The area covered by the historic district originally developed in the 1880s as a suburb called Argyle Park.

The suburb was named by Chicago Alderman and developer James A. Campbell for his ancestors the Dukes of Argyll in Scotland.

[5] In 1908 the Northwestern Elevated Railroad was extended north from Wilson Avenue, using the tracks of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad,[6] This linked the suburb into Chicago's 'L' network, and the area became popular with people of limited means who wanted to live on the Lake Michigan shore.

Chicago restaurateur Jimmy Wong bought property in the area in the 1960s and planned its rebirth as New Chinatown.

He envisioned a mall with pagodas, trees and reflecting ponds to replace the empty storefronts.