RAVENSWOOD — Ravenswood and the rail lines that run through it have been inextricably linked for nearly 150 years.
Conceived of as an exclusive commuter suburb in the mid- to late-1800s, Ravenswood was almost entirely dependent on a deal its developers struck to have a rail stop built at the community's doorstep.
In 1907, an extension of the "L" made the area, by then annexed to the city, accessible to working class residents, according to the Encyclopedia of Chicago.
Today, the duet of passing Metra and Brown Line trains forms the neighborhood's soundtrack, and the latter's towering tracks are one of Ravenswood's most identifiable features.
To understand just how embedded the CTA is in the neighborhood's fabric, take a stroll along Wolcott Avenue.
Some might consider elevated tracks running through their yard a nuisance at best and a deal breaker at worst. Not these folks. They've embraced the structure, turning what by all rights should be an eyesore into an enchanting urban garden.
Life deals you a Brown Line, you turn it green.
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