Altgeld Gardens was built by the Department of Housing and Urban Development to satisfy the need for improved housing for African American veterans returning from World War II. In 1956, the project was transferred to the Chicago Housing Authority. Located in an industrial area on Chicago's far South side, Altgeld was named after John Peter Altgeld, an Illinois governor in the 1890s. As one of the first public housing developments ever built in the United States, it is eligible to be listed in the National Register of Historic Places.