Armitage Avenue is an east-west street in Chicago and its western suburbs, being located at 2000 North in the Chicago address system, two and one-half miles north of Madison Street. Its west end is located at Addison Road in the western suburb of Addison. In the western suburbs, it is a minor road, being split into many segments, usually by freeways. Armitage Avenue becomes a major street at its intersection with Grand Avenue in Chicago, continuing east until Mendell Street, just east of its interchange with Interstates 90 and 94, and just west of the North Branch of the Chicago River. Immediately east of the river, it resumes as a minor road, beginning at a cul-de-sac, heading east until Southport Avenue. At Racine Avenue, Armitage Avenue is once again a major street. From here, it continues east until its east end at Clark Street, just west of Lincoln Park.
Armitage Avenue begins at Addison Road in Addison. The road continues east for to Villa Avenue in Villa Park. The next two segments of Armitage Avenue lies entirely within Elmhurst. The road resumes east of the Cricket Creek Forest Preserve at Garden Avenue, a frontage road of Illinois Route 83. The road goes for until turning south as Addison Avenue. Armitage Avenue begins again at Indiana Street, continuing until turning north as Adele Street. The two segments in Elmhurst are split because of U.S. Route 20/Interstate 290. Armitage Avenue's fourth and fifth segments are located in Melrose Park. It begins at Wolf Road. One mile further east, it intersects U.S. Route 12/U.S. Route 45. This segment, ends at 25th Avenue. The fifth segment begins at a cul-de-sac west of 19th Avenue, and continues until ending at a cul-de-sac east of George Street. The sixth segment of Armitage Avenue is located in Elmwood Park and the city of Chicago. Beginning at 78th Avenue in Elmwood Park, it continues east for until Nashville Avenue in Chicago. Halfway between these two streets, Armitage Avenue intersects Illinois Route 43, the border of Elmwood Park and Chicago. The seventh segment of Armitage Avenue is located entirely within the city of Chicago, as are the remainder of the segments. It runs from Menard Avenue to a cul-de-sac just west of Central Avenue.
Grand Avenue to Clark Street
The eighth and longest segment of Armitage Avenue begins at Grand Avenue. The road intersects streets including Illinois Route 50, Pulaski Road, Kedzie Avenue, Milwaukee Avenue, and Western Avenue. The road then has an interchange with Interstates 90/94. Next, Armitage Avenue crosses Elston Avenue. This segment finally ends east of the Kennedy Expressway at Mendell Street, just west of the North Branch of the Chicago River. Armitage Avenue's ninth segment is a long road, beginning at Southport Avenue, and going west until a cul-de-sac east of the North Branch of the Chicago River. The tenth and final segment of Armitage Avenue is long. Beginning at Racine Avenue, the road continues east, intersecting Sheffield Avenue, Halsted Street, and Lincoln Avenue. Armitage Avenue finally ends at Clark Street, just west of Lincoln Park.
History
The easternmost part of the street, east of LaSalle street, became the northernmost extent of the City of Chicago upon its incorporation on March 4th, 1837. The part east of Sedgwick Avenue was added to the City on February 14th, 1851 and that east of the North Branch of the Chicago River on February 12th, 1853. The segment east of Western Avenue was annexed on February 13th, 1863 and that east of Kedzie Avenue annexed from the Town of Jefferson effective May 25th, 1887. The remainder of the street in Chicago became part of the City upon its annexation of the entirety of Jefferson on July 15th, 1889. The street is either named for A. Armitage, an early Chicago mason, or Thomas Armitage, founder of the American Bible Union. Although the name "Armitage Avenue" is attested from as early as 1868, the part east of Racine avenue was known as Center Street before October 7th, 1936.
