Ghost Signs

Pilsen is a fascinating playground of both architecture and history for even those mildly interested in Chicago's past. Ghost signs are tangible pieces of history that allow for some detective work, which is part of the reason why I enjoy research so much. For those not familiar with this term, a ghost sign is a remnant of the bygone era of advertisements painted on the side of a building. They often remain unnoticed to many, but as a preservationist, I relish in spotting these faded signs. Especially exciting is when you see the old phone exchange – even before before 312 was split into 773. The sign for the Nea Agora Packing Co. on Taylor Street still has a sign with an old exchange. But I digress - I like ghost signs because these ads tell a story. You can deduce the population of the neighborhood at a certain time in history often by what was trying to be sold to them. The Woolworth sign was hard for me to make out at first. However, after talking to a long-time resident I found that the building the sign is on, was actually a Woolworth at one time.

This sign for "Skala" is on a building on the 1600 block of W. 21st Street. I can't quite make out what it says below (other than S. Loomis) but it's interestingly juxtaposed against the new facade veneer.

Pilsen has quite a few of these ghost signs, these are just the few I have managed to document.

An Unveiling

I was pleasantly surprised last Tuesday as I took the train to work and was walking east on 18th Street. The dryvit on the Old Zemsky's/Family Dollar/ soon-to-be National Able offices is being removed to reveal beautiful face brick with an interesting decorative cornice. I always wonder what the motivation to cover up buildings like these with styrofoam.

Public Baths

April 22, 1910 Pilsen's own Bathhouse opened to the public. Below is the article published:

I'm not sure what's going on with this building now, it appears to be out of use. I would love to get a look inside!



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ELEVENTH WARD TO BATHE; CITY BATHHOUSE IS OPENED.

Institution Named After Dr. Simon Baruch of New York, Initial Promoter, Who Is Present at Dedication.

The Eleventh ward became the possessor of a municipal bathhouse last night and the several hundred residents who attended the opening at 1011 West Twentieth [Cullerton] Street had the novelty of seeing and meeting the man for whom the bath was named. Dr. Simon Baruch of New York, initial promoter of such institutions.

The philanthropist found himself well known, even in the Eleventh ward of Chicago. In which he had never before set foot. Over the entrance to the $23,000 structure is placed his picture, and as he entered last night in company with Health Commissioner W.A. Evans, Henry C. Lytten, and others, he was hailed by juvenile shouts of “dere’s da guy whose mug’s over the door.” It pleased him greatly.

Ald. E.F. Cullerton, Ald. Frank Danisch, and Dr. George C. Hunt, medical inspector in charge of the public baths introduced the speakers. Dr. Evans pointed out that Chicago had twice as many municipal baths as New York and Dr. Baruch said that Dr. Gertrode Waltington of Chicago had persuaded the city to adopt his plans in 1868, while he vainly pleaded with Gotham mayors for appropriate for ten years. Chicago’s good hygienic condition was due, he said, to a “health department which worked in his shirt sleeves and not in silk hats.”

The baths, which are all showers, will be opened today.
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Preservation Chicago Party... in Pilsen!

"The Art of Preservation" benefiting Preservation Chicago

Friday, June 12, 2009
1835 S. Halsted
5:30pm - 8:30pm

Tickets:
$25 advanced, $30 at the door
Buy tickets in advance through PayPal here.

Ticket price includes beer, wine and tasty treats! And in the spirit of Pilsen, the muy caliente Latin band, Son Del Viento, will be performing live.

The event runs concurrently with the Chicago Arts District’s 2nd Fridays event. You will have the opportunity to visit other open studios, chicagoartsdistrict.org

For more information, call 773-334-8800 or email info@preservationchicago.org

A City Vegetable Garden

The Children's Vegetable Garden in Dvorak Park. Date unknown. I'm guessing 1910s by the style of clothing (?)

Jens Jensen Was Here

(Harrison Park Community Garden ca. 1921)
I never consciously noticed landscape or gardening until I started my preservation career as an intern in New York City. Whenever I got a chance, I would take the train up to Central Park, walk within its borders and breathe deeper as the cacophony of the city subsided and was replaced by rustling leaves and birds chirping. This reprieve was so refreshing, so peaceful and beautiful it was only then I truly started appreciating the importance of landscape in daily life.

Most people who are interested in landscape know Olstead and Vaux as the designers of Central Park. Jens Jensen is an equally important figure in Midwest, specifically Chicago's landscape history. A Danish immigrant that moved to the United States in 1884, Jensen began his career as a City street-sweeper for the Chicago West Parks District in 1886, later becoming the Superintendent of Union Park. Throughout Jensen's career, he designed what he called "natural parks and gardens," with native plants. Jensen designed landscapes for parks, schools, hospitals and private estates.

"Our native landscape is our home, the little world we live in, where we are born and where we play, where we grow up and finally where we are...laid to eternal rest. It speaks of the distant past and carries our life into the tomorrow. To keep this pure and unadulterated is a sacred heritage, a noble task of the highest cultural value." Jens Jensen to Camillo Schneider, 15 April 1939.

Pilsen's own Harrison Park was designed by Jens Jensen, but it's debatable how much, if any of his design remains. According to the Chicago Park District, Harrison Park was created in 1912 when Pilsen was overcrowded and populated with immigrants who worked in the industrial areas close by. Harrison Park sits on a site which was previously used for lime production (lime is a calcium based material that is used in concrete and mortar, among other things). In 1914, a natatorium was built, with swimming and wading pools. A few years later, a children's garden was created and in 1928, a field house was finally erected. The park's next major expansion was in 1950, when the Chicago Park District acquired the stone quarry to the west of the park. In 1987, the natatorium was converted into the National Museum of Mexican Art and in 1993, the original field house was replaced with the current one.

Though Jensen's influence is no longer pure and unadulterated, his vision and belief that open space in parks like Harrison is the little world we live in, still lives on in the Pilsen we live in today.

Current Field House in Harrison Park

Moe Knows

A compelling op-ed column by the National Trust for Historic Preservation's President, Richard Moe. (click here for the original link)

This Old Wasteful House
NEVER before has America had so many compelling reasons to preserve the homes in its older residential neighborhoods. We need to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. We want to create jobs, and revitalize the neighborhoods where millions of Americans live. All of this could be accomplished by making older homes more energy-efficient.

Let’s begin with energy consumption and emissions. Forty-three percent of America’s carbon emissions come from heating, cooling, lighting and operating our buildings. Older homes are particularly wasteful: Homes built in 1939 or before use around 50 percent more energy per square foot than those constructed in 2000. But with significant improvements and retrofits, these structures could perform on a par with newer homes.

So how does a homeowner go green? The first step is an energy audit by a local utility. These audits can be obtained in many communities at little or no cost. They help identify the sources of heat loss, allowing homeowners to make informed decisions about how to reduce energy use in the most cost-effective way.

Homeowners are likely to discover that much of the energy loss comes down to a lack of insulation in attics and basements. Sealing other air leaks also helps. This can be done by installing dryer vent seals that open only when the dryer is in use, as well as fireplace draft stoppers and attic door covers.

Experience has shown that virtually any older or historic house can become more energy-efficient without losing its character. Restoring the original features of older houses — like porches, awnings and shutters — can maximize shade and insulation. Older wooden windows perform very well when properly weatherized — this includes caulking, insulation and weather stripping — and assisted by the addition of a good storm window. Weatherizing leaky windows in most cases is much cheaper than installing replacements.

The good news is that the administration is taking steps to help homes save energy with a program that will invest almost $8 billion in state and local weatherization and energy-efficiency efforts. The Weatherization Assistance Program, aimed at low-income families, will allow an average investment of up to $6,500 per home in energy efficiency upgrades.

My organization is also working with the Natural Resources Defense Council and members of Congress on legislation to help cover the costs of making all older homes more energy-efficient. Under this proposal, a homeowner would receive a $3,000 incentive for improving energy efficiency by 20 percent, and $150 for each additional percentage point of energy savings. If 300,000 homes could be retrofitted each year, we estimate that after 10 years we could see a reduction of 65 million metric tons of carbon emitted into the atmosphere, and the equivalent of 200 million barrels of oil saved.

The labor-intensive process of rehabilitating older buildings would also create jobs, and this labor can’t be shipped overseas. The wages would stay in the community, supporting local businesses and significantly increasing household incomes — just the kind of boost the American economy needs right now.

Before demolishing an old building to make way for a new one, consider the amount of energy required to manufacture, transport and assemble the pieces of that building. With the destruction of the building, all that energy is utterly wasted. Then think about the additional energy required for the demolition itself, not to mention for new construction. Preserving a building is the ultimate act of recycling.

Richard Moe is the president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Pilsen Plug

I also wanted to share an event that Eighteenth Street Development Corporation is helping organize: Mole de Mayo. The event is in honor of Cinco de Mayo and will take place on Saturday, May 2nd from 11:00am - 7:00pm and feature a mole cook-off.

For those of you not familiar with Mexican cuisine, mole is a traditional sauce used to accompany chicken, enchiladas and all kinds of Mexican dishes and is simply delicious!

You will also be able to enjoy traditional Mexican libations like margaritas and micheladas (Mexican Bloody Marys), an outdoor market and of course mariachis!!

So far look you can look forward to these restaurants participating:

Fogata Village
Lalo's of Maxwell Street
Cocina Mundial Mestiza
Nuevo Leon
Riques
El Sol
Fig Catering
Mexique
Zocalo

Fenced In

I recently met with a homeowner whose building is in my top 5 that I've gotten to work with so far. It's the former home of Mr. Cullerton AKA the man behind Cullerton Street. (Still working on some research on this, but I think he was an Alderman)This Italianate 2-flat is only on its 3rd owner and is remarkably in-tact. Original doors, fireplace, wood trim, etc. The windows were replaced, but with appropriate 2 over 2 double-hung (not vinyl!). The first floor has beautiful, still operable pocket doors. While they have completed most of the rehab work, the building is still in need of an appropriate fence. The building is situated most idyllically, with 2 side lots. Even though I went there on a chilly spring day, it was hard to not feel like you've stepped onto a little piece of Pilsen paradise. The owner is looking for an appropriate fence and I offered to help. I wanted to share a few examples of fences from Pilsen that might work well for them.

Interesting Blog

Check out this blog -- it has great insight on neighborhoods and the community development forces within them.

http://communitybeat.blogspot.com/2009/03/neighborhood-tourism-pilsen-main-street.html

Turner Hall

This building is missing a little more than the New Bohemian Hall in the post below. A missing cornice and pediment and cupola leave this building a little naked, but still an anchor along Ashland Avenue, just south of 18th Street. The new windows and added glass block along the central bay on the second stories leaves a little to be desired, but could easily be fixed. The original doors and segmental transom added a warmth and completeness to the building that has been lost with its contemporary iteration.

"New" Bohemian Hall

I came across these postcards the "New" Bohemian Center. Here are some now and then images. This building looks remarkably intact, the most notable feature missing is the widows walk along the roofline and some minor changes to the store front, which are pretty typical with buildings over 100 years old.

60608

After passing this tortilla factory on 18th Street just east of Ashland, for the millionth time this summer, I decided to take a photo and since it piqued my interest. The Pony Express cartouche is a definite indicator of its former function as a post office. According to Forgotten Chicago, it's one of the few old style post offices with a limestone facade.

I found an article in the Chicago Tribune date April 29, 1898 that discussed the naming rights of the post office. The article states the Bohemian residents won the right to name the post office the Pilsen station.



The current Pilsen Post Office is located on Ashland Avenue, just south of 18th Street. This post office, designed in the Moderne style, was likely a product of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) of the Depression era. These post larger post office replaced the smaller ones to accomodate the new sorting equipment the post office was using.

Vinyl is for Records

I couldn't be more thrilled with Preservation Chicago's Chicago 7 this year. This year they have included "Old Fashioned Wood Windows" on their list and this one really hits home to Pilsen. Here's an exerpt of their description from their website:

Everybody wants to save money on their heating bills, and we’ve all been told that replacing those old wood windows is the best way to do that. But the fact is, traditional wood double-hung windows are more cost and energy efficient, more durable, easier to maintain and simply more attractive than most any replacement window on the market.

The multi-million dollar replacement window lobby has convinced the general public that it is in their interest to pay more for an inferior version of something they already own. This explains why residential and commercial buildings all across Chicagoland are sprouting new vinyl and aluminum replacement windows. And why thousands of wood windows are being relegated to landfills. This neither conforms to the “green” movement, nor does it present a money-smart solution in these challenging economic times.


As a preservationist and as someone who is also frugal, I'm pleased Preservation Chicago has brought this issue to greater attention. Please see my first post for more articles regarding windows and energy efficiency.

Gentrification

During the 1980s, I imagine gentrification was a hot topic like green building is today, in the world of housing. Today I don’t hear too much about it, but am reminded as I pass this sign occasionally on 18th Street. “Danger Gentrification Zone” emblazoned over a yellow traffic sign, on the side of an historic building, interestingly enough.

Technically speaking, gentrification means “The conversion of an aging area in a city into a more affluent middle-class neighborhood, as by remodeling or renovating dwellings, resulting in increased property values and in displacement of the poor.” I’m not quite sure if this is happening in Pilsen or not, as this neighborhood never was originally occupied by Mexicans. Germans settled the neighborhood first and then after the fire, displaced Bohemians, Polish and Czech immigrants moved to the area, building the majority of the buildings from the 1880s thru the 1890s. So, whose neighborhood is it? If anyone’s been displaced, it’s been the Bohemians. Even then, I don’t even think they have been; Pilsen was designed to be a port of entry, not an end destination. It’s proximity to manual labor jobs; the stockyards, lumberyards, McCormick Reaper factory, etc. have all been factors having immigrants move to this neighborhood. However, I do think Pilsen is becoming more of a neighborhood where people do settle for the long term. I think what we want to avoid is something like Lincoln Park, a neighborhood where I see many similarities to Pilsen – working class neighborhood, followed by an influx of artists who preserve and rehab the buildings, and now an upper class neighborhood that is a mecca for young, urban professionals and chain stores. Virtually the same evolution happened in Bucktown/Wicker Park.

I believe neighborhoods like Pilsen are an ecosystem that needs to maintain a balance in order to survive. In nature, if one aspect of the system is thrown off, it eventually becomes out of balance. I believe that in order for Pilsen to survive as the thriving Mexican neighborhood that it is today, it’s simple supply and demand. If the people demand the products the stores in this neighborhood sell, then they will stay in business. I think that as second, third and fourth generations stop being consumers for these goods, the ecosystem will fail and be taken over by the next wave of residents. I don’t believe it’s solely about the residents being priced out of the buildings they own; that is just one factor in the Pilsen ecosystem.

Regardless, a main reason I find Pilsen attractive is the Mexican culture that continues to thrive. But maybe that’s just because of my affinity for Mexican food!

I would be interested to hear other opinions, especially it is whoever spray paints the "yuppies out of pilsen" throughout the neighborhood.

My Pilsen Top Ten

10. The Churches – from St. Paul’s (my favorite) to St. Adalbert’s and St. Procopius, there are some beautiful churches in Pilsen

9. The Festivals – Fiesta del Sol, Buen Provecho! Pilsen, Mexican Independence Day Parade, Pilsen Open Studios and more. Pilsenites know how to have a good time.

8. The Community – The number of community organizations that come together for the greater good of Pilsen is remarkable. All of them do different things but they all work together.

7. The Art – I love the strong artist community here and the murals are amazing too.

6. 18th Street – If I can walk anywhere within Pilsen I try to make my route directed along this vibrant street. I love the smells, the cacophony that surrounds you, the people and buildings that make up this main artery.

5. Old Commercial Buildings in the Middle of a Residential Street – These were obviously put into place before zoning and every time I pass one, I think of what it would be like when these were all operating as commercial businesses and what it would be like now if that happened.

4. The People – This neighborhood has such a sense of community. People are friendly, help you shovel out your car if you get stuck, say hello to you. It’s just different here. If you’ve read The Death and Life of Great American Cities, it has many parallels to Greenwich Village circa Jane Jacob’s era in Manhattan.

3. Vaulted Sidewalks – These are steadily disappearing, but I love the story they tell of the raised streets.

2. The Food. I can’t say enough, I should almost sub-categorize this. I’ve been working here for over a year, haven’t gotten sick of Mexican food in the least. The bakeries in the morning for conchas and café, the restaurants for lunch and dinner and the few and far between bars for after work, like my favorite, El Trebol. You. just. can’t. miss.

1. The Architecture. From the exterior, I am constantly enchanted by the simple design with the unique architectural elements. I’m surprised I haven’t gotten in a car accident or hit from staring at these buildings. I see new things every time I go out and even on the same block I discover more interesting and unique details that you just don’t see in any other neighborhood. The Bohemian influence is everywhere you look, even in vernacular worker’s cottages. I’m fortunate enough to have gone inside many buildings in Pilsen and can’t get over what remains. One apartment building I was in had beautiful interior wood shutters I was just gushing over. I have seen many buildings with remarkably in-tact tin ceilings, original storefronts and prismatic lights. Buildings with bathrooms in the hallway, tiny bedrooms and gorgeous old stoves still in use.