If you have a little time to spare, run a search on Google, asking for the size of the Internet.

 

If you don’t have time to conduct that search, though, here’s some help. By all accounts, the Internet is BIG. Make that REALLY big. In fact, determining the size of the Internet is probably as easy as counting the stars in the sky. Oh sure, there are estimates given regarding the size of the World Wide Web, but specific numbers don’t really matter. 

 

What does matter is that when people post information on the Internet about the South Side of Chicago – specifically Beverly/Morgan Park or Mount Greenwood – they are potentially reaching millions and millions of people throughout the world. In short, the South Side isn’t just an enclave of Chicago, but of the world at large.

 

There are at least two ways to find in depth information on the Internet about the South Side. One way is to read a blog. The word “blog” is a little strange, but it’s merely a blend of the words “web” and “log.” Simply put, a blog is an online journal or a diary that’s open for anyone on the Internet to read.

 

Another way to learn about our neighborhood is to read a website devoted to this community. For example, if you visit www.southwestobserver.com, you’ll find a cozy website developed by West Beverly resident Michael Fielding and his business partner Steve Delmont. Fielding said his website delivers news about Beverly/Morgan Park and Mount Greenwood, but despite the news slant, his site is definitely not in competition with local newspapers.

 

“I can’t compete with the staff of newspapers and that’s not our purpose,” Fielding said.  “Our purpose is to showcase and highlight our community. And, we encourage people to register with our site and blog.”

 

Fielding, in addition to working on his website, works full time as a senior editor of a trade magazine. He stressed that his site is not a “one way street” and as such, he encouraged readers to create blogs on his site or to post information about events, share photos and videos, or even comment on Southwest Observer stories. 

 

“Right now, we have about 150 registered users,” Fielding said. “We average about 2,000 unique visitors per month. That’s a lot of eyeballs for learning about our community.”

 

A small example of what those eyeballs are viewing includes videos of neighborhood events, a listing of Beverly Arts Center classes, and various news items. In addition, there is an ongoing discussion of admittance policies at the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences and, in a nod to less serious topics, Fielding said there was a recent discussion regarding the best pizza restaurant in the area. 

 

Kim Delich, who runs www.beverlytoday.com is just as enthusiastic about the South Side of the city. She and her business partner, Colleen Suglich, both from Beverly/Morgan Park, have been running Beverly Today for about a year. 

 

“Beverly Today is always about good news,” Delich said. “We have short, quick and funny stories to make you feel good.”

 

Referring to the Andy Griffith Show from the 1960s, Delich said residents on the South Side live in a “Mayberry” part of Chicago.

 

“We have it good here,” Delich said. “I definitely want to promote the area – the Beverly Arts Center, or the St. Pat’s Day parade – I like to tell people to send us their good news. 

 

“I tell people not to worry about sending information about a child winning a spelling bee! Don’t be shy. I want to talk about good news that affects us all,” she said.

 

A recent perusal through the Beverly Today website reveals a recipe for Irish Soda Bread from Nancy Morrissey, photos from a Mardi Gras Party at the 103^rd block of the neighborhood, school news, and a listing of volleyball clinics, just to name a few items. 

 

Yet another South Side promoter is Mary Anne McKenna Bryan, who lives in Beverly/Morgan Park and writes about restaurants, bars, shops and cafes in her “Best of Beverly” blog located at www.beverlymorganpark.net. 

 

Like Fielding, Bryan grew up in the area and came back with her family.

“I lived away for a while, but I came back, and I’m 100% into the area. As a realtor who lives in the neighborhood, I want as much as I can to be involved. Having the blog is the easiest way to have information for new clients,” Bryan said.

 

A recent visit to Bryan’s website includes a review of restaurants, “hot properties” available in the area, and a listing of grocery stores that carry genuine Irish products.  Bryan also includes links to businesses in the area, ranging from her husband’s business – “The Irish Handyman” – to the Ridge Historical Society, or the Beverly Theatre Guild.  In addition, Bryan also regularly includes photos of architectural artifacts that she finds in the neighborhood and challenges her readers to identify the photo. 

 

“I don’t do this to make money,” Bryan said. “I want my blog to be a resource, so people can support and enjoy businesses in our area,” she said.

 

“I live here and I love the area. I want to showcase our neighborhood in a positive way. I always knew I’d be back in Chicago one day and now I’m raising a family here – this is a great place to raise a family,” she said.