South Shore (Chicago, Ill.)

Lillian May (Smith) Campbell and her husband, Frank R. Campbell amassed a collection of photographs of Chicago views that primarily depict streetcars, trolley buses and other modes of transportation as well as document opening ceremonies for bus and streetcar lines across the city in the 1930s. The collection is particularly strong in the neighborhoods of Roseland, South Shore, South Chicago, Woodlawn, Lake View, Rogers Park, Portage Park and Logan Square.

South Shore Country Club, originally a private club that barred African Americans, was scheduled for demolition in 1977. A grassroots coalition of community organizations organized to save, preserve and restore the historic site for all citizens. This collection contains blueprints and drawings of the renovation of South Shore Country Club, administrative records, statistical reports, newspaper clippings, photographs and memorabilia.

The South Shore Community Collection contains manuscripts, printed material and photographs on businesses, clubs and organizations, religious institutions, residents, schools and street scenes in the community area.

The collection contains documents related to the foundation and organization of the society itself, including society’s constitution, membership lists, reports, minutes and programs. A short history of the Society produced by one of its members describes the Society’s formation and sets forth its aims. Of particular interest are two notes from author and humorist Opie Read which can be found in the correspondence file.

The collection contains twelve partial runs of newspapers from the South Shore neighborhood, some of which are rare. The newspapers from the 1960s and 1970s illustrate the changing population of the South Shore neighborhood.