Pilsen
A map of Pilsen that we were allowed to explore.
Pilsen was originally settled by Irish immigrants in the 1840's who at the time were widely persecuted. After these immigrants built the Illinois and Michigan Canal which lead to exponential growth of Chicago, the area became densely crowded, leading to illnesses like Cholera to spread. Those who could afford to move out of the area did, as it became a slum. The Czech immigrants , as well as German, Polish, and Italian immigrants, came into the area next due to the opened spaced left by those who left; the Czech had the majority of the incoming population from fleeing the Austrian Empire at the time which allowed them to influence the area. Even the name of Pilsen comes from a Czech restaurant that existed called At the City of Plzeň.
Pilsen was able to avoid the blunt of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which allowed some industrialists, such as Cyrus McCormick, to build the new factories in the area and give blue collar jobs to the residents. A sizable Czech immigrant population continued to come until around 1918 when Czechoslovakia gained independence. With the death of industry boom during the Great Depression and WWII, the Czech started to leave the area suburbs. The post WWII Urban Renewal movement was one of the major contributing factors of the new Pilsen population demographic.
The construction of the Stevenson Expressway and the creation of the University of Chicago in the 1950's displaced a sizable population of Black and Latino residents of Chicago, leading to protests. The displaced Latinos took up resident next to the Stevenson in the Pilsen area to be close to their original area they called home.
THE TRIP
When I got to campus, Joe R., Sudeep, and Me took a northbound Green Line CTA train to Cermak McCormick Place. We then waited for a #21 bus to take us down Cermak Rd. We rode the bus until we got to Damen Ave.
This building is in the area of Pilsen dictated by the map on Cermak Rd. Due to the growth in population in Chinatown (which shares its border with Pilsen on the east), some businesses like this have started to appear in Pilsen and Bridgeport.
The photo on the left is of an AT@T office/communications building. Years ago, it used to be a DHL distribution center where my dad used to work at. The photo on the right is of re-purposed Commonwealth Edison warehouse designed by George Nimmons in 1926. It now serves as a local art gallery.
I found it interesting to see a Cermak Fruit Market be located right next to an Aldi. Cermak specializes in fresh produce while Aldi focuses on affordable groceries. These two allow the local population to find affordable food but also find specialties.
We got off the bus and noticed a church a few blocks south of where we were, so we went and investigated it.
Lincoln Methodist Church (2009 W 22nd) was built in 1926. The congregation stated in 1893 as being the first formal Methodist Society in Illinois. Two other buildings were the home of the congregation before the current building.
St. Paul's Catholic Church (2127 W 22nd) was built in the 1890's by German immigrants without any wood or nails but with only brick. The spires of the building are 245 feet tall. Due to the floor of the church almost giving way, there has been renovations to keep the church alive. Don't go on their website, its been hacked.
From the Chuch, we headed north on Damen until we would hit the National Museum of Mexican Art (1852 W 19th St.).
We stopped in Viva Food Mart (2001 W Cermak Rd) to look around. The picture on the left is the exterior with an ad written in Spanish, showing that the community caters to a Spanish-speaking population. The picture on the right is of the inside of the Viva Food Mart, where a deli-like stand selling local delicacies is located in the back. It was not open due to us being there in an odd time, but on a Saturday, the stand is probably stocked and fully functional.
Pictures of the group in-front of someone's garage between 21st Street and Cermak. The person who painted it must have a lot of pride of their community ( though I wouldn't say that about the state of their grange roof).
Two murals that we came across walking down Damen towards the museum. The one on the left has more of a street art ascetic, but does have some Mayan Influences. The one on the right depicts Frida Kahlo, a famous Mexican Artist, in a somewhat mosaic form.
Vida Simple (2004) by Angel Chavez is a mural next to the Damen Pink Line (2010 S Damen Ave) . The mural represents the community and the things, such as plants,animals, and people, that thrive in the industrial area. This station also has a small coffee place that serves the commuters on their daily fix.
Harrison park sign. The park was founded in 1912 to make a public space in the industrialized area of Chicago, the park was named after Chicago Mayor Carter H. Harrison Sr. (1825-1893), one of Chicago's popular who was assassinated on the last day of the 1893 World's Fair by an opponent.
A mural found on the corner of Wolcott Ave and Cullerton St. depicting a migrant worker that is chained down literally by oppression. This mural shows that the migrant worker "makes up" the city and farms that they work for, showing their importance to both the city and rural areas.
The outside of the National Museum of Mexican Art. Opened in 1987 as a place to give Mexican art a place to be represented, the exterior of the Museum has influences of traditional Mexican patterns and designs found in Mayan and Aztec cultures.
we spent about an hour or so in the Museum, taking pictures of the art. Here are a few highlights and personal interpretations of them.
Sun Mad (1981) by Ester Hernadez is a comment about the use of pesticides in grape farming and its toll on the migrant worker. Pesticides that were used to kill insects would taint the soil as well as the local water supply, which in turn caused the poisoning of workers. This is why the piece is similar to an offrenda, to remember those who died due to the consequences of a company.
The Garden of Earthly Delights (2002) by Ruben Ortiz-Torres. This kinetic sculpture that combines a riding mower with the low-rider culture is a comment on the "American Dream" and how a person's materialistic dreams, such as having a tricked-out lawn mower, are trivial than to raise a family or improve one's quality of life.
Remember (2005) by Eric J. Garcia. A play on the common cry of the Mexican-American War "Remeber the Alamo", this piece depicts the "heroes" of the Alamo in a less than reputable light while showing dignity to the Mexican Soldiers. Usually, the Alamo is pictured in a different light where the Americans are shown as fighting with "dignity" while the Mexican forces are usually depeicted as "volient and blood-thursty".
Blue Collar (2000) by Oscar Moya. This piece depicts a Latino Bule collar worker painted blue being surrounded by the skyline of Chicago in red. This piece illustrates the danger that blue-collar workers must endure as evidenced by the gas mask the worker is wearing and the clouds that look hazardous. It in a way is a comment on how dangerous the world is to the Blue Collar worker in terms of not only job but also his role in society.
The picture on the right is of the playground in Harrison Park. Because of its large size and looking new, one can infer that the local family population is rather large and the park district takes good care of the local community. The picture on the left is of the park house. Due to its size and new look further proves that the local community treasures the park.
A modern-looking house on the corner of Wood and 19th street. This was probably built to attract the younger "hipster" demographic to further gentrify the area.
Two Murals by the intersection of Wood St. and 18th St. The one on the left depict iconic Latinas while the one on the left depicts Mexican singer and Grammy winner Joan Sebastian.
One of the old pay meters still stands (barely) on 18th St. before we got to the Pink Line Station. Don't know why the city didn't remove this meter since a pay box was installed a few feet away.
Some anti-gentrification messages were spray-painted around the Pink Line Station. This one of the more "polite" ones. Obviously, some art-activists don't want the area taken over by the new hipster crowd, as it would displace the current population.
St. Adalbert Catholic Church (1650 W 17th St.) in the distance. The parish was founded in the early 1870's by a sizable Polish population while the church was built in 1914. The church has been under constant renovations throughout the years to keep the building up to date.
Xuro Churros (1710 W 18th St). For once I was able to eat something of a local delicacy. I had a cream-cheese filled Churro that cost $1.50 and was made fresh. The woman deep-fried some pre-shaped dough and then used a machine to fill the inside with cream cheese.
The picture on the left is of the steps at the 18th St. Pink Line entrance adorn with art. The picture on the right is of a mosaic mural depicting different elements of the Latino culture, such as the Mayan Civilization (face at the top), Roman Catholicism (Mother Mary on left), artist such as Frida Kahlo (left side), and even Picasso (bottom). Having murals and art adorn the station has two effects: to welcome newcomers with a glimpse of the local culture and make the locals that commute remember that the community is THIERS and will always have roots in the area.
To the left is a picture of a rather new mural by the intersection of 18th St. and Ashland Ave. depicting soccer stars and landmarks of the area. Sudeep is present in this picture. The picture on the right shows a manhole cover with a design similar to Mayan calendars.
1812 S. Ashland. Currently for rent. By the looks of it, was built in the 1920's or so due to the facade. The windows look new so something might open there soon.
To the right is an old print ad on a side of a building on 18th st. Because it is faded and in Spanish, one can infer that it was done sometime in the 1960's when the Latino population was growing. On the right is a statue of Mary adorned with flowers. I would infer that the person who lives there is Latino due to Catholicism is a big part of the identity of those from Central America due to the Spanish Missionaries that were sent to convert the Natives of Central America.
St. Procopius Catholic Church (1641 S Allport St.) has been around since 1885 while the parish has been around since 1875. The picture on the right is of a mural of Mary that is in a courtyard next to the church. We tried to go into the church, but we turned around after seeing that an open casket was present. Pilsen has a lot of Catholic Churches that are still open today. The initial Czech population that settled in Pilsen were majorly Catholic. Due to most Central Americans being Catholic due to the history of Spanish missionaries with the growth of the Latino Identity, the majority of the churches were able to still operate with the Latino population of the 1950's.
Thalia Hall (1807 S. Allport St.) is one of the major holdovers from the times when the Bohemians where the majority population in Pilsen. Founded by John Duesk in 1892, the hall was designed to be a community place where one could meet as a community, eat as a community, and live in a community. By having this building, the Czech left their mark in the area and allowed it be known that they have their own place to call home. This hall has a restaurant, meeting hall, and residential apartments. It was designated as a Chicago landmark in 1989.
Honky Tonk BBQ (1800 S. Racine Ave.) has been around since 2008 in the Pilsen community. On the side of the building is a faded mural of a Latino kitchen. This mural is the only one I saw on my trip that was in this state of disrepair. Hopefully, someone restores it.
We originally wanted to go to a bookstore in the area, Open Books (905 W 19th St.), but due to time constraints, we weren't able to get that far. We decided to head south on Racine Ave. to get back to Cermak and get on a #21 bus to school.
1809 S Racine Ave is a curious building. By the exterior looks, I want to say it was built in the 1920's, but the cross on the building is new. I wasn't able to get any real background on this building, other than the possibility of it being part of the Assembly of God Church, but Google Maps lists the church being a few doors down.
1831 S. Racine Ave. The picture on the right is how the build was circa 2017 according to Google Street View. Obviously, the building was bought and refurbished, as seen with the picture on the right. The picture on the left is of the building today. During the year of reconstruction, the original mural was pained over by the developer, causing outrage in teh community.
Fig. The original mural of 1831 S. Racine Ave. depicting the eagle that, according to myth, helped found the location of the country of Mexico. On the side are important Latino figures such as painter Frida Kahlo, Revolutionary Che Guevara, and Mexican President Benito Juárez. The original artist, Ray Patlan, was asked by the current developer to re-create the original mural or create a new mural after the refurbishments. He obviously did the latter.
A rather new house at 1199 Cullerton St. that is on the corner of Cullerton St. and Racine Ave. The picture on the right is a Google Street View capture of the lot from around 2015.
1-Lulay, Stephanie. “After Casa Aztlan Mural Painted Over, Artist Will Return To Re-Create It.” DNAinfo Chicago, DNAinfo Chicago, 30 June 2017, www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20170630/pilsen/casa-aztlan-mural-replaced-painted-over-ray-patlan-andrew-ahitow-city-pads.
REFERENCES
“About Us.” About Us | National Museum of Mexican Art, nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org/content/about-us-0.
“About.” Chicago Championship Barbeque Restaurant - About Honky Tonk Barbecue | Honky Tonk BBQ - Chicago Barbeque, honkytonkbbqchicago.com/about/.
“About.” Mana Contemporary Chicago, www.manacontemporarychicago.com/about/.
Bain, Rowan. “Ester Hernandez: Sun Mad.” Art in Print, artinprint.org/article/ester-hernandez-sun-mad/.
Chiat, Marilyn Joyce Segal. The Spiritual Traveler-- Chicago and Illinois: a Guide to Sacred Sites and Peaceful Places. HiddenSpring, 2004.
District, Chicago Park. “Harrison Park.” Chicago Park District, www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks-facilities/harrison-park.
“History of Pilsen.” WTTW Chicago Public Media - Television and Interactive, 8 June 2017, interactive.wttw.com/my-neighborhood/pilsen/history.
“History.” First United Methodist Church, lincolnfirstumc.org/about-us/history.
“History.” Save St Adalbert Church, www.savestadalbertchurch.org/history-of-church/.
“History of Thalia Hall.” Thalia Hall, thaliahallchicago.com/history/.
LaTrace, AJ. “A Guide to 51 Neighborhood Murals You Must See Right Now.” Curbed Chicago, 17 July 2014, chicago.curbed.com/maps/a-guide-to-44-neighborhood-murals-you-must-see-right-now/joan-sebastian-mural.
Lulay, Stephanie. “After Casa Aztlan Mural Painted Over, Artist Will Return To Re-Create It.” DNAinfo Chicago, DNAinfo Chicago, 30 June 2017, www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20170630/pilsen/casa-aztlan-mural-replaced-painted-over-ray-patlan-andrew-ahitow-city-pads.
Lulay, Stephanie. “Pilsen Gets Whiter As 10,000 Hispanics, Families Move Out, Study Finds.”
DNAinfo Chicago, DNAinfo Chicago, 13 Apr. 2016,
www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20160413/pilsen/pilsen-gets-whiter-as-10000-hispanics-families-move-out-study-finds.
“Mana Contemporary Chicago.” Open House Chicago, openhousechicago.org/sites/site/mana-contemporary-chicago/.
Mitchell, Chip. “The Birth of a Latino Community.” WBEZ, www.wbez.org/shows/wbez-news/swept-from-their-homes-chicagos-latinos-built-new-community/331fcc5d-be0b-4b20-be9f-245a562a9310.
“Parish History.” St Procopius/Providence of God, stprocopiuschurch.org/about-us/parish-history/.
Saclarides, Kathryn. “Selling Chicago as a Global City: Redevelopment and Ethnic Neighborhoods.” Advocates' Forum, 2009.
Rodkin, Dennis. “These Parishioners Refused to Let Their Church Crumble.” Crain's Chicago Business, www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20140426/ISSUE03/304269989/these-parishioners-refused-to-let-their-church-crumble.
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