side. Many of these homes are the stately brick bungalows that continue to give the neighborhood its classic, vintage charm to this day.
By the 1970s, many of the immigrant railroad workers who had built up Longwood Manor had lived out their lifespan. With the demographics of the south side changing as a whole and the majority of the original European settlers gone, many African-American families moved into the neighborhood. Today, Longwood Manor’s ties to its working-class history remain evident in its traditional architecture, however changes in the neighborhood’s makeup and commercial industries have welcomed it into the 21st century.
Longwood Manor facts
Location: About 13 miles south of the Loop Bordering Neighborhoods:Brainerd, Beverly, Washington Heights, Roseland, Rosemoor Boundaries: 95th Street to the north, the Dan Ryan Expressway to the east, the I-57 Expressway to the south and Beverly Avenue to the west Crime Statistics: Go to CLEARMap to search specific streets and areas for crime incidents
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Longwood Manor Real Estate
Longwood Manor once flourished as a bedroom community for immigrant Irish and German railroad workers. Much of this early 20th century architectural influence still remains evident on the tree-lined streets of the neighborhood. Many of these homes are single-family brick dwellings constructed in the traditional bungalow style—something we see throughout much of Chicago’s residential areas.
In addition to the characteristic bungalows, the blocks of Longwood Manor are filled in with simple one-story frame houses, raised ranches, two-stories with quaint front porches, a few new constructions, and even some farmhouse-style designs. While a good number of the structures in the neighborhood are in good condition, you will see some that require extensive renovation on account of their age.
The neighboring communities of Brainerd and Washington Heights are generating interest from land developers who are looking to replace older homes with new construction. Longwood Manor, however, has managed to retain its classic charm, mainly because many of the neighborhood’s residences are considered vintage. While they are not officially classified as historic preservations, the Longwood Manor bungalows and other redbrick homes are staples of the south side architectural aesthetic and are what make this Chicago community an attractive place to buy property and raise a family.
The sales price for a three- or four-bedroom single-family detached home in Longwood Manor ranges from $190,000 to $340,000, although you can find some properties listed for less (just be warned some of these may be in need of a bit of repair—they are old houses after all!). Smaller homes in Longwood Manor typically cost much less, with the average sales price around $119,000 and several options for under $100,000.
For as little as $75,000, families can purchase a multi-unit place in the neighborhood, either a townhome or a condominium. Of course, if you want to live in one of the new condos that are going up on 95th Street (the border between Longwood Manor and Brainerd) you are looking at price tags in the low to mid $200,000s.
The average sale price of a home in Longwood Manor is represented by the chart to the right. The red line indicates the average price based on the total time frame selected in the drop-down window. The blue line indicates the average sale price for the particular month within that time frame. For more detailed information on Longwood Manor sign up for the trends report below or contact your Dream Town broker.
The average number of days a home in Longwood Manor spends listed for sale is represented by the chart to the right. The red line indicates the average number of days based on the total time frame selected in the drop-down window. The blue line indicates the average number of days a home spent on market during the particular month within that time frame. For more detailed information on average market listing times in Longwood Manor sign up for the trends report below or contact your Dream Town broker.
The average sale price of a home compared to its listing price in Longwood Manor is represented by the chart to the right. The black line indicates the baseline listing price for homes during the time frame selected in the drop-down. The red line indicates the difference between the average listing price and the average sale price during the particular month within that time frame. For more detailed information on Longwood Manor sign up for the trends report below or contact your Dream Town broker.
The total number of listings in Longwood Manor is represented in the chart to the right. The red line represents average number of days based on the total time frame selected in the drop-down window The blue bar represents the current number of listings during the particular month of that time frame. For more detailed information on Longwood Manor sign up for the trends report below or contact your Dream Town broker.
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