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East Garfield Park Community Collection

 Collection
Identifier: spe-nhrc-egp

Scope and Contents

The East Garfield Park Collection contains manuscripts, printed material and photographs on businesses, cubs and organizations, religious institutions, residents, schools and street scenes in the community area, as well as Garfield Park itself.

News clippings in the original collection which were duplicated in the library's newspaper holdings have been indexed in this guide, but not physically included in the manuscript collection.

Dates

  • circa 1870-1964

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 East Garfield Park neighborhood is 4 miles west of the Loop. The neighborhood runs from the Chicago and North Western Railroad tracks near Kinzie Street to a southern border of Taylor Street, and in some places Arthington Street. The 184-acre urban park, Garfield Park, forms the western border. The area was annexed into Chicago in 1869. East Garfield Park is number 27 of the 77 official communities that make up Chicago.

Among the early industrial developments was the Sears plant along the border with North Lawndale. After the Lake Street elevated train opened in 1893, other commercial development and two-flats and small apartment buildings were erected to house the local workers. East Garfield Park's early residents were mostly Irish and German. These groups were followed by Italians and Russian Jews. By 1914, the area contained a mixture of modest homes, commercial buildings and industry. In the 1950s, African Americans moved into the community.

Extent

21.5 Linear Feet (in 25 boxes, including 344 photographs, 12 oversize folders)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The East Garfield Park Collection contains manuscripts, printed material and photographs on businesses, clubs and organizations, religious institutions, residents, schools and street scenes in the community area, as well as Garfield Park itself.

Arrangement

The East Garfield Park Community Collection is arranged into 9 series:

Series 1: Biographical Data, 1890-1954, undated

Series 2: Business Establishments, 1884-1954

Series 3: Religious Institutions, 1913-1953, undated

Series 4: Clubs and Organizations, 1890-circa 1950s, undated

Series 5: Historical Sketches, 1935-1938

Series 6: Parks, circa 1870-1949, undated

Series 7: Residences, 1928-1940, undated

Series 8: Schools, 1888-1964, undated

Series 9: Streets and Transportation, circa 1885-1950

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Transferred from Chicago Public Library, Legler Branch in the 1980s as part of a Dr. Scholl Foundation grant.

Related Materials

Bethel New Life Records

Chicago Department of Urban Renewal Records

Chicago Park District Records: Drawings

Chicago Park District Records: Photographs

David Gremp Photographs

Office of Civilian Defense Records

Wesleyan Bible Class Records

West End Women’s Club Records

West Garfield Park Community Collection

West Side Newspaper Collection

West Town Community Collections

Mary Zimmerman Scrapbook

Title
Guide to the East Garfield Park Community Collection
Status
Completed
Author
Original author unknown, July, 1989. Updated and ingested into ArchivesSpace by Michelle McCoy, 2022
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

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