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Humboldt Park Community Collection

 Collection
Identifier: spe-nhrc-hum

Scope and Contents

The collection contains some historical sketches, photographs and documents about the Humboldt Park Community and its schools, especially Lowell School, as well as issues of The Northwestown Booster newspaper from 1937-1940 and early photographs of Humboldt Park itself.

Dates

  • 1879 - 1941

Conditions Governing Access

Materials are open without restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Please consult staff to determine ability to reuse materials from collection.

Biographical / Historical

The Humboldt Park neighborhood is 5 miles from the Loop on Chicago’s Northwest Side. The dominant feature of the neighborhood is a 207-acre park, named for naturalist Alexander von Humboldt. The area was annexed into the city of Chicago in 1869. Humboldt Park is number 23 of the 77 official communities that make up Chicago.

Extent

5 Linear Feet (in 4 boxes and 1 oversize folder, including 47 photographs)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The collection contains some historical sketches, photographs and documents about the neighborhood and its schools as well as issues of The Northwestown Booster newspaper from 1937-1940 and early photographs of Humboldt Park itself.

Arrangement

The collection is organized into three Series: Series 1: Documents, 1892-1958, undated; Series 2: Newspapers, 1937-1940 and Series 3: Photographs, 1870-1956, undated.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Transferred from Chicago Public Library’s Legler Branch Library in the 1980s as part of a Dr. Scholl Foundation grant. Supplement 1 consists of two 1937 maps of the Humboldt Park community and 31 issues of the newspaper Northwesttown Booster from 1937-1940.

Related Materials

Chicago Department of Urban Renewal Collection

Chicago Park District Records: Drawings

Chicago Park District Records: Photographs

West Side Newspaper Collection

West Town Community Collection

Title
Guide to the Humboldt Park Community Collection
Status
Completed
Author
Original author unknown, 1985. Updated and ingested into ArchivesSpace by Michelle McCoy, 2021
Date
1985
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections Unit at Harold Washington Library Center Repository

Contact:
Harold Washington Library Center, 9th Floor
Chicago Public Library
400 S. State Street
Chicago IL 60605 United States
(312) 747-4875