| Dates: | 1879-1941 |
| Size: | 5 linear feet in 4 boxes and 1 oversize folder, including 47 photographs |
| Repository: | Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington Library Center, Special Collections, 400 S. State St., Chicago, IL 60605 |
| Collection Number: | spe-nhrc-hum |
| Immediate Source of Acquisition: | Transferred from Chicago Public Library’s Legler Branch Library in the 1980s as part of a Dr. Scholl Foundation grant. Supplement 1 consists of two 1937 maps of the Humboldt Park community and 31 issues of the newspaper Northwesttown Booster from 1937-1940. |
| Conditions Governing Access: | Materials are open without restrictions. |
| Conditions Governing Use: | Please consult staff to determine ability to reuse materials from collection. |
| Preferred Citation: | When quoting material from this collection the preferred citation is: Humboldt Park Community Collection [Box #, Folder #], Special Collections, Chicago Public Library. |
| Finding Aid Author: | Original author unknown, 1985. Updated and ingested into ArchivesSpace by Michelle McCoy, 2021 |
Abstract
The collection contains some historical sketches, photographs and documents about the neighborhood and its schools as well as issues of The Northwestown Booster newspaper from 1937-1940 and early photographs of Humboldt Park itself.
Biographical/Historical
The Humboldt Park neighborhood is 5 miles from the Loop on Chicago’s Northwest Side. The dominant feature of the neighborhood is a 207-acre park, named for naturalist Alexander von Humboldt. The area was annexed into the city of Chicago in 1869. Humboldt Park is number 23 of the 77 official communities that make up Chicago.
Scope and Contents
The collection contains some historical sketches, photographs and documents about the Humboldt Park Community and its schools, especially Lowell School, as well as issues of The Northwestown Booster newspaper from 1937-1940 and early photographs of Humboldt Park itself.
Arrangement
The collection is organized into three Series: Series 1: Documents, 1892-1958, undated; Series 2: Newspapers, 1937-1940 and Series 3: Photographs, 1870-1956, undated.
Subject Headings
- Humboldt Park (Chicago, Ill.) -- History -- Sources
- Humboldt Park (Chicago, Ill. : Park) -- History - Sources
- Lowell School (Chicago, Ill.) -- Pictorial works
- Northwesttown Booster -- Archives
Related Collections
- Chicago Department of Urban Renewal Collection
- Chicago Park District Records: Drawings
- Chicago Park District Records: Photographs
- West Side Newspaper Collection
- West Town Community Collection
Collection Inventory
Series 1: Documents, 1892-1958, undated
Scope and Contents
Series 1 contains various documents with information on neighborhood biographies, clubs and organizations, parks, religious institutions and schools along with historical sketches of the area.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into alphabetically by topic and then alphabetically within topic. Items without a box or folder number are referrals to publications and sources outside of this collection.
| Biographical - Anderson, Martha N., see Chicago Daily News, 1938 September 13 | ||
| Box 1 | Folder 1 | Biographical - Berland, Joseph, news clipping, 1935 |
| Box 1 | Folder 1 | Biographical - Bindel, Robert, news clipping, 1934 |
| Box 1 | Folder 1 | Biographical - Blustein, Hyman, news clipping, 1935 |
| Biographical - Blustein, Ira, see Garfieldian, 1940 January 30 | ||
| Box 1 | Folder 1 | Biographical - Cotton, So, news clipping, 1935 |
| Box 1 | Folder 1 | Biographical - Dettelbach, Meyer, news clipping, 1935 |
| Box 1 | Folder 1 | Biographical - Gallis, Ed, news clipping, 1934 |
| Box 1 | Folder 1 | Biographical - Greenburg, Max, news clipping, 1934 |
| Box 1 | Folder 1 | Biographical - Kells, George, news clipping, 1938 |
| Clubs and Organizations - Club Sionilli, see Chicago Tribune, 1940 September 8 | ||
| Clubs and Organizations - Humboldt Park Boys Club, see Chicago Daily News, 1940 May 18 | ||
| Box 1 | Folder 2 | Historical Sketches - Anonymous, “Historical Sketch of Ward 31,” 1935 |
| Box 1 | Folder 3 | Historical Sketches - Bender, William C., “History of Humboldt Park,” 1940 |
| Box 1 | Folder 4 | Historical Sketches - Langan, Alfred J., “A Little About the North West Side,” 1940 |
| Box 1 | Folder 6 | Parks - Humboldt Park, Alexander von Humboldt Monument, dedication program, 1892 |
| Box 1 | Folder 5 | Parks - Humboldt Park, photographs and postcards, 1897, undated |
| Religious Institutions - Ridgeway Presbyterian [Church], see Chicago Daily News, 1941 April 26, and Garfieldian, 1941 April 22 | ||
| Box 1 | Folder 7 | Schools - Cameron School, history by Herbert Merrill, 1894-1928 |
| Box 1 | Folder 8 | Schools - Cameron School, historical sketch, news clipping, newsletters, 1939-1941, undated |
| Box 1 | Folder 9 | Schools - Lowell School, program, 1940 |
| Box 1 | Folder 10 | Schools - Morse School, class list, newsletter, program, 1937-1941 |
| Box 1 | Folder 11 | Schools - Orr School, programs, 1939 |
| Schools - Our Lady of Angels, see Chicago-American, 1958 December 5; Chicago Daily News, 1958 December 2, 3, 5; Chicago Sun-Times, 1958 December 2; and Chicago Tribune, 1958 December 2, 4; Garfieldian, 1958 December 10 | ||
| Streets - Augusta Boulevard, see Austin Community Collection | ||
| Box 1 | Folder 12 | Streets - Humboldt Park, map of public recreation facilities and social agencies, 1937 |
| Box 1 | Folder 13 | Streets - Humboldt Park, map of public recreation and education to zoned areas, 1937 |
| Streets - Kostner Avenue, see Garfieldian, 1939 December 28 |
Series 2: Newspapers, 1937-1940
Scope and Contents
Series 2 contains 31 issues of the newspaper Northwesttown Booster from 1937-1940. The paper’s offices were located at 3749 W. North Avenue.
Arrangement
Series 2 is arranged chronologically.
| Box 2 | Folder 1 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 4, no. 33, 1937 August 18 |
| Box 2 | Folder 2 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 4, no. 36, 1937 September 8 |
| Box 2 | Folder 3 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 4, no. 37, 1937 September 15 |
| Box 2 | Folder 4 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 4, no. 38, 1937 September 22 |
| Box 2 | Folder 5 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 4, no. 41, 1937 October13 |
| Box 2 | Folder 6 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 4, no. 42, 1937 October 20 |
| Box 2 | Folder 7 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 4, no. 43, 1937 October 27 |
| Box 2 | Folder 8 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 4, no. 44, 1937 November 3 |
| Box 2 | Folder 9 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 4, no. 45, 1937 November 10 |
| Box 2 | Folder 10 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 4, no. 46, 1937 November 17 |
| Box 2 | Folder 11 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 4, no. 48, 1937 December 1 |
| Box 2 | Folder 12 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 4, no. 49, 1937 December 8 |
| Box 2 | Folder 13 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 4, no. 50, 1937 December 15 |
| Box 2 | Folder 14 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 4, no. 51, 1937 December 22 |
| Box 2 | Folder 15 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 4, no. 52, 1937 December 29 |
| Box 2 | Folder 16 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 5, no. 1, 1938 January 5 |
| Box 2 | Folder 17 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 5, no. 2, 1938 January 12 |
| Box 2 | Folder 18 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 5, no. 3, 1938 January 19 |
| Box 2 | Folder 19 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 5, no. 4, 1938 January 26 |
| Box 2 | Folder 20 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 5, no. 5, 1938 February 2 |
| Box 2 | Folder 21 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 5, no. 7, 1938 February 16 |
| Box 2 | Folder 22 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 7, no. 14, 1940 April 3 |
| Box 2 | Folder 23 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 7, no. 15, 1940 April 10 |
| Box 2 | Folder 24 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 7, no. [16], 1940 April 17 |
| Box 2 | Folder 25 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 7, no. 17, 1940 April 24 |
| Box 2 | Folder 26 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 7, no. 18, 1940 May 1 |
| Box 2 | Folder 27 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 7, no. 19, 1940 May 8 |
| Box 2 | Folder 28 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 7, no. 20, 1940 May 15 |
| Box 2 | Folder 29 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 7, no. 21, 1940 May 22 |
| Box 2 | Folder 30 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 7, no. 23, 1940 June 5 |
| Box 2 | Folder 31 | Northwesttown Booster, vol. 7, no. 25, 1940 June 19 |
Series 3: Photographs, 1879-1956, undated
Scope and Contents
Series 3 contains various images of persons, clubs and organizations, parks, residences and schools in the Humboldt Park area.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into alphabetically by topic and then alphabetically within topic.
| Box 3 | Photograph 2.3 | Biographical - Keeney, Mrs. John M., portrait, circa 1900 |
| Box 3 | Photograph 1.1 | Business - Keeney Grocery Market, circa 1896 |
| Box 3 | Photograph 1.2 | Business - John Rapp Grain and Fuel Supply, horse and wagon, 1905 |
| Box 3 | Photograph 2.1 | Business - P.H. Rice Malting Company, 1899 |
| Box 3 | Photograph 1.3 | Business - Schnieder's Barbershop, North Avenue near Keeler, interior, 1898 |
| Box 3 | Photograph 1.4 | Clubs and Organizations - Lions Club, 4310 W. North Avenue, undated |
| Box 3 | Photograph 1.5 | Parks - Humboldt Park, pavilion exterior, from the north, circa 1896 |
| Box 3 | Photograph 1.6 | Parks - Humboldt Park, pavilion exterior, from the south, 1896 |
| Box 3 | Photograph 1.7 | Parks - Humboldt Park, boat house, undated |
| Box 3 | Photograph 1.7a | Parks - Humboldt Park, boat house, [color], 1909 |
| Box 3 | Photograph 1.8 | Parks - Humboldt Park, ski jump, undated |
| Box 3 | Photograph 1.9 | Parks - Humboldt Park, wading pool, undated |
| Box 3 | Photograph 1.10 | Parks - Humboldt Park greenhouse, interior, circa 1903 |
| Box 3 | Photograph 2.2 | Parks - Humboldt Park, conservatory, 1897 |
| Box 3 | Photograph 1.11 | Residences - Larson home, Lawndale Avenue and LeMoyne Street, 1879 |
| Box 3 | Photograph 1.12 | Residences - Hjerstedt home, 1929 N. Tripp Avenue, cow in back yard, 1898 |
| Box 3 | Photograph 1.13 | Schools - Cameron School, class picture, 1941 June |
| Oversize Folder 1 | Photograph 2.7 | Schools - Lowell School, class picture, 1940 January |
| Box 4 | Photograph 1.14 | Schools - Lowell School, class picture, 1941 January |
| Box 4 | Photograph 1.15 | Schools - Lowell School, class picture, 1942 January |
| Box 4 | Photograph 1.16 | Schools - Lowell School, class picture, 1942 June |
| Box 4 | Photograph 1.17 | Schools - Lowell School, class picture, 1943 June |
| Box 4 | Photograph 1.18 | Schools - Lowell School, class picture, 1944 January |
| Box 4 | Photograph 1.19 | Schools - Lowell School, class picture, 1944 June |
| Box 4 | Photograph 1.20 | Schools - Lowell School, class picture, 1945 June |
| Box 4 | Photograph 1.21 | Schools - Lowell School, class picture, 1947 January |
| Box 4 | Photograph 1.22 | Schools - Lowell School, class picture, 1947 June |
| Box 4 | Photograph 1.23 | Schools - Lowell School, class picture, 1949 January |
| Box 4 | Photograph 1.24 | Schools - Lowell School, class picture, 1949 June |
| Box 4 | Photograph 1.25 | Schools - Lowell School, class picture, 1950 January |
| Box 4 | Photograph 1.26 | Schools - Lowell School, class picture, 1950 June |
| Box 3 | Photograph 1.27 | Schools - Lowell School, class picture, 1951 January |
| Box 4 | Photograph 1.28 | Schools - Lowell School, class picture, 1951 June |
| Box 4 | Photograph 1.29 | Schools - Lowell School, class picture, 1953 January |
| Box 4 | Photograph 1.30 | Schools - Lowell School, class picture, 1953 June |
| Box 3 | Photograph 1.31 | Schools - Lowell School, class picture, 1954 January |
| Box 4 | Photograph 1.32 | Schools - Lowell School, class picture, 1954 June |
| Box 4 | Photograph 1.33 | Schools - Lowell School, class picture, 1955 June |
| Box 4 | Photograph 1.34 | Schools - Lowell School, class picture, 1956 January |
| Box 4 | Photograph 1.35 | Schools - Lowell School, class picture, 1956 June |
| Box 4 | Photograph 1.36 | Schools - Morse School, class picture, 1937 June |
| Box 4 | Photograph 2.4 | Schools - Morse School, class picture, 1941 January |
| Box 3 | Photograph 1.37 | Schools - Orr School, class picture, 1940 |
| Box 4 | Photograph 2.5 | Schools - Ryerson School, class picture, 1932 February |
| Oversize Folder 1 | Photograph 2.6 | Schools - Ryerson School, class picture, 1931 June |
| Box 3 | Photograph 1.38 | Streets - North and Crawford Avenues [now Pulaski Road], 1907 |
| Box 3 | Photograph 1.39 | Tripp Avenue Railroad Depot (Chicago, Minnesota & St. Paul Railroad), circa 1903 |
