“At that time, Lincoln Park had a large German population,” Masengarb said. The answer is both related to the ethnic makeup of the neighborhood at that time and simple economics, she explained. I wanted to find out why, so I asked Jen Masengarb, director of interpretation and research at the Chicago Architecture Foundation. Most are extremely ornate with fanciful ornamentation. The stretch of Armitage from Halsted to Racine has a remarkable number of turreted buildings, along with bay windows and cornices.

There’s something else that makes these structures stand out. Those homes and businesses look pretty much the same now as they did 134 years ago.

You’ve basically taken a mental trip back to 1880. Then look up at the buildings on either side of the street. Imagine those modern cars you see are horse-drawn carriages and you’re walking on a wooden sidewalk. Take a stroll west along Armitage Avenue from North Halsted Street and squint.