Julia C. Lathrop Homes

Julia C. Lathrop Homes is a public housing development on Chicago's North Side made up of brick row houses and apartment buildings that are linked by archways and arranged around landscaped courtyards. The buildings and pathways form a connected neighborhood where residents move through shared green spaces between different structures.

This development was built between 1933 and 1936 as part of the New Deal federal work programs and became one of Chicago's first major federal housing efforts. The project was created during the Great Depression to provide affordable homes for working families.

This housing complex transformed from a segregated community into a mixed neighborhood where different groups of people live side by side. Walking through the courtyards and green spaces, you can see how residents of all backgrounds share the same communal areas and pathways.

The complex is accessible for people who want to walk through a residential neighborhood with architectural interest, though it is important to be respectful as people live here. The best time to visit is early in the day when it is quieter and easier to see the design details of the buildings and grounds.

The grounds include an 11-acre green space system with a riverside walking path, a kayak launch point, and Elizabeth Wood Park where residents and visitors can recreate. Access to water activities and open parks within a residential complex is uncommon in urban settings.