The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.Read the press release here. . (Wien-Criss Archive), CTA 4096 is westbound on Madison, crossing over the Chicago River. (Wien-Criss Archive), CTA 7039 is at Western and 71st on August 12, 1955. Look at the bottom of the photo. Copyright 2009-2018, New York Public Radio. (Wien-Criss Archive), CTA 4028 is on Western at 27th on November 20, 1955. Chicago's South Side. What I would also love to see is pictures of what the Chicago neighborhoods and its residents looked like during that specific time period. Cheryl Johnson and Peggy Salazar, lifelong residents of Chicago's South Side, grew up in some of the city's most polluted neighborhoods, in the shadow of dirty industries, including steel. We mapped out hundreds of the photos and compared them with Google Street Viewto show just how much Chicago has changed. St. Louis Public Service: (Wien-Criss Archive), CTA 4050 is southbound on Western at the Douglas Park L on November 11, 1955. A 1920s map by sociologist Frederic M. Thrasher placed the Polish and Bohemian enclaves throughout the entire West Side, including the Lower West Side near Halsted Street; Germans occupied the northern lakefront, with Jewish people settling north of Madison Street and also along the southern lakefront. First time I came across it and Im barely 23! Properties covered include: These restrictive covenants were outlawed in 1948, allowing Black residents to begin to spread out beyond the Black Belt and to pursue a middle-class life in better-resourced communities. Order your copy today! From the 1920s through the 1950s, Chicago's South Side was the center for African-American culture and business. Greektown, the south side's Chinatown, South Asians on Devon Street, Pilsen's Mexican Americans, and the Polish Triangle are just a handful of the vibrant communities in Chicago - famously. (Wien-Criss Archive), CTA 7012 at Western and Congress, crossing over the new expressway, on June 11, 1956. This picture was taken from the eastbound platform of the Englewood L station spanning Halsted St. At that time, Halsted was still a very busy business district; in fact, I read somewhere that Englewood was the busiest business district outside the Loop. (Wien-Criss Archive), CTA 7123 on Western at 66th on July 9, 1950. They were not all taken at the same time, however. It's a glorious and sloppy mess, but one that represents home for many South Siders. Our resident South side history expert M. E. writes: I have a lot of comments about your latest post #241. You can see the streetcar trackage reverting to street running headed south. The Union Stock Yard finally closed its doors on August 1, 1971, after nearly 106 years of operation. 4:51 Chicago Park District - Marquette Park Bridge over the lagoon--east side of the park. At one point, Chicago boasted the largest Irish population and the second-largest Polish population of any city in the world. https://thetrolleydodger.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/pic568.jpg Yusay beer stands out on a lot of the photos. Wandering the streets of the 'Black Belt.' 1941. 06. For Shipping to Canada: Tom. Andre Kristopans says it is Crossing under CNW and PRR at Rockwell. Located in what used to a Buick showroom, it features a large taproom with a BYOF policy that encourages delivery. 1.5k Views. 4:00 Master Unit car #74, August 8, 1953 Chicago Youth Organize Townhall for Mayoral Candidates, Op-Ed: Chuy Garca Isnt Running as a Progressive This Mayoral Bid, Chicago Rapper 8MatikLogan Gives Himself A Second Chance, IRS Approves Federal Nonprofit Status for South Side Weekly NFP, Mayoral Debate was a Poor Night for Chicago, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. 08. Streetcars were on rails, so they could maintain such clearances. By the 1960s, Black residents had moved into grade B (blue) communities in the South Side, such as Roseland and Beverly. Total time 73:14 Puerto Rican people are the second-largest Latinx group in Chicago. The postwar relocation of urban whites, known as white flight, was facilitated by the new expressways that connected them to the developing suburbs west of the city limits, where Black, Latinx, and the growing Asian population were kept out. The South Side is the area of Chicago lying south of the citys large Downtown area. 29:34 (Johnstown Traction recordings were made August 9, 1953) Wayne Miller Three Teenagers in a Kitchenette Apartment, from the "Chicago's South Side" Series c.1946 Wayne Miller, Magnum Photography Great 1918-2013 Ave atque Vale. The unrest in Chicago led to eleven deaths and over a hundred destroyed buildings. Discriminatory housing policies meant that the majority of African American families lived like the Youngers, in kitchenette apartments - larger apartments were broken up into several smaller homes, with a very small kitchen and one bedroom. Google view shows the approximate location from which #536 was taken. 09. Here are some shots around Illinois during the 1950s. You can compare the different CTA paint schemes on the first two cars. John White/U.S. A few include: the first Black President, Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama, the first Black female Senator, Carol Moseley Braun, and the first Black presidential candidate to win a primary, Jesse Jackson. The River Tunnels As always, if you have any information to share about these pictures, or simply have a question or comment, do not hesitate to let us know. Look at this classic car in Rockford back in 1956. (Wien-Criss Archive), CTA prewar PCC 4008 is southbound on Wabash at about 900 South. After that, the streetcars had to use the 77th and Vincennes barn. ?etc Prior to its more official naming, the media referred to the Bronzeville neighborhood and adjacent areas using derisive names such as the "Black Belt," "Black Ghetto," and even more appalling names such as "Darkie Town." So, my best guess is this picture was taken during the summer of 1954. Recorded between 1955 and 1963 on the Skokie Valley Route and Mundelein branch. It should be taught in school. Additionally, 7.68% of the population is represented by non-citizens. 06. IIRC, Jalens Snack Shop, the new occupant, was up and running by the Summer of 54 and for many years after that. Yes, there were significant traffic jams in Chicago back in 1958. While in the South Side Chicago hoods along 83rd, 87th, and 95th streets the Black P. Stones have had a dominant presence since the 1970s. I have produced some comments about your most recent photo group (Chicago in the 1950s). Although the show is set in Chicagos Back of the Yards neighborhood, the house used for filming is actually located in the citys North Lawndale neighborhood. Some southbound 17:34 Car #172, February 20, 1954 as broadcast on WJEJ, February 21, 1954, with host Carroll James, Sr. During street car years, the Illinois Central RR owned the entire embankment. 10:36 (recorded May 3-7, 1958 line abandoned July 1958) CHA admitted they lost track of thousands of displaced people as they moved to other Black neighborhoods. Nob-Hill Club 5228 Lake Park Avenue 1950's Lefty Bates CD Oct. 10, 1953; Ben Webster and Miles Davis CD Dec. 5, 1953 Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, University of Chicago 1156 E 59th Street Duke Ellington Sacred Concerts, CD Sept. 25, 1967 St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 55th and Kimbark Count Basie, CD Jan. 22, 1975 The Freight Tunnels (Wien-Criss Archive), CTA 4393 is on Western at 21st on July 6, 1950. (Really! To reach Englewood, this bus line ran east on 95th to Vincennes, north to 87th, west to Morgan, north to 63rd, then east to the Englewood L. The highest ratio of discriminatory acts to race-related tests occurred in the Near North Side neighborhood, where over half of the tests involved race discrimination, the Chicago Commission on Human Relations and the Chicago Lawyers Committee found. Why not mention that the Panama Ltd and the City of Miami operated there on the tracks nearest to Cottage Grove; not to mention IC freight activity and such trackage rights New York Central trains as the James Whitcomb Riley and the Twilight Ltd? The State Street Subway The price of $23.99 includes shipping within the United States. CHICAGO If you think your neighborhood has changed since you first moved in, you should see what it looked like 60 years ago. From 1915 to 1960, more than 5 million African Americans moved from the rural South to the North in a phenomena called the Great Migration. During the 1950's, the time that the Younger family was living in Chicago, whites and blacks were living completely separate lives and a majority of the blacks were living in poverty. Effectively acting as sundown towns, suburbs such as Cicero utilized police and mob violence to draw a line in the concrete. CTA PCC 4144 is southbound on Halsted. This led to disinvestment and redlining to . Apartments for Rent in South Side, Chicago, IL. The big building on other side is the old Madison carbarn. 8:40 Queens Plaza station, December 31, 1954 From north to south, they were Hull House, the Stockyards, Blue Island, South Chicago, East Chicago, and as far as Gary, Indiana. (Wien-Criss Archive), CTA 5248 at Vincennes and 105th on November 27, 1949. The Second Ghetto Unfortunately, public housing did not solve Chicago's housing problems. First, a nit: I think this picture is at 107th rather than 105th. 3:32 Box motor #5, May 24, 1953 2. The deadliest tornado hit on April 21, 1967, traveling through Oak Lawn and the South Side of Chicago, killing 33 and injuring 500. . (Wien-Criss Archive), CTA 4004 is on Western at 26th on June 7, 1956. South Side Weekly partnered with WTTW and the Invisible Institute to co-publish text and visual reporting and analysis covering the impact racial divisions have on individuals, the city, and our region. Chicago Photos . Greg Nye. Englewood Hospital that served the South Side of Chicago for nearly a hundred years was founded in 1894 as Englewood Union Hospital and was located at 426 West 69th Street. The area is on the south side of the city. Required fields are marked *. (Wien-Criss Archive), CTA PCC 4154 is at Waveland and Halsted, the north end of Route 8. Images of America In addition, the greater Chicagoland areawhich encompasses northeastern Illinois and extends into southeastern Wisconsin and northwestern Indianais the country's third largest metropolitan area and . (Wien-Criss Archive), CTA 7037 is on Western at the Chicago River on June 10, 1956. Many immigrants were fleeing poverty and war, with many others coming to Chicago in pursuit of economic prosperity. 10. The date is June 16, 1954. Western Ave. cars had used the carbarn at 69th and Ashland until it closed. Tenants were promised a right to return to soon-to-be-built housing on the sites and placed on voucher waiting lists, but many residents struggled to meet the bureaucratic requirements to be considered. 07. Chicago Skyline Downtown Chicago Chicago Restaurants Chicago Illinois Chicago Area Chicago City White Castle Restaurant White Castle Hamburgers South Side Chicago Coverage spans 1839-1928 but no directories are available for 1840-1842, 1918-1922, and 1924-1927. All Rights Reserved. Then, Douglas Park L trains used these tracks from 1954-58. Chicagos position as the hub of a vast railroad system enabled a bustling industrial economy that was teeming with job opportunities in its stockyards, factories, and steel mills. During the 1950s, Puerto Ricans began to arrive in the city of Chicago. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. Potomac Edison (Hagerstown & Frederick), Capital Transit, Altoona & Logan Valley, Shaker Heights Rapid Transit, Pennsylvania Railroad, Illinois Terminal, Baltimore Transit, Niagara St. Catharines & Toronto, St. Louis Public Transit, Queensboro Bridge, Third Avenue El, Southern Iowa Railway, IND Subway (NYC), Johnstown Traction, Cincinnati Street Railway, and the Toledo & Eastern 5:07 December 31. Since 1950, there have been 271 tornadoes recorded across . along with a sign alerting northbound motorists to stay left of the open running tracks. All copies purchased through The Trolley Dodger will be signed by the author. You can find those pages on the Newberry Library's Chicago Ancestors website.. Last Run of the Hagerstown & Frederick: After returning from World War II, American service members brought back memories and souvenirs from the South Pacific. Chicago's South Side April 1941: Life In 'The Black Belt' In April 1941, Russell Lee and Edwin Rosskam arrived in Chicago, Illinois. The shots of Chicago will surprise you. A community can be described as a collection of individuals who share a common location or trait.People who live in the same neighborhood, work at the same company, or attend the same school together are . From the 1920s through the 1950s, Chicago's South Side was the center for African-American culture and business. 143 followers . Todays photos have two things in common. Southern Iowa Railway: By 1928, there were at least six Mexican settlements parallel to Lake Michigan that were referred to as colonias. The renovation plans of the 40s failed and building quality decreased. There are 223,867 residents in South Side Chicago, with a median age of 36. In the background, you can see the viaduct which is now part of the 606 Trail. (312 . While Chicago Housing Authority was right on target for claiming the programs of urban redevelopment, urban renewal and public housing which . Chicagos first rapid transit subway opened in 1943 after decades of wrangling over routes, financing, and logistics. RRCNSLR For Shipping Elsewhere: Price: $24.99 Beneath this L platform, along 63rd Place, were streetcar tracks for Halsted cars that ended at 63rd St., as well as curb space for the two suburban bus companies, South Suburban Safeway Lines and Suburban Transit System. The Last Street Railway 09. (Wien-Criss Archive), CTA 4373 is on Western near the Douglas Park L on October 5, 1953. The Trolley Dodger On the Air In the mid-1950s Chicago faced its first postindustrial crisis as the major meatpacking companies began to close their production facilities. 1957: Civil Rights Act of 1957 is responsible for enforcing the civil rights laws passed. Capital Transit: (Wien-Criss Archive), CTA PCC 7271 is northbound on Clark at Roosevelt. Black residents did not enjoy the same geographic freedom. 18. Early 1960s: Unequal learning opportunities lead parents in Chicago's South Side to protest public school . 4:19 Interurbans #83 and #80, October 1954 The YMCA Hotel, seen in the background, opened in 1916 and closed in 1979. Technology advances enter the classroom and Chicago schools now have projectors, microscopes and early computer kits. Western/Berwyn canopies lasted a long time, into late 80s, before they rusted off at the ground! Visit the website (wttw.com/firsthand) to explore all of the elements of the project. (Wien-Criss Archive), CTA 7042, in the distance, is about to clear a temporary switch so that the car on the right can cross over to that side during track work. Shaker Heights Rapid Transit: The date is June 16, 1954. In 1991 the Chicago White Sox began to play in a new Comiskey Park across the street from the old stadium. 04. 15. Altoona & Logan Valley: Dr. Martin Luther Kings visit to Chicago during the Freedom Movement campaign for fair housing made headlines in 1966. The ease of getting around that city is amazing. . The New York Times - August 2, 1964. So, where is the Shameless house located? Extending trolly lines is much easier and economical than L tracks. In 1961, it was renamed after Dan Ryan Jr., the former president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners and a strong proponent of. With all the different types of people Chicago attracted at this time, the entertainment industry became a powerful force to be reckoned with. In my book Chicago Trolleys (page 107) there is a picture of track work being done at this location on July 17, 1954. Your caption says this streetcar is on 77th St. No, it is on Vincennes Ave., in front of the 77th St. barn, heading north. https://thetrolleydodger.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/pic530.jpg Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. 17. All those seem to date between 1952 and 1954. Another treasure trove of photos thanks to the Wien-Criss Archive. Went to kindergarten there. South Side Chicago Chicago School Al Capone Al Capone's Chicago home, old Prairie avenue home, 7244 South Prairie Avenue. CHICAGO If you think your neighborhood has changed since you first moved in, you should see what it looked like 60 years ago. Chicago, though arguably racially diverse overall, is considered by researchers to be the nation's most racially segregated city. Constructed over alleys through the South side, the Alley "'L" opened for regular service on June 6, 1892. . It grew to encompass the State Street, Dearborn-Milwaukee, and West Side Subways, with the latter modernizing the old Garfield Park L into the median of Chicagos first expressway. The locality has a violent crime rate of 743 crimes per 100,000 individuals and a property crime rate of 2,830 crimes per 100,000 individuals. Contract-buying schemes during the 1950s and 1960s cost Black families between $3 billion and $4 billion, according to "The Plunder of Black Wealth in Chicago: New Findings on the Lasting Toll of Predatory Housing Contracts," published in 2019 by the Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity at Duke University and the Nathalie P. Voorhees Center