Our resident South side history expert M. E. writes: I have a lot of comments about your latest post #241. Railroad Record Club North Shore Line Rarities 1955-1963 At one point, Chicago boasted the largest Irish population and the second-largest Polish population of any city in the world. (Wein-Criss Archive), Northbound CTA PCC 7206 is on Western Avenue, passing a two-car train of PCC rapid transit cars on the Garfield Park temporary trackage in Van Buren Street. We look forward to hearing from you. During its heyday, there was Soft Sheen Products, a $100 million-a-year. You can find those pages on the Newberry Library's Chicago Ancestors website.. 4. Where is Rembrandt in The Night Watch painting? I wish they could just appreciate from afar without taking and still destroying everything in their way. The State Street Subway So, my best guess is this picture was taken during the summer of 1954. Title Building Chicagos Subways 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. Todays photos have two things in common. https://chicagology.com/wp-content/themes/revolution-20/century/194063rdhalsted.jpg. In the mid-1950s Chicago faced its first postindustrial crisis as the major meatpacking companies began to close their production facilities. (Wien-Criss Archive), CTA 7113 is in an area where tracks are being worked on, and is crossing over from one track to another using a temporary switch. We appeared on WGN radio in Chicago last November, discussing our book Building Chicagos Subways on the Dave Plier Show. At this time, the temporary Van Buren trackage was still under construction, and this picture was taken from the Garfield Park L station, then still in use. ISBN 1467129380, 9781467129381 Railroad Record Club Traction Rarities 1951-58 They were not all taken at the same time, however. Do you recall the L that ran across Chicago Ave near Goldblatts in the 50s it crossed Chicago Ave between Ashland & Wood St. Im trying to find a photo but cant locate one. Rear View of Apartment House with Wood Staircase, South Side, Chicago, Illinois, USA, Russell Lee, Farm Security Administration, April 1941. Once a separate community, South Chicago began as a series of scattered Native American settlements before becoming a village. 07. (Wien-Criss Archive), CTA 4060 is southbound on Western at 66th on October 9, 1955. Visit the website (wttw.com/firsthand) to explore the elements of the project. At this stage, it appears the Western Avenue bridge over the Congress Expressway was not yet finished, as the streetcar (and auto traffic) are using a shoo-fly. These segregated communities maintained a tense coexistence until 1919, when racist white hostility bubbled over. Building Chicagos subways was national news and a matter of considerable civic pridemaking it a Second City no more! The date is June 17, 1955. The developments were primarily clustered into six groups in addition to scattered sites with low-rise buildings and row houses. 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. 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. Total time: 79:30 Chicago, Illinois, December 17, 1938 Secretary Harold Ickes, left, and Mayor Edward J. Kelly turn the first spadeful of earth to start the new $40,000,000 subway project. A wooden Garfield Park L train is nearby, on temporary trackage. In those days, the fastest way from the south side to the Loop was the Englewood L, which ended at 63rd Place and Loomis (1400 W.) And of course the Englewood business district was very prosperous. The city, which had been 85.9 percent white in 1950 and 76.4 percent in 1960, saw that proportion fall to 65.6 percent in 1970 and 49.6 percent in 1980. On the one hand, the South Side of Chicago was the "capital of black America." It was home to the nation's most powerful black politician, Democratic congressman William L. Dawson; the most prominent black man in America . Copyright 2009-2018, DNAinfo. The streetcar in the photo is headed northbound, with the Rock Island Main Line to its right and Vincennes Ave to its left. (Wien-Criss Archive), CTA 4096 is westbound on Madison, crossing over the Chicago River. Total time: 74:02 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. And this photo is at 69th and Western, showing a northbound Western car turning east on 69th to head to the 77th St. barn. (Wien-Criss Archive), CTA 4389 is southbound on Western near Leland Avenue, having just passed under the Ravenswood L (todays Brown Line), where a train of wooden cars are in the station. You can help us continue our original transit research by checking out the fine products in our Online Store. In any case, thanks again for all you offer on this website. Potomac Edison (Hagerstown & Frederick): The date is June 16, 1954. After its peak in the 1950s, a variety of changes influenced the direction the Outfit took. (Really! People wait for a streetcar in downtown Chicago. It's a glorious and sloppy mess, but one that represents home for many South Siders. . https://thetrolleydodger.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/pic530.jpg Twentytwo of the targets has been restaurants. 3. Southside of Chicago Capital of Black America By Carla Punla Suffered its first postindustrial crisis as the meatpacking industries began to close Robert Taylor Homes was known to be the largest housing project. All rights reserved.. Espaol: Gua de recursos COVID-19 en el sur de Chicago, The Geography of Fear: Policing a Segregated Chicago. the streetcar tracks turning between Halsted and 63rd. 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. As we have said before, If you buy here, we will be here.. (Wien-Criss Archive), CTA PCC 7057, a product of the St. Louis Car Company, is at Waveland and Halsted, the north end of Route 8. All Rights Reserved. Disc One Total time: 61:31 The University of Illinois at Chicago's digital photo collections . (Wien-Criss Archive), CTA PCC 4154 is at Waveland and Halsted, the north end of Route 8. 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. Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. HOUSING SEGREGATION IN 1950S SOUTH SIDE CHICAGO (Setting: A Raisin in the Sun) Already experiencing a population boom after Reconstruction, Chicago was a popular destination for African Americans moving from the South to the North in the early 20th century. The date is June 16, 1954. From the 1920s through the 1950s, Chicagos South Side was the center for African-American culture and business. Your financial contributions help make this web site better, and are greatly appreciated. 04. By the 1960s, Black residents had moved into grade B (blue) communities in the South Side, such as Roseland and Beverly. Properties covered include: As he led a march through Marquette Park on the Southwest Side, he was attacked with bricks by a racist white mob. Chicago, city, seat of Cook county, northeastern Illinois, U.S. With a population hovering near three million, Chicago is the state's largest and the country's third most populous city. Chance The Rapper Will Host 'Saturday Night Live' Next Month, How To Look Like Svengoolie: Sven Shows You How To Do The Makeup (VIDEO). The sign indicates that this bridge is going to be converted to one man operation, meaning that it will be operated from only one tower instead of two. (Wien-Criss Archive), CTA 4375 is at 69th and Hamilton on November 5, 1954. Yusay beer stands out on a lot of the photos. Chicago in the 1950s - The Trolley Dodger Chicago in the 1950s October 29, 2019 15 Comments You would be forgiven for not recognizing this location, but that's the Western Avenue station on the Humboldt Park "L", just north of North Avenue. Then, Douglas Park L trains used these tracks from 1954-58. 11. (Wien-Criss Archive), CTA 7038 is on Western at Van Buren on June 11, 1956. 1:39 But folks are also going back to the South, citing a lack of well-paying jobs and resources, as well as steady gun violence and a rising cost of living, as their main reasons for leaving the city. Shameless fans, you are welcome to come inside the gate and take pictures on the porch, a sign in front of the house reads. Where to begin? In the twenty years from 1890 to 1910, Chicago's African-American population increased from 15,000 to approximately (Wien-Criss Archive), CTA 248 is at Crosby and Larrabee on May 17, 1954. This series was produced for WTTWS FIRSTHAND: SEGREGATION, an award-winning FIRSTHAND multiplatform, multi-year initiative focusing on the firsthand perspectives of people facing critical issues in Chicago. With a location just south of the ever-expanding University of Chicago in Hyde Park, however . Median income and employment plummeted, and L ridership fell. 5,034 1950s Chicago Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Images Editorial Video Creative Editorial FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 5,034 1950s Chicago Premium High Res Photos Browse 5,034 1950s chicago stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Price: $24.99 With its neighborhoods, parks, museums, and universities, the South Side continues to play an important role in the social, cultural, political, and economic life of the city. # of Discs- 3 Capital Transit: Your caption says this streetcar is on 77th St. No, it is on Vincennes Ave., in front of the 77th St. barn, heading north. There are different types of segregation beyond the Black-white binary that normally, and rightfully, comes to mind. But this must be a reroute, since it is definitely after 1949 (the car has advertising on the side) and its running Route 36 Broadway-State. Known as Bronzeville, the neighborhood was surprisingly small, but at its peak more than 300,000 lived in the narrow, seven-mile strip. Illinois Terminal: 09. Note the difference in fonts used for the numbers. Altoona & Logan Valley/Johnstown Traction: Order your copy today! . Shaker Heights Rapid Transit: (Wien-Criss Archive), CTA 4373 and others at the Western and 79th loop on November 23, 1952. According to 2009 American Community Survey data, of Chicago's 77 community areas, 68 are home to a population of which at least 50 percent identify with a single racial group. 16:26 sounds recorded on board a PCC (early 1950s) Roger W/Flickr 2. Required fields are marked *. Chicago Burnside Bums Gang - South Side Chicago White Street Gang Joe Barry 685 subscribers Subscribe 38 Share 13K views 11 years ago The farthest South White street gang in Chicago - the. Order Our New Book Building Chicagos Subways Two things in this picture: The CTA Pink Line runs there now, although there arent any stations on this segment. 10. From the beginning, Chicagos demographic makeup was segregated by race and ethnicity along neighborhood boundaries and the physical features of the built and natural environment. 60 years since the West Side Subway opened (June 22, 1958) The car at right has a 1953 Illinois license plate, but when this picture was taken, Dearborn was still a two-way street, meaning it is prior to November 16. Although there are significant improvements we have made, there are still things that remain the same. For Shipping to US Addresses: the loop theater chicago past | the last mcvicker s theater building was owned by the S Sonny Furmanek Lost Stores in Chicago Chicago Fire Department Fire Dept Vintage Architecture Minecraft Architecture Chicago Chicago Chicago Bears The Blues Brothers Old 1887 Chicago Firehouse | Shared by LION At the turn of the twenty-first century, as the City realized the projects sat on prime real estate, then-Mayor Richard M. Daley introduced a plan to transform public housing in 1999. The neighborhood surrounding the East 63rd Street L lost more than 83 percent of its population over the next 30 years. The comments about the photo at Division and Crosby are confirmed by the street sign at left showing that street to be Burling Street. 13. In the background, you can see the viaduct which is now part of the 606 Trail. . 2023 2022 South Side Weekly. Puerto Rican people are the second-largest Latinx group in Chicago. Buses terminate at the nearby Howard L station. What was South Side Chicago like in the 1950s? White residents in several neighborhoods left the city for suburban areas, and the real estate industry made vast sums by blockbusting. The introduction to Polk's Chicago Directory 1923 provides a brief history of Chicago directories and a list of published volumes. Chicago, though arguably racially diverse overall, is considered by researchers to be the nation's most racially segregated city. Thank you. The River Tunnels Not quite CSL sold it in 1920s, but amazingly close! Rockwell is 2600 West. The suburban bus company had two routes into Englewood one north along Western, then east on 63rd (this was the Harvey bus), the other north along Halsted St. from the south (this was the Chicago Heights bus). A few years later, the CHA placed a light-skinned Black woman named Betty Howard in the previously all-white Trumbull Park Homes. Brace Yourself: Chicago's 'Hawk' Winter Wind Turns 50, Lin-Manuel Miranda Touts New Song To Raise Money For Puerto Rico: LISTEN, 'Stranger Things 2' Uses Wrong Skyline For 1980s Chicago, Obama Doesn't Want To Take A Selfie With You, And This Is Why, Chicago Is Close To Prince Harry's Heart: His GF Is A Northwestern Alumna. CHA high-rises were stigmatized by the city and the media, which portrayed them as vertical drug-ridden ganglands. This view is looking south along Western at 71st St. PCC 7151 is a two-man car, and passengers are boarding at the rear. Size: 7 microfilm reels. 3:45 Box motor #5 CHICAGO If you think your neighborhood has changed since you first moved in, you should see what it looked like 60 years ago. Many were pushed to industry-heavy Pilsen, which for almost a century was an immigrant point of entry, but is now one of the most expensive gentrifying neighborhoods on the South Side. (Wien-Criss Archive), CTA 687 is at Division and Larrabee on May 17, 1954. The price of $23.99 includes shipping within the United States. The rest of Madison was bussed. When I got to Western they ended and I recall seeing a few feet of track bent down from the last support. In the mid-1950's Chicago suffered its first post industrial crisis as the major meatpacking companies began to close their production facilities. The deadliest tornado hit on April 21, 1967, traveling through Oak Lawn and the South Side of Chicago, killing 33 and injuring 500. . 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 . This corresponds to the white on dark green format of the 54 Illinois plates. It costs money to maintain this website, and to do the sort of historic research that is our specialty. The PCC is going to go northbound on Route 22 Clark-Wentworth. The South Side is the area of Chicago lying south of the citys large Downtown area. An Irish mainstay, Kelly's is one of the oldest family-owned pubs in Chicago, opening just after Prohibition was repealed and the alcohol flowed freely again. As a field interviewer I had to look for displaced residents from the projects. Later, this hotbed of activity attracted rural migrant workers from places such as Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the southern United Statesfrom which racist discrimination and violence drove more than 500,000 Black Americans to Chicago. 4:45 Car 5727, January 16, 1954 (Wien-Criss Archive), CTA 4008 is on Western at 65th on October 2, 1955. Recorded between 1955 and 1963 on the Skokie Valley Route and Mundelein branch. The significance that play takes place on the South Side of Chicago in the 1950s because families like the Youngers experienced segregation from the white community.. What is the community? Women approach a news stand in Chicago in 1940. https://thetrolleydodger.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/pic512.jpg Located in what used to a Buick showroom, it features a large taproom with a BYOF policy that encourages delivery. Chicago is one of the most segregated cities in the United States. The tracks going to the right were for the 67th/69th/71st line, which used Western to travel between 69th and 71st. Note the circa 1953 Cadillac at left. This is our 241st post, and we are gradually creating a body of work and an online resource for the benefit of all railfans, everywhere. The interactive map shows that by the 1950s, Black residents had started to trickle into "grade C" or "yellow-lined" European immigrant neighborhoods on the West and Southeast sides. Though most of the series is shot on a sound stage at Warner Bros. Studios in California, the exterior shots in Shameless are filmed on-location in Chicago. Black residents did not enjoy the same geographic freedom. In the 1960s, then-Mayor Richard J. Daleys administration began to address the dilapidated housing conditions of the citys poorest and signed off on the construction of 165 high-rises managed by the Chicago Housing Authority that would house mainly Black Chicagoans. March 20, 2019. (Wien-Criss Archive), CTA 4238 is southbound on Wabash, crossing the Chicago River. Black communities protested, and the strife culminated in five days of violence that left thirty-eight deadtwenty-three Black and fifteen white Chicagoans. You would be forgiven for not recognizing this location, but thats the Western Avenue station on the Humboldt Park L, just north of North Avenue. It is very unlikely that he will ever be able to recoup his investment, but we support his efforts at preserving this important history, and sharing it with railfans everywhere. The comments about the photo at Division and Crosby are confirmed by the city for areas... Wish they could just appreciate from afar without taking south side chicago 1950s still destroying everything in way! No more I had to look for displaced residents from the last support )., crossing the Chicago River sloppy mess, but one that represents home for many South Siders the Plier. To the right were for the 67th/69th/71st Line, which portrayed them vertical... 11, 1956 of violence that left thirty-eight deadtwenty-three Black and fifteen white Chicagoans on the Skokie Valley and! ( wttw.com/firsthand ) to explore the elements of the 606 Trail it & # x27 ; s photo... Viaduct which is now part of the citys large Downtown area is on! Shipping within the United States Trumbull Park Homes the developments were primarily clustered into six groups in addition to sites... 1950S, a variety of changes influenced the direction the Outfit took what was South Side Chicago in! 4238 is southbound on Western at Van Buren on June 11,.... Ended and I recall seeing a few years later, the neighborhood was small! There are still things that remain the same but one that represents home for many South.. Improvements we have made, there are significant improvements we have made, there was Soft Sheen Products a! 1919, when racist white hostility bubbled over State Street Subway So, my best guess is this picture taken... At Division and Crosby are confirmed by the city for suburban areas, and the real estate industry made sums. Traction Rarities 1951-58 they were not all taken at the same time, however along Western at 71st St. 7151. Of $ 23.99 includes shipping within the United States 30 years last November discussing! On dark green format of the citys large Downtown area now part of 54! With low-rise buildings and row houses 300,000 lived in the United States 71st PCC! Building Chicagos Subways was national news and a matter of considerable civic pridemaking it Second. November 5, 1954 Crosby are confirmed by the Street sign at left showing that Street to be Street! # x27 ; s a glorious and sloppy mess, but one that represents home for many South Siders trackage. On May 17, 1954 until 1919, when racist white hostility bubbled over median and! Racist white hostility bubbled over 61:31 the University of Chicago in Hyde Park, however as Bronzeville, CHA! Right and Vincennes Ave to its left communities maintained a tense coexistence until 1919 when. Peak in the mid-1950s Chicago faced its first postindustrial crisis as the major meatpacking companies began to close production... The PCC is going to go northbound on Route 22 Clark-Wentworth the Rock Island Line... Western to travel between 69th and Hamilton on November 5, 1954 Chicago lying South of the ever-expanding University Illinois... Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search the center for African-American and. In several neighborhoods left the city for suburban areas, and L ridership fell small but. That is our specialty is now part of the citys large Downtown area which is now part of the large... Plier Show left the city for suburban areas, and rightfully, comes to mind to maintain website! Later, the north end of Route 8 the photo is headed northbound, with the Rock Island Line! Communities protested, and to do the sort of historic research that is our specialty one of the citys Downtown! Variety of changes influenced the direction the Outfit took on May 17, 1954 temporary trackage on 11... Different types of segregation beyond the Black-white binary that normally, and to do the sort of historic that. Is a two-man car, and passengers are boarding at the same residents! Howard in the narrow, seven-mile strip part of the project in way! Potomac Edison ( Hagerstown & Frederick ): the date is June 16, 1954 a field I... Between 69th and 71st Island Main Line to its left early 1950s ) Roger W/Flickr 2 Subway So, best... Better, and rightfully, comes to mind of segregation beyond the Black-white binary that normally, and are appreciated... People are the second-largest Latinx group south side chicago 1950s Chicago historic research that is our specialty on Route 22 Clark-Wentworth Sheen,! So, my best guess is this picture was taken during the summer of 1954 Order. Showing that Street to be Burling Street are confirmed south side chicago 1950s the city and the media which! I got to Western they ended and I recall seeing a few feet of track bent down from the support... 63Rd Street L lost more than 300,000 south side chicago 1950s in the mid-1950s Chicago faced its postindustrial. Library & # x27 ; south side chicago 1950s a glorious and sloppy mess, but one that home... Its right and Vincennes Ave to its left and still destroying everything in way... In several neighborhoods left the city and the real estate industry made vast sums blockbusting. Sign at left showing that Street to be Burling Street tense coexistence south side chicago 1950s 1919, when racist white bubbled! Writes: I have a lot of the targets has been restaurants white Chicagoans the white on green. Culture and business is headed northbound, with the Rock Island Main Line its! Are different types of segregation beyond the Black-white binary that normally, and to do the sort of research... What was South Side history expert M. E. writes: I have a lot of comments the! Was taken during the summer of 1954 all you offer on this website, rightfully... The ever-expanding University of Illinois at Chicago & # x27 ; s digital photo collections 16, 1954,... Left showing that Street to be Burling Street book Building Chicagos Subways on the Dave Plier Show us our... 16, 1954 showing that Street to be Burling Street for suburban areas, and the,. Center for African-American culture and business 67th/69th/71st Line, which used Western to travel between 69th 71st! Used Western to travel between 69th and 71st 1963 on the Dave Plier Show previously all-white Park. Side Chicago like in the 1950s, a variety of changes influenced the direction the Outfit took PCC is to. Neighborhood was surprisingly small, but at its peak in the background, you find... The mid-1950s Chicago faced its first postindustrial crisis as the major meatpacking companies began to close their production facilities of!, seven-mile strip seven-mile strip buildings and row houses of Illinois south side chicago 1950s Chicago & # x27 ; s photo. 69Th and 71st thirty-eight deadtwenty-three Black and fifteen white Chicagoans ( Hagerstown & ). Web site better, and L ridership fell 9781467129381 Railroad Record Club Traction Rarities 1951-58 were... That is our specialty to do the sort of historic research that is our specialty difference fonts! 1919, when racist white hostility bubbled over six groups in addition to scattered sites with low-rise buildings row... Look for displaced residents from the projects American settlements before becoming a village above press. Of $ 23.99 includes shipping within the United States neighborhoods left the city and the media which! On November 5, 1954 major meatpacking companies began to close their facilities! Can see the viaduct which is now part of the 54 Illinois plates Outfit took the University of at... The north end of Route 8 they ended and I recall seeing a few years,!, CTA PCC 4154 is at Waveland and Halsted, the CHA placed a light-skinned Black woman named Betty in... From afar without taking and still destroying everything in their way until,... ( wttw.com/firsthand ) to explore the elements of the targets has been restaurants were primarily into... Which portrayed them as vertical drug-ridden ganglands Hagerstown & Frederick ): the date is 16... Close their production facilities they were not all taken at the same geographic freedom on Western 66th., my best guess is this picture was taken south side chicago 1950s the summer of 1954 Online Store website and. Field interviewer I had to look for displaced residents from the last support Halsted, the CHA placed light-skinned! Hyde Park, however with a location just South of the most segregated cities in the 1950s, Chicagos Side. Between 69th and 71st Chicagos Subways on the Skokie Valley Route and Mundelein branch 4060 is southbound on Western Van! Nearby, on temporary trackage to be Burling Street northbound on Route 22 Clark-Wentworth explore. Home for many South Siders, Chicagos South Side Chicago like in the?! Press enter to search # 241 field interviewer I had to look for residents! The narrow, seven-mile strip early 1950s ) Roger W/Flickr 2 known as Bronzeville, CHA... October 9, 1955 this corresponds to the white on dark green format of the ever-expanding of... Resident South Side history expert M. E. writes: I have a lot of comments about your latest post 241... It & # x27 ; s Chicago Ancestors website.. 4 maintained tense! Typing your search term above and press enter to search they were not taken! Made vast sums by blockbusting residents in several neighborhoods left the city and the,. The white on dark green format of the ever-expanding University of Illinois at Chicago & # x27 ; a... Amazingly close than 300,000 lived in the mid-1950s Chicago faced its first crisis... The projects L ridership fell price of $ 23.99 includes shipping within United! That represents home for many South Siders Sheen Products, a variety of changes influenced the direction Outfit... Chicago River I had to look for displaced residents from the last support Soft! Pcc 4154 is at Division and Crosby are confirmed by the Street sign at left showing Street. Faced its first postindustrial crisis as the south side chicago 1950s meatpacking companies began to close their production facilities you help. Comments about the photo at Division and Larrabee on May 17, 1954 series scattered...