PolishOrigins(TM) Forum

Back of the yards Polish community

Speck — Mon Aug 08, 2022 12:50 pm

Author: Speck

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2022 12:50 pm

Hi again Bill
My grandparents apartment buiding was 963 west 36th street Chgo il beween 36th Morgan and 36th Sanagmon. Married at a St Michaels . Grandfather buried out of Pomerski Funeral home which is still standing and still open

JoanSpeck

Back of the yards Polish community

Speck — Mon Aug 08, 2022 12:43 pm

Author: Speck

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2022 12:43 pm

Hi Bill
Just saw your post about Chgo back of the yards Polish community. I grew up in Bridgeport community near back of the yards in Chgo il. My grandparents came from Poland meet here married in the back of the yards. My grandfather Andrew Henry Speck married Mary Martha Slaga July 8 1907. My grandfather was a cowboy in the early 1900s emplyed Union Stockyards died in 1933 caught pneumonia from working overnite shifts .Had distant relatives live in back of yards Stanley ,walter ,ed Speck . 9 yrs ago sold the apartment building in Bridgeport that my grandparents bought and raised their children in and most of my cousins. My Dad had the building after and pasted it down to me and my brothers. The apartment building from 1800s and still standing. I have the orignal mortgage book that came with the house. Just wanted to send this info and say hello
Joan Speck

Thank you.

nercky — Fri Aug 16, 2019 5:47 pm

Author: nercky

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2019 5:47 pm

I am breathless about reading your post. Thank you so very much Dave. I mean it. You are really good at this!! THANK YOU!!! God Bless you and Sophia.

Re: ......Shot in the Dark

dnowicki — Wed Aug 14, 2019 4:12 pm

Author: dnowicki

Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2019 4:12 pm

Sophia wrote:

nercky wrote:

I am researching a lost relative who lived on the 3rd floor above a store on the corner of 44th and Honore in the 1950s. The building number says 4458 S. Honore in this photo but now it appears to be 4400 S. Honore. I am looking for any information on an Irish family, the Galvins who lived there. From what I understand the area was mostly Polish-hoping they would stick out in your memory. Does this ring any bells with you? Any information will guaranty you a beer. Do you know what the name of the store was at that time? Thank you so much in advance!

Hi Nercky,
I do not know this area, but in looking at the photo I see two things. First, there is a curtain that runs all along the windows, which is not the full height of the window. It suggests to me that people inside would be sitting at tables, as perhaps one would in a restaurant or cafe, and so the curtains were to keep the sun out of their eyes while still allowing natural light from the non-curtained part of the windows. Then, looking at the printed words which are partially blocked, the second word begins "TA...." so maybe it is a tavern. I would suggest trying to find a Chicago City Directory or phone book, as close in time as you can find to when the photo was taken, and look up taverns. The wording above the "TA...." would likely be the name of the proprietor, whose first initial was an A.
Best of luck in your research,
Sophia

Hi Nercky & Sophia,

I lived for almost 40 years on the South Side of Chicago, but not in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. When I saw the post I took an interest and thought that I may have had some info regarding the location from a 1948 testimonial book for one of my maternal uncles. He was a parish priest at St. John of God parish (now closed) and with his good friends Saul Alinsky and Joe Meegan was instrumental in the formation of the Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council and served as the first president of the council from 1940 to 1945. Unfortunately, there were no ads in the program for a business at that address.

The are a few things I can point out about the picture. Sophia is correct about the type of business which was at that location. In my opinion, the business was a tavern/neighborhood bar. In addition to the sign which Sophia pointed out there is a poster in the window indicating that it was the location of a polling place at the time. Polling places were found in various locations—churches, schools, firehouses, park field houses, businesses, etc. It is much more likely that the polling place was in a tavern rather than in a restaurant since taverns were closed on election days whereas restaurants were open for business.

Regarding the address...It has not changed and is still 4458 S. Honore. The last time address numbers were changed in Chicago was in 1911 when the dividing lines between north & south and east & west addresses was set at the intersection of State and Madison. I realize that the building at 4400 S. Honore looks more like the building at 4458 S. Honore in the picture. However, that does not matter. The perspective and angle from which the picture was taken eliminates the building at 4400 S. Honore. That building is located on the southwest corner of the intersection of 44th Street and Honore. The building at 4458 S. Honore is on the northwest corner at the intersection of 45th Street and Honore. (South Side north & south running street have evens on the west side and odds on the east side of the street.) Compare the photo with the two attached views (facing Honore and facing 45th Street) of the building at 4458 S. Honore. According to the 1940 Census three large families lived at 4458. Clearly they could not be accommodated in the building as it currently stands. At some point, most likely in the late 1960s or early 1970s, the upper stories were removed and the structure was modified. It is likely that this was the result of a fire. The building to the north is a typical Chicago bungalow of the 60s or early to mid 70s based on the style of the facade, the color of the brick and the pitch (4/12) of the roof. Since the neighborhood was in economic decline by that time (The stock yards had closed.) it is extremely unlikely that an older structure would have been replaced by the bungalow had it not been destroyed by fire. It is likely that the corner building suffered damage as a result of the fire next door which required the demolition of the upper stories. The majority of the buildings on the block are wooden frame structures which predate 1889. That year saw a great annexation to the city. (Prior to that year the southern boundary of Chicago was 39th Street and after that year in many places the new boundary was at 136th Street.) Following the Great Chicago Fire in 1871 building codes in the city were changed and all buildings had to have masonry exteriors.

Some observations about the photo...The girl in the foreground is leaning against a concrete streetlamp pole. The metal post at the corner of the building supports the upper stories which are cantilevered over the entryway. The current building at 4458 also has the same type of post. Also, some features of the 1950s facade are still visible in the picture of the current building.

Here are links to the 1940 Census for the 4458 address:

https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/2442/M-T0627-00946-00692?pid=148405679&backurl=https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?_phsrc%3Dchr1%26_phstart%3DsuccessSource%26usePUBJs%3Dtrue%26indiv%3D1%26dbid%3D2442%26gsfn%3Dlillian%26gsln%3Djaniak%26msydy%3D1940%26msypn__ftp%3Dchicago,%2520cook,%2520illinois,%2520usa%26msypn%3D36829%26msrpn__ftp%3Dchicago,%2520cook,%2520illinois,%2520usa%26msrpn%3D36829%26new%3D1%26rank%3D1%26uidh%3Dtr6%26redir%3Dfalse%26msT%3D1%26gss%3Dangs-d%26pcat%3D35%26fh%3D0%26h%3D148405679%26recoff%3D%26ml_rpos%3D1&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=chr1&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true#?imageId=M-T0627-00946-00727

https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/2442/M-T0627-00946-00692?pid=148405679&backurl=https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?_phsrc%3Dchr1%26_phstart%3DsuccessSource%26usePUBJs%3Dtrue%26indiv%3D1%26dbid%3D2442%26gsfn%3Dlillian%26gsln%3Djaniak%26msydy%3D1940%26msypn__ftp%3Dchicago,%2520cook,%2520illinois,%2520usa%26msypn%3D36829%26msrpn__ftp%3Dchicago,%2520cook,%2520illinois,%2520usa%26msrpn%3D36829%26new%3D1%26rank%3D1%26uidh%3Dtr6%26redir%3Dfalse%26msT%3D1%26gss%3Dangs-d%26pcat%3D35%26fh%3D0%26h%3D148405679%26recoff%3D%26ml_rpos%3D1&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=chr1&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true#?imageId=M-T0627-00946-00728

A final thought...Although Poles made up a large part of the population of the neighborhood, other ethnic groups like Irish, Lithuanians, Slovaks, etc. also made up a considerable portion of the area. If the Galvins were Catholic, a possible parish to which they may have belonged could be St. Rose of Lima (now closed) which was only a few blocks to the east of Honore.

Wishing you success in your quest,

Dave

Thank you Sophia!

nercky — Wed Aug 14, 2019 7:35 am

Author: nercky

Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2019 7:35 am

Thank you so much for taking the time to fill me in on your excellent detective findings I will certainly check out your suggestions. Have an amazing day!

Re: ......Shot in the Dark

Sophia — Wed Aug 14, 2019 6:53 am

Author: Sophia

Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2019 6:53 am

nercky wrote:

......Shot in the Dark

nercky — Tue Aug 13, 2019 3:55 pm

Author: nercky

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 3:55 pm

I am researching a lost relative who lived on the 3rd floor above a store on the corner of 44th and Honore in the 1950s. The building number says 4458 S. Honore in this photo but now it appears to be 4400 S. Honore. I am looking for any information on an Irish family, the Galvins who lived there. From what I understand the area was mostly Polish-hoping they would stick out in your memory. Does this ring any bells with you? Any information will guaranty you a beer. Do you know what the name of the store was at that time? Thank you so much in advance!

Re: Chicago Gorals in "The Back of the Yards"

GeraldineStabosz — Tue Sep 01, 2015 6:43 pm

Author: GeraldineStabosz

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2015 6:43 pm

I grew up at 4859 S Laflin St. There was a 4-flat with a tavern on the 1st floor, front. We, the Stabosz Family, consisting of Frank and Helen Stabosz, and their 7 Children, lived in a cottage behind the brick 4-flat. We belonged to the St. John of God Parish at 52nd and Throop Sts.

Re: Chicago Gorals in "The Back of the Yards"

Jill — Wed Apr 08, 2015 4:51 pm

Author: Jill

Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2015 4:51 pm

Agnes Zubek Bukowski Dlugi
George Bukowski (worked in the Stock Yards and died from tb and buried in mass grave with others with similar disease)

Re: Chicago Gorals in "The Back of the Yards"

PaniKohani — Tue Apr 07, 2015 6:33 pm

Author: PaniKohani

Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2015 6:33 pm

Several comments on this string of posts:

Grew up very near the Back of the Yards (close enough to smell the Stockyards daily!) so I can ad my two-cents here.

I was recently given this same film as a gift, and had the opportunity to watch it just last week:

While the film is good as an overview, I imagine that the book mentioned by commenter, 'dnowicki' in the postings here, is a far-more detailed and extensive study of what the film just touched the highlights of. Dominic Pacyga (professor of history at Columbia College, the author of this book, is also one of the several people interviewed in the documentary) and is a very
prolific researcher/historian; I have heard it said of him that, "he knows the neighborhoods'. I am looking forward to
ordering this book of his from the library and reading it soon, in all its historical specifics.

One thing the film did mention which was surprising, in that Poles themselves gave this 'nickname' (title of the film) to
America as that "Fourth Partition"-- it was not just a descriptive term given by sociologists (that is how much value the Polish immigrant community placed on their new country--enough to refer to it as the fourth time Poland's boundaries changed-- to include America within that deep sense of 'Homeland')....

Btw, another commentator had mentioned about the closing of the Polish grocery store, Gilmart.
Sad to announce, that last Saturday (April 4th), one of the last large Polish stores in the same neighborhood closed its doors too--Bobak's (though they said their products would show up in various stores). This is pretty much the death knell for what used to be a strong Polish neighborhood (Archer Heights--west of Brighton Park and Back of the Yards). The times...they (surely!) are a-changin'....

Re: Chicago Gorals in "The Back of the Yards"

Zenon — Tue Mar 03, 2015 4:25 am

Author: Zenon

Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2015 4:25 am

Good news for viewers from Poland! It will be broadcast this Thursday at 23.15 on TVP Historia .

Re: Chicago Gorals in "The Back of the Yards"

Zenon — Tue Mar 03, 2015 3:56 am

Author: Zenon

Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2015 3:56 am

Thank you Bill for drawing our attention to this documentary. I am going to purchase it. The Amazon reviews are very encouraging: http://amzn.to/1GeEpKI .

I have also found the first 8 minutes of the film available on Youtube:

[html-link]

Re: Chicago Gorals in "The Back of the Yards"

Bill Rushin — Tue Mar 03, 2015 12:04 am

Author: Bill Rushin

Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2015 12:04 am

If you live in the Chicago area, Tuesday Mar 3, 2015 Time 7:30 pm on WTTW public TV it will be showing the film - Fourth Partition.

At the dawn of the 20th century, Chicago was the second largest city in the United States, with more than 2,000,000 residents. It was also the center of Polish culture and political activism in America. With Poland partitioned between Russia, Austria, and Germany, more than four million Poles immigrated to the United States between 1870 and 1920 in search of a better life. In Chicago, they worked in some of the most dangerous factories and mills in the country; in their neighborhoods, they built communities, churches, and most of all, aided their beloved Poland in her fight for independence. Their story is known as “The Fourth Partition.”

Re: Chicago Gorals in "The Back of the Yards"

dnowicki — Mon Nov 18, 2013 6:21 pm

Author: dnowicki

Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2013 6:21 pm

If you are interested in reading more about conditions in "The Back of the Yards" neighborhood a good study can be found in a book by Dominic A. Pacyga entitled "Polish Immigrants and Industrial Chicago: Workers on the South Side, 1880-1922". The first section of the book deals with "Back of the Yards'" and the second section covers the South Chicago neighborhood and the steel mills (which is the main reason I read the book since that is the area where my family settled). I recommend this book for anyone interested in the living and working conditions of Polish immigrants on Chicago's South Side in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Dave

Re: Chicago Gorals in "The Back of the Yards"

rsowa — Mon Nov 18, 2013 4:27 pm

Author: rsowa

Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2013 4:27 pm

I've managed to get the available census records, along with most of the parish register records for marriages and births of my Polek and Wilkosz ancestors. They immigrated to Chicago around 1886-1890, and virtually all of them worked at the Union Stockyards, and lived in the Back of the Yards. In talking about her family, my grandmother (who was born in 1895 at 5131 S. Ada St) told me that "all the Polek men were butchers".

They included Anton, Szymon, Michael and Martin Polek. The husband of their sister was Paul Sulaski and he worked there too, along with an in-law named Walenty Wilkosz.

From their immigration around 1890 through the 1930's they lived, married, and raised their families in the BOY area, always living within a couple blocks of each other, and a couple blocks from work at the stockyards. While some seemed to move to a different house every decade, they all stayed in the same area.

Anton Polek started out at 4924 S. Laflin St, where he became a naturalized citizen. But by 1910 he had settled at 5045 South Hermitage Ave, where he would live for 30 years.

Szymon Polek and his wife Franceska Bejenka were at 1415 Bronson St. (1317 49th Place) till they moved to 4825 Wood St around 1900. That's where he lived when got shot accidentally and died. But that's another story

Walenty Wilkosz and his wife Veronica Bejenka (Franciska and Veronica were sisters) lived with his brother in law Szymon at 1415 Bronson St. (1317 49th Place) and also worked in the stockyards. Until 1895, when he died by being "crushed by a train". I guess it was pretty dangerous working at the stockyards.

Martin Polek lived with his immigrant mother Helen Polek until she died in 1930. They started out at 1536 Bronson (1436 49th Place) and then around 1905 moved to 5035 South Hermitage Ave where he remained through the 1940 census.

Michael Polek lived with his mother Helen and brother Martin until 1906, when he moved much farther north and away from the stockyards, but remained a butcher till he died.

Paul Sulaski and his wife Rose (Polek) started at 4935 Loomis St, but by 1910 were living at 5217 South Hermitage Ave, and then in 1920 at 4832 Honore Street. But by then he had given up working in the stockyards, and had become a "Milk Man".

One other, rather morbid, issue, is that the conditions those families had to live in were often terrible. Problems with fresh water, sanitation and disease were a constant concern. That's why, at least for my family that lived in "The Back of the Yards", one out of every four children born would die before their second or third birthday. Most would die in just a matter of a few months.

Re: Chicago Gorals in "The Back of the Yards"

Eric — Sun Jan 20, 2013 6:54 pm

Author: Eric

Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 6:54 pm

Hi Georgia,

I saw that they had closed a while ago. It didn't sound as though it was under very good circumstances either. It is too bad, it sounded like a very popular place.

I have a change to make to my previous post for the BOY map. I am somewhat scatterbrained when it comes to getting myself organized and I made a mistake about my GU Joe's residence in 1930. He and his family lived on Paulina Street in 1920. In 1930 they lived at 4314 S. Hermitage Street. Then in 1940 they were living on Kildare Ave.

I also thought it would be good to mention his wife, Maryanna Wrobel. I haven't been able to find anything else about her though, other than her being born in Ostrowska, Poland.

They had five children, Joseph, Rose, John and Frank. Helen died at the age of seven in 1923.

Re: Chicago Gorals in "The Back of the Yards"

Georgia — Thu Jan 17, 2013 7:19 pm

Author: Georgia

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 7:19 pm

Hi Everyone and Happy New Year!

I believe Gilmart's is closed now.

Also, St. Joseph's on Hermitage is having an "end of Christmas" celebration on Sunday, January 27th after the 10:30 am Polish Mass. There will be Polish food and Polish entertainment. Mark, the gentleman who ran the 125th anniversary celebration, is coordinating this effort, as well.

Georgia, Goralka from Chicago

Re: Chicago Gorals in "The Back of the Yards"

Eric — Wed Jan 16, 2013 7:52 pm

Author: Eric

Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 7:52 pm

PaniKohani wrote:

"...my great uncle Jakob Gil and his bride Zofia Bafia were married at Sacred Heart Church on Feb. 14 1915. I would guess they lived in the area. The priest's name was F.J. Karabasz.

Of note too, my "Uncle Joe" Jozef Gil, who is my godfather and I think second cousin (My great uncle's son) was president of the Highlanders Association in the late 70's...."

****

Eric,

FYI: There is a curent GIL surname in neighboring Archer Heights. It belongs to the current owner of a longtime neighborhood grocery, known as Gilmart (I'm not sure if his first name is Joe, but his last name is definitely Gil): Here is the store contact information: 773) 585-5514 · 5050 S Archer Ave, Chicago, IL 60632 ·

Please forgive my lateness in reply friend, I just seemed to stop my research until now. I am going to get in touch with them and see if there is any relation. My GU Joe lived quite literally just around the corner on Kildare Ave! Thanks again!

Re: Chicago Gorals in "The Back of the Yards"

Eric — Wed Jan 16, 2013 7:32 pm

Author: Eric

Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 7:32 pm

Hello Bill and everyone,

I have had some more time in the last few weeks to sit down and do more research on my family. To make a long story short, I discovered a Great Uncle (even my father didn't know about him) who lived in the Back of The Yards for quite a few years.

According to the 1930 census my Great Uncle Joseph Gil (misspelled as Gila) and his family lived at 4319 Paulina Street. At this time he is listed as working in the Stockyards. They were living here since at least 1916, according to the birth certificate of his earliest child.

Between 1930 and 1940 they moved out of the BOY to South Kildare Avenue.
On the 1940 census he is listed as working at a pickle factory, but I don't know where. On his 1942 draft registration card, he lists his workplace as Wilson & Co., at the corner of Ashland and 42nd street which is in the BOY.

I thought it would be nice to add another family to the Back of The Yards map!

Edit: OOps, I forgot to mention that he was also married at Sacred Heart Church, months apart from my Great Uncle Jakob.

Re: Chicago Gorals in "The Back of the Yards"

MARKJAKUBCZAK — Wed Oct 24, 2012 8:55 pm

Author: MARKJAKUBCZAK

Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 8:55 pm

Great reading about the BOY, brings back all kinds of GREAT memories. I grew up on 49th and Damen and Sacred Heart was our family parish. Moved to the burbs in 1976 but often think about the old neighborhood.