[2] Beginning February 16, 1857 (when the city increased its number of wards to ten), the ward represented areas of Chicago's West Side that were to the north of West Randolph Street.
[1] Beginning in 1863 (when the city increased its number of wards to sixteen) the ward was bounded by Van Buren Street (at its north), Jefferson Street (at its east), and the south branch of the Chicago River (at its south).
Beginning on March 22, 1876 (when the city decreased the number of wards to 18) the district's boundaries were defined at its north by 16th street as well as the South Branch of the Chicago river (including a portion of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal); at its east by the city limits (the lakeshore), at its south by Pulaski Road/40th Avenue, and at its west by the city limits and the south branch of the Chicago River.
The new territory added to the ward included Oakland, the area that is today known as "Douglas", and the Near South Side.
Beginning in 1890 (when Chicago expanded its number of wards to thirty-four) the ward's boundaries were defined at its north by 33rd street and portions of the of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal (along the south branch of the Chicago River); on its east by Halsted Street, on its south by 39th Street (today known as "Pershing Road"); and on its west by Western Boulevard.