Viva Boricua

Puerto Rican pride runs deep in Humboldt Park, as evidenced by the two Puerto Rican flags bookending Division Street beween Western and California. Weighing several tons, they are anchored 50 feet in the ground.

The Puerto Rican community has similarly deep roots in Chicago, originally coming from the island to work in the cities many factories. Over the years, Chicago's Peurto Ricans have been centered in Humboldt Park, but they also thrived in Lincoln Park, and Wicker Park.

Today, you'd be hard pressed to find any Puerto Ricans in Lincoln Park today. Beginning the 70's that neighborhood was transformed into haven for young professionals. Yuppies, their detractors called them, and still do.

Today, Humboldt Park is threatened with the same transformation. Facing this, many of the residents have banded together to promote a Puerto Rican identity. The most visible signs of this effort are the giant flags.

The nature of the American cities is change, and whether Humboldt Park will remain Puerto Rican is an open question. After all, Humboldt Park was built by Norwegians. Today little evidence of them remains, beyond the Norwegian American hospital and some black and white photos. Maybe in the future , all that will remain of the Puerto Ricans of Humboldt Park will be these giant flags, and the sense that our city has lost something unique.