Today, Hermosa is a predominantly Hispanic blue collar community, with a sizable manufacturing base.

Many of the people who reside in Hermosa have done so because of its convenient location to work, its relative proximity to downtown, and because of its healthy public transportation options.

[6] In 1872, an extension of the Chicago and Pacific Rail Road was extended, passing through Hermosa from east to west.

[5] In the same year, James F. Keeney, who owned much of the land that now comprises Hermosa, started building a number of houses within his subdivision.

[7] The Keeney Company actively promoted the growth of Hermosa and ultimately helped convince the railroad to build a station in the area, which Mr. Kenney constructed at his own expense.

[5] By 1884, there were 30 houses and 150 people living in Hermosa,[8] most of these original settlers were Scotch, German and Swedish immigrants.

[5] A Mr. Peebles, secretary to the superintendent of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Rail Road, is credited with suggesting the name Hermosa, which means beautiful in Spanish.

[11] In addition, the remaining open land in southern Hermosa was built out and filled with brick bungalows, two- and three-flats, and smaller 5+ unit apartment buildings.

One of the more notable industrial players was the Schwinn Bicycle Company, which had its headquarters and manufacturing base in Hermosa at 1718 N. Kildare Ave. & 1856 N. Kostner Ave, respectively.

[7] By the end of the 1920s, Hermosa's infrastructure and building stock was nearly completely built out, representing much of the community as it exists today.

[11] Indeed, the average median age of a home in Hermosa (in 2012) dates back to 1919, with nearly 63% of the structures in the community having been built before 1940.

The area was populated primarily by Germans, Scandinavians with newer groups of Poles, Hungarians, and Austrians.

[9] Puerto Ricans remained the largest ethnic group, with a large Mexican community also establishing roots in the area.

[16] The average size of households jumped dramatically in this decade, with large increases in the population of children 13 years or younger.

[9] Several organizations were created during this time including the United Neighbors in Action (1982) which primarily fought against a proposed increase in subsidized housing in the area.

[11] In recent years Hermosa has seen some gentrification as surrounding areas, such as Logan Square and Avondale, have started to see rising housing prices and business activity.

[18] UIC's Gentrification Index classifies the Hermosa community area as a geographic region that has experienced ‘moderate decline’ over the period 1970 to 2010.

[19] Located 6 miles northwest of the Loop, Hermosa's borders are mostly defined by railroad tracks and embankments.

The Metra Milwaukee District / West Line forms Hermosa's southernmost border, at Bloomingdale Ave (1800 N).

While Hermosa is the namesake for the general community area, Hermosa as a community is generally defined as being the tract of land south of Fullerton (2400 N) to Bloomingdale Ave (1800 N), west of the Milwaukee District/North Line, and east of Cicero Ave (4800 W).

[31][32] Brent Young, Dina Benadon, and Todd Regan, the executive director, are currently raising funds to repair the siding, install restoration windows and paint the structure.

[37] The Hermosa community area has supported the Democratic Party in the past by overwhelming margins.

A large field house located on premises offers a fitness center, gymnasium, auditorium, several meeting rooms, and a small kitchen.

The city recently announced that the westernmost trailhead would receive a ground-level 4-acre park planned on the current site of the Magid Glove Factory.