Historical Note

In 1869, the eastern section of North Lawndale to Crawford Avenue (Pulaski Road) was annexed to Chicago by an act of th estate legislature. Thereafter, streets were platted and drainage ditches were installed between Western and Crawford Avenue. The name "Lawndale" was supplied by Millard and Deeker, a real estate firm which subdivided the area in 1870. In 1871, after the Fire, the McCormick Reaper Company (later International Harvester) occupied a new large plant in the South Lawndale neighborhood. As a result, many plant workers moved to eastern North Lawndale. The remaining area west of Crawford Avenue was annexed by a resolution of the Cook County Commissioners in 1889. Population surged in North Lawndale in the early 20th century. Russian Jews became the dominant foreign-born group. Between 1930 and 1950 population dropped due to Jewish migration northward to communities such as Albany Park and Rogers Park. By 1950, African-Americans had begun to replace Jewish residents who were relocating.

Race riots, coupled with the racial turnover in North Lawndale between 1950 and 1970 and business closings such as that of International Harvester in 1969, led to the loss of business establishments and jobs in the area.

Scope and Content

Notable features of the North Lawndale Community Collection include:
Balaban, A. J. and family
Chicago Jewish Academy
Eisenschiml, Otto
Herzl Junior College
Jewish People's Institute
Rosenberg, Samuel

Series I: Biographical Data, 1880s-1947.
This series consists of newsclips and biographical sketches, for the most part, and is dominated by materials related to the career or Otto Eisenschiml, a North Lawndale manufacturer and author who was very active in the West Side Historical Society. The series is arranged alphabetically by last name.

Series II: Business Establishments, 1905-1939.
This modest series is composed of a brochure, a newsclip, a flyer, and a bank statement from the North Lawndale business community. It is arranged alphabetically by business name.

Series III: Churches: 1912-1945.
This series consists of newsclips and programs, and is arranged alphabetically by Church name. Some of the programs are in German.

Series IV: Clubs and Organizations, 1924-1959.
This series includes newsclips, membership materials, newsletters, flyers, and programs, and is arranged alphabetically by club name.

Series V: Historical Sketches and Essays, 1938.
This minute series contains just one item: an anonymous essay on early settlers in the Garfield Park-Lawndale area.

Series VI: Parks, 1872.
This series contains several pictures of Douglas Park.

Series VII: Schools, 1910-1956.
In this series are found programs, school newspapers, yearbooks, newsclips, class lists, identifications to photographs, and other materials, arranged alphabetically by school name.

Series VIII: Wartime Activities, 1940.
This series houses only one item, a flyer with a patriotic poem written by a North Lawndale resident.

The North Lawndale Community Records include a number of photographs, all of which have been removed from the manuscript portion of the collection and placed in the Neighborhood History Research Collection/Audiovisual Collection. Cross references have been provided for related subjects appearing in different series or record groups. Newsclips 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.

Separation Record: Oversized Materials
The following items have been removed to the locations provided:

Clubs & organizations
Let's Go! with Keep Chicago Ahead Oversize-NL 1
Committee and Drama of Chicago on Parade [Douglas-Lawndale District]. [1923] September.

Provenance

The North Lawndale Community Records were originally part of the collections of the West Side Historical Society, which formed at the Legler branch of The Chicago Public Library in 1930 to promote and collect history of Chicago's west side. Upon the dissolution of the Historical Society in the late 1950s, its records and materials remained at the Legler branch, where they suffered the mistreatment and depredations of unsupervised use and inadequate storage facilities. To protect the materials, an agreement was struck with the University of Illinois-Chicago Campus for the temporary custody of the collection at the University of Illinois. As agreed, the materials were transferred to The Chicago Public Library's Special Collections Division ten years later, where they were divided up by community area, processed under the auspices of a grant from the Dr. Scholl Foundation, and placed in the Neighborhood History Research Collection.

Access

The North Lawndale Community Records are available to the public for research in the Special Collections and Preservation Division Reading Room on the 9th floor of the Chicago Public Library's Harold Washington Library Center, 400 South State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60605. The collection does not circulate, although photocopy and photoreproduction services are available depending upon the condition of the original materials. First time patrons to Special Collections must present photo identification and complete a Reader Registration Form. Telephone inquiries on this collection and other Special Collections holdings can be directed to 312-747-4875.

Box and Folder Inventory

BOX 1

Series I: Biographical Data

1. Arvey, Jacob M.: Newsclips, 1940.
See also: Chicago Daily News, Oct. 15, 1938; June 8, 1945.

2. Balaban, A. J. and family:
Correspondence, 1949.
Dust jacket of Continuos Performance (biography of A. J. Balaban),
by Carrie Balaban, ca. 1942.
Newsclips, 1929-1949.
Pictures, 1880s-1940s.
See also: Chicago Daily News, March 15, 1944.
Balaban, Barney. See: Chicago Herald-American, Nov. 10, 1940.
3. Courtney, Thomas J.: Voting ticket and campaign brochure, 1939.

Eisenschiml, Otto:
4. Articles and pamphlets by 1939, 1942, 1943, n.d.
5. Biographical sketch, 1937.
Correspondence, 1938-1952.
6. Newsclips, 1937, 1944, n.d.
Picture of, ca. 1930s.
Program, flyers and guest list for lectures, 1938.
Publicity and reviews, 1940s.
Transcript of lecture by Preston on Eisenschiml's book, Why Was
Lincoln Murdered?, 1937
See also:
Chicago Daily News, March 19, 1937; Oct. 9, 1940;
Feb. 10, 1941; Feb 12, 1941; Feb. 16, 1941;
March 19, 1941; Sept. 3, 1941; Sept. 30, 1942;
Oct. 14, 1942; May 12, 1943; July 8, 1943;
Nov. 13, 1943; Dec. 4, 1943; Feb. 9, 1944;
April 25, 1945; May 22, 1947.
Chicago Herald-American, Dec. 9, 1943.
Chicago Sun, Oct. 31, 1942; Nov. 8, 1942; Oct. 22, 1944.
Chicago Times, Sept. 25, 1938.
Chicago Tribune, Jan. 17, 1937; April 18, 1953.
Coronet, Oct. 1943; Jan 23, 1941.
Garfieldian, May 3, 1934; Jan. 23, 1941.
Milwaukee Journal, Feb. 1, 1944.

Forster, Mr. and Mrs. H. B. See: Chicago Herald & Examiner, Jan. 26, 1936.

7. Granata, William John: Newsclip, 1941.

Klatzco, Capt. Louis: Newsclip, 1939.
See also: Garfieldian, March 9, 1939; May 11, 1939.

Lind, Morris, David and Phillip. See: Chicago Tribune, Sept. 29, 1940.

Marovitz, Abraham L. See: Garfieldian, Nov. 3, 1938.

Pope, George V.: Autobiographical sketch, 1938.

Rosenburg, Samuel: Flyers and card, 1939.

Walsh, Thomas. See: Clubs and Organizations: Walsh Civic Project.
Weckman, John W.: Notes on, n.d.

Ziperstein, Izzy. See: Chicago Tribune, July 30, 1939.

Series II: Business Establishments

Balaban and Katz (movie theaters). See: Chicago Daily News, Oct. 6,
1939. See also: Biographical Data: Balaban, A. J. and family

8. Liberty National Bank: Statement of condition, 1937.
Liberty Trust & Savings Bank: Brochure, 1917.

Melody Baby Shop: Newsclip, 1948.

Scientific Oil Compounding Company. See: Biographical Data: Eisenschiml, Otto.

West Chicago Driving Club: Flyer, 1905.

Series III: Churches

Blessed Sacrament. See;
Chicago Herald & Examiner, April 25, 1937.
Chicago Daily News, Oct. 1, 1943.
Chicago Tribune, July 4, 1937; May 1, 1938.
Congregation Anshe Knessess Israel. See: Chicago Daily News,
April 25, 1942.

9. Evangelical Lutheran Ebenezer Congregation: Programs, 1912.

Hope Community: Program, 1945.

St. Agatha's: Newsclip, 1938.
St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran: Newsclip, 1935.
See also: Chicago Tribune, Sept. 25, 1938.

Temple Judea. See: Chicago Tribune, March 14, 1939.

Series IV: Clubs and Organizations

American Legion. See: WGP/Clubs and Organizations: American
Legion.

Bohemia Club. See: Ceska Beseda.

10. Boys' Brotherhood Republic:
Newsclip, 1944.
Promotional booklet, 1938.

See also:
Chicago Daily News, Nov. 5, 1938.
Chicago Tribune, Oct. 27, 1940.
Chicago Herald & Examiner, Nov. 21, 1937.

11. Ceska Beseda:
History and description, 1933.
Membership application, n.d.
Stationery, n.d.

Greater Lawndale Conservation Commission: News Notes
(newsletter), Feb. 22,1959.

Jewish People's Institute:
12. Annual report, 1945.
13. Brochures and pamphlets, 1928, 1935-1940.

The Observer (newsletter):
14. 1927 (annual report edition)
15. 1931, 1934-1936 (not inclusive).
16. 1937-1938 (not inclusive).

16a. Newsclips are theatre productions; 1941-43

Keep Chicago Ahead Committee: Poster advertising programs the Committee and the Drama of Chicago on Parade (Douglas-Lawndale district), ca. 1924. Located in NHR Oversize Collections.

Walsh Civic Project. See: Chicago Tribune, Nov. 28, 1937.

17. West Side Community Organizations: Program for "Youth Week Occupational Conference", n.d.

Series V: Historical Sketches and Essays

18. "Early settlers in the district between Garfield Park and Lawndale". s.n., 1938.
18a. Mayer, Harold M., "North Lawndale-A Crowded City Within a City", 1941.
18b. Rosenthal, Erich, "This Was North Lawndale"-Offprint from Jewish Social Studies; [1958?]

Series VI: Parks

19. Douglas Park: Pictures, 1872, n.d.
20. Douglas Park Theatre-Newsclips; 1944-45.

BOX 2

Series VII: Schools

1. Bryant School:
Bryant Snoops (newspaper), 1949-1953 (not inclusive).
Class list, 1941.
Program, 1910.

2. Chalmers School:
Chalmers Chronicle (newspaper), 1941-48 (not inclusive).
Programs, 1939-1948.

Chicago Jewish Academy:
3-5. Academy Memoirs (yearbook), 1946, 1949, 1955, 1956.
6. Brochure, ca. 1949.
Invitation, 1951.
Letter, 1950.
Newsclips, n.d.

Herzl Junior College:
7. Blue and White (magazine), Jan. 1933. Brochure, 1942.

BOX 3

Herzlight (newspaper), Jan. 25, 1939; Nov. 12, Dec. 19, 1947, Feb. 2, Nov. 26, 1948.

BOX 2

7. Newsclips, 1944, 1947.
Spectrum (literary magazine), Spring 1940.
See also: Chicago Tribune, Oct. 23, 1938; March 22, 1942. 8. Herzl Junior High School: Programs, 1930, 1932.
8a. HJHS: The Blue and White (yearbook): 1928 June.

Lawndale Community Academy. See: Lawson School.
9. Lawson School:
Class list, June 1943.
Programs, 1936-1943.
Plamondon School: Program, 1938.

10. Pope School:
Class lists, 1938, 1941.
Pope Post (newspaper), 1939-1941 (not inclusive).
Programs, 1938, n.d.

11. Shepard School: Programs, 1940, 1943.

Series VIII: Wartime Activities

12. Flyer with patriotic poem by Henry R. Wandrey, 1940.

PHOTOGRAPHS

Business Establishments

1.1 Liberty Trust & Savings Bank, Kedzie and Roosevelt, 1912
1.2 Liberty Trust & Savings Bank, Kedzie and Roosevelt, 1923
1.3 Scientific Oil Compounding Co., n.d.

Churches

1.4 St. Agatha's, 1913 (?)

Clubs & Organizations

1.5 American Legion Post #319, 1949
1.6 R & K Restaurant Softball team, 1940s (?)

Municipal Agencies

1.7 Fillmore Court, interior, 1949
1.8 Police, Fillmore Station, people claiming stolen goods, 1948
1.9 Police, Fillmore Station, new squad car, 1948

Parks

2.1 Douglas Park, playground, 1903 Glass Plate Slide
2.2 Douglas Park, lagoon, composite of three views, 1903 GlassPlate Slide
2.3 Douglas Park, rowing on lagoon, field house in background, 1903 Glass Plate Slide
2.4 Douglas Park, rowing on lagoon, woods in background, 1903 Glass Plate Slide
2.5 Douglas Park, track meet, one-mile race, May 28, 1904 Glass Plate Slide
2.6 Douglas Park, track meet, Mr. Hendon pole-vaults, 1903 Glass Plate Slide
2.7 Douglas Park, track meet, pole vaults, 1903 Glass Plate Slide
2.8 Douglas Park, track meet, athlete warm up, 1903 Glass Plate Slide
1.10 Douglas Park track meet, 1904
1.11 Douglas park track meet, 1904
1.12 Douglas Park track meet, 1904*

Portraits/Family Photos

1.13 Arvey, Jacob M., 1940
1.14 Eisenschiml, Otto, 1938
1.15 Eisenschiml, Otto, 1943
1.16 Stern, Jerome, one man band, 1940s
1.16a Stone, Jessie L., 1890

Residences

1.17 3712-3722 W. Cermak Road, 1939
1.18 3569 N. Douglas Blvd., 1940s
1.18a 1344 S. Komensky Ave., 1915 Nov. 7

Schools

3.1 Bryant School, class of June 1932 Photo Oversize Map Case
1.19 Bryant School, class A of June 1934
1.20 Bryant School, class B of June 1934
1.21 Bryant School, class of June 1936
1.22 Bryant School, class of June 1937
1.23 Bryant School, class of June 1937
1.24 Bryant School, class of June 1938
1.25 Bryant School, class of June 1938
1.26 Bryant School, class of June 1938
1.27 Bryant School, Room 314, class of February 1939
1.28 Bryant School, Room 316, class of February 1939
1.29 Bryant School, I, class of January 1940
1.30 Bryant School, IV, class of January 1940
1.31 Bryant School, V, class of January 1940
1.32 Bryant School, I, class of June 1940
1.33 Bryant School, III, class of June 1940
1.34 Bryant School, I, class of January 1941
1.35 Bryant School, II, class of January 1941
1.36 Bryant School, I, class of June 1941
1.37 Bryant School, III, class of June 1941
1.38 Bryant School, V, class of June 1941
1.39 Bryant School, I, class of June 1942
1.40 Bryant School, II, class of June 1942
1.41 Bryant School, III, class of June 1942
1.42 Bryant School, II, class of June 1943
1.43 Bryant School, IV, class of June 1943
1.44 Bryant School, class of June 1944 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.45 Bryant School, class of January 1945 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.46 Bryant School, class of June 1945 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.47 Bryant School, class of January 1947 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.48 Bryant School, class of June 1947 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.49 Bryant School, class of January 1949 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.50 Bryant School, class of June 1949 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.51 Bryant School, class of January 1950 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.52 Bryant School, class of June 1950 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.53 Bryant School, class of June 1951 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.54 Bryant School, class of June 1952 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.55 Bryant School, class of January 1953 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.56 Chalmers School, Room 17, c. 1895
1.57 Herzl Junior High School, Room 13, class of 1929
1.58 Herzl Junior High School, Room 104, class of 1929
1.59 Herzl Junior High School, Room 201, class of 1929
1.60 Herzl Junior High School, Room 208, class of 1929
1.61 Herzl Junior High School, Room 210, class of 1929
1.62 Herzl Junior High School, Room 212, class of 1929
1.63 Herzl Junior High School, Room 215, class of 1929
1.64 Herzl Junior High School, Room 221, class of 1929
1.65 Herzl Junior High School, Room 302, class of 1929
1.66 Herzl Junior High School, 1932
1.67 Herzl Junior High School, 1932
1.68 Herzl Junior High School, 1932
1.69 Herzl Junior High School, 1932
1.70 Herzl Junior High School, 1932
1.71 Lawson School, February 1923 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.72 Lawson School, 1924 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.73 Lawson School, June 1924 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.74 Lawson School, June 1925 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.75 Lawson School, June 1925 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.76 Lawson School, June 1926 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.77 Lawson School, June 1927 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.78 Lawson School, June 1927 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.79 Lawson School, June 1927 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.80 Lawson School, February 1928 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.81 Lawson School, February 1928 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.82 Lawson School, February 1928 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.83 Lawson School, June 1928 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.84 Lawson School, June 1928 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.85 Lawson School, June 1928 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.86 Lawson School, June 1936 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.87 Lawson School, January 1939 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.88 Lawson School, January 1940 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.89 Lawson School, June 1940 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.90 Lawson School, January 1941 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.91 Lawson School, June 1941 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.92 Lawson School, January 1942 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.93 Lawson School, June 1942 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.94 Lawson School, January 1943 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.95 Lawson School, June 1943 Photo Oversize Box 1
1.96 Plamandon School, students, n.d.
1.97 Pope School, class of February 1938
1.98 Pope School, class of June 1938
1.99 Pope School, class of June 1941
1.100 Pope School, class of June 1943

Streets

1.101 S. Albany Ave., 1800 block, 1937
1.102 Douglas Boulevard, 1901
2.9 Douglas Boulevard and Homan Ave., c. 1930 Glass Plate Slide
2.12 Francisco Avenue, c. 1930 Glass Plate Slide
2.10 Homan Ave., at 13th Street, c. 1930 Glass Plate Slide
2.13 Homan Ave., c. 1930 Glass Plate Slide
2.11 S. Sawyer Avenue, c. 1930 Glass Plate Slide
2.14 Spaulding Avenue, 1930s Glass Plate Slide

Transportation

1.103 Chicago Union Traction Street Car Co., 1896