Local Landmarks & Heritage
Local Landmarks & Heritage
- The Legacy Walk
- Rainbow crosswalks on North Halsted Street
- Belmont CTA Station
- Center on Halsted
Neighborhood History
Neighborhood History
The Halsted Street corridor took its identity from the LGBTQ community that began gathering along it circa 1970, when area residents marched in Chicago's first Gay Pride Parade. Through the 1970s and 1980s, gay-owned bars and businesses displaced from earlier enclaves near Old Town anchored a new commercial district here, and by the late 1980s the corridor had picked up an informal nickname, Boystown, coined in a local newspaper column. In 1997, Mayor Richard M. Daley made it official, designating the district Chicago's gay neighborhood — the first such civic recognition anywhere in the nation.
The area's history is now written directly into its streets. The Legacy Walk, a series of bronze and rainbow pylons chronicling LGBTQ history, runs along North Halsted and was formally designated a Chicago landmark in 2019 — the world's only outdoor museum of its kind. Rainbow-painted crosswalks mark nearby intersections, and the Belmont CTA station anchors the corridor's south end, carrying residents and visitors through one of the city's busiest transit junctions.
For a neighborhood whose name was claimed by its own residents before the city made it official, MY-NHD's Boystown pieces carry that same spirit of a community naming its own ground.
MY-NHD
Boystown - Chicago - Unisex Heavy Blend Hoodie
Boystown - Chicago - Unisex Heavy Blend Hoodie
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Celebrate your neighborhood in style!
This unisex heavy blend hoodie is more than just outerwear—it’s the comfort you want, wherever and whenever, and a nod to your neighborhood pride. Featuring your Chicago neighborhood name front and center, it’s a perfect blend of comfort, style, and connection.
- Plush Comfort: Made with a thick blend of 50% US-grown cotton and 50% polyester, it’s soft, warm, and built to last. Heather Sport colors feature a cozy 60% polyester and 40% cotton mix.
- Classic Fit: Designed for a relaxed, easy wear, with a spacious front pocket for daily practicality.
- Stylish Details: A double-lined hood and color-matched drawstrings add durability and flair.
- Ethically Made: Crafted with 100% ethically grown US cotton and OEKO-TEX-certified dyes for a low environmental impact.
- Printed in the USA: Our Chicago hoodies are all printed right here in the US.
Available in a variety of colors and sizes (S-5XL), this hoodie is the perfect way to stay warm while showing love for your community!
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