thumb|right|The [[National Hellenic Museum in Greektown, Chicago]]
thumb|Outside of the restaurant [[Greek Islands (restaurant)|Greek Islands, blue pots painted with famous Greek patterns, such as the Greek key, adorn the sidewalks of Greektown.]]
thumb|250x250px|The local [[Walgreens is ornamented with the addition of Greek translations on the storefront signs. ]]
thumb|255x255px|[[Ancient Greek architecture style monument marks the edge of Greektown. The monument sits in front of the Eisenhower Expressway.]]
thumb|260x260px|[[Ancient Greek architecture|Ancient Greek Architectural style monument marks the beginning of Greektown. It sits at the corner of Halsted and Monroe and is decorated by art from the local Greek Orthodox church's youth.]]
Greektown is a social and dining district, located on the Near West Side of Chicago. Today, Greektown consists mostly of restaurants and businesses, although a cultural museum and an annual parade and festival still remain in the neighborhood.
The district can be found along Halsted Street, between Van Buren and Madison Streets.
History
thumb|Restaurants at Greektown, Chicago
The first Greek immigrants to settle in Chicago arrived in the 1840s via the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. The major fires of Chicago in 1871 caused significant further quantities of Greek immigrants to move to the area, including the founder Christ Chakonas, later dubbed the "Columbus of Sparta," inspired by the prospect of rebuilding the town of Chicago. Almost a decade later, in 1882, a group of nearly one thousand Greek immigrants resided in Chicago's Near North Side area.
The original Greektown district on Halsted Street began with the Jane Addams Hull House, which acted as a meeting point for the Greek population within Chicago and provided a basis for community to be built from 1889. This house was used as a hub for the Greek community, and saw further small business expand within this area, despite small numbers, with 245 Greek people reported as living in Chicago, who were noted as predominantly young men of lower socioeconomic background. This saw a slow expansion of restaurants, and various other stores throughout the century, with the Chicago Tribune reporting in 1895 that "the Greeks have almost run the Italians out of the fruit business in Chicago not only on a small retail way, but as wholesalers as well."]]
Attempts to unite the various Greek restaurants in the area as well as the wider city were made with the establishment of "Hermes", a Greek business group in 1910. This group initially failed to gain traction amongst business owners. In the longer term, however, it unified the local Greek community, writing bylaws for its member businesses and organizing social events, laying the framework for current regulatory bodies such as the Greektown organization.
In 2016, the Parthenon closed after 48 years of being open, and neighboring restaurants, Santorini and Pegasus, closed within the year as well in order to make room for development. The closing of the 43 year old Pan Hellenic Pastry Shop in 2017 left few options for visitors. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 saw bars and restaurants within the precinct close for business and events either postponed or canceled.
The Greektown neighborhood organization also offer various events which occur on a more regular basis, such as monthly Greek dancing classes. Many events scheduled for early 2020, however, such as the scheduled 12th District Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy meeting for citizens to raise queries and concerns with local police, were either canceled or postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions. The museum states its purpose as depicting and upholding the legacy of Greek culture within the United States through education. In its depiction of the Greek experience and legacy within the United States, the museum utilises over 20,000 resources. These include texts, artifacts, photographs and newspapers, as well as over 400 recorded accounts. The museum receives regular visits organized through the "Office of Tourism's Chicago Neighborhoods" program, as well as over 10,000 public school students from Chicago every year.
Urban renewal
The Greektown district began an urban renewal process on December 1, 2017, by conducting surveys, interviews and reviews amongst local businesses and community members. This was followed by more canvassing and local community consultancy, with a final Strategic plan published in March 2019.