Jefferson Park Today

1979: The Copernicus Foundation established Chicago's very own Polish Cultural Center in the heart of Jefferson Park. The Foundation broke ground on what was once the Gateway Theater on Lawrence Avenue, which had originally been designed to show the first "talkies" in Chicago. The building and all of its programs are referred to as "The Copernicus Center," and the theater seats 2000 people.
1985: The "Solidarity Tower," with its matching facade, was erected atop the building. The exterior of the building was modified to resemble the historic Royal Castle in Warsaw, Poland. The tower is a replica of the clock tower adorning the castle - it can even be seen by passersby on the Kennedy Expressway.
Now: This community is the home to one of the largest first and second-generation Polish communities in Chicago. More than 25% of the neighborhood has first or second-generation ties to Poland.
Future: Jefferson Park is home to a population of almost 44,000 residents and growing, all within a one-mile radius of the Milwaukee/Lawrence intersection.