North Lawndale Community Collection
Scope and Contents
The collection contains a range of articles, brochures, historical sketches, newsletters, photographs, programs and reports that focus on neighborhood events, persons and organizations, particularly during the mid-20th century when Russian Jews were the dominant foreign-born group.
Dates
- 1872-1959
- Majority of material found within Bulk Dates: 1935-1959
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Please consult staff to determine ability to reuse materials from collection.
Biographical / Historical
North Lawndale is number 29 of the 77 official communities that make up Chicago. The community lies five miles west of the Loop at the city’s border with Cicero on the west, a couple of blocks south of the Eisenhower Expressway on the north and is bounded by railroad lines on the south and east sides and includes Douglass Park. The area was annexed into Chicago in stages, the eastern sections in 1869 and the other sections in 1889. North Lawndale attracted residents following the Great Fire of 1871. By the mid-20th century, the area teemed with Chicago's Jewish community. The neighborhood has historically included a mix of two-flat apartments and industry. Douglas Park was renamed Douglass Park in 2020.
Extent
2.5 Linear Feet (in 6 boxes including 118 photographs and 2 oversize folders)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The collection contains a range of articles, brochures, historical sketches, newsletters, photographs, programs and reports that focus on neighborhood events, persons and organizations, particularly during the mid-20th century when Russian Jews were the dominant foreign-born group.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into 2 Series: Series 1: Documents, 1872-1959 and Series 2: Photographs and Graphic Materials, 1890-1955.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Transferred from Chicago Public Library, Legler Branch in the 1980s as part of a Dr. Scholl Foundation grant. Photographs 1.104-1.114 were found in the collection and added in 2018.
- Balaban, A. J. (Abraham Joseph), 1889-1962
- Chicago Jewish Academy
- Douglas Park (Chicago, Ill.)
- Eisenschiml, Otto, 1880-1963
- Herzl Junior College (Chicago, Ill.)
- Jewish People's Institute of Chicago
- Jews -- Illinois -- Chicago Subject Source: Local sources
- North Lawndale (Chicago, Ill.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Source
- Chicago Public Library. Legler Regional (Organization)
- Title
- Guide to the North Lawndale Community Collection
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Original author unknown, 1989. Updated and ingested into ArchivesSpace by Michelle McCoy, 2021
- Date
- 1989
- 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
Harold Washington Library Center, 9th Floor
Chicago Public Library
400 S. State Street
Chicago IL 60605 United States
(312) 747-4875
specoll@chipublib.org