Little Italy in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
The Maxwell Street Market
Photographed by Jason Voigt, September 25, 2024
1. The Maxwell Street Market Marker
As the city's official open-air market, Maxwell Street teemed with shops, pushcarts and street stands where vendors and merchants pitched their wares and shoppers searched for bargains. Maxwell Street served as a port of entry for virtually every immigrant group coming to Chicago, primarily Jews from Eastern Europe, African Americans from the Deep South, and Mexican immigrants.
For nearly a century, thousands of Sunday shoppers milled in the carnival atmosphere of merchandise, food stands, and street entertainment. Highway construction and urban renewal reduced the market's size in the 1960s, and the expansion of the University of Illinois at Chicago forced the market's relocation to nearby Canal Street in 1994.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Immigration • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1994.
Location. 41° 51.939′ N, 87° 38.711′ W. Marker is in Chicago, Illinois, in Cook County. It is in Little Italy. It is on South Union Avenue south of West James M.
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Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest. Globally, it is in North America, on the Great Lakes, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: James "Jimmy" Stefanovic (here, next to this marker); Maxwell Street (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Paul Muni (about 600 feet away); Site of the Origin of the Chicago Fire of 1871 (approx. 0.3 miles away); Juvenile Court of Cook County Building (approx. 0.4 miles away); Jane Addams' Hull-House and Dining Hall (approx. 0.4 miles away); Jane Addams' Hull House (approx. 0.4 miles away); Father Arnold Damen, S.J. (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chicago.
Photographed by Jason Voigt, September 25, 2024
2. The Maxwell Street Market Marker
Marker is mounted on the left, on the Jim's Original building.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 28, 2024. It was originally submitted on September 28, 2024, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. This page has been viewed 436 times since then and 45 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 28, 2024, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.
Editor’s want-list for this marker. clear, daylight photos of the marker and building • Can you help?
