Swedes originally established North Park in 1891 when North Park University was built. The heart of North Park is still a two-block stretch where the University is located. Because of its Swedish roots, North Park is the only Chicago-area University to offer a major in Swedish. As it has grown and changed over the years, North Park is now home to a large Korean and Jewish population. Each year the Korean Street Festival, featuring traditional Korean music and dancing, is held in late summer.

The Bohemian National Cemetery, where victims of the 1915 Eastland pleasure cruiser disaster are buried, is a local historical place of interest. The castle-like limestone entrance gate with bell tower is a historic Chicago landmark. Other interesting local destinations include the Felician Sisters Provincialate, home of the Felician order of Catholic nuns, the Sweden Shop featuring gifts from Scandinavia and the Hollywood Bar, North Park’s only tavern. Finally, the North Park Village Nature Center offers four different habitats - woodland, wetland, prairie and oak savanna - and is a refuge for various types of wildlife.