There is no longer a real six-way intersection here in the heart of Lincoln Square, as Lincoln Avenue is interrupted briefly, however, this is a truly dynamic crossroads in Chicago.

The Lincoln Square Chamber of Commerce, in an effort to give the neighborhood a distinct and unique image independent of the Ravenswood neighborhood, began promoting the commercial aspects of this area in 1949.

In 1956, they erected a statue of Abraham Lincoln, after whom the neighborhood (and the street) is named, and two decades later they developed the pedestrian "mall" on Lincoln Avenue which required the rerouting of a lot of traffic. Many of these storefronts attempt to evoke an Old World European flavor, although the neighborhood is increasingly home to many Latinos and Asians.