historical stroll through polish downtown settlement in chicago

Polish Downtown Settlement in Chicago was the oldest Polish settlement and it was the political, social, and cultural spot for not only Polish immigrants but also for Polish Americans. 
It was located on the city’s near northwest and it shifted a few times over different waves of Polish immigration. Its boundaries once were established as follows East – Racine Avenue, North – Fullerton Avenue, West – Kedzie Avenue, and South – Grand Avenue. 
 
Various Chicago neighborhoods were once part of Polish Downtown: Pulaski Park, River West, Bucktown, Wicker Park, East Village and Noble Square. In 1898, the heart of Polish Downtown was Polish Triangle which had 99.9 % of Polish with only 1% of non-Poles.  It was a very ethnic community offering shops, restaurants, and banks where Polish people used their own native language to communicate. Division Street was referred to once as Polish Broadway. This changed radically on the completion of Kennedy Highway in 1960. The construction made lots of Polish residents move away, especially to the suburbs that offered newer housing. Lots of older buildings were abounded and deteriorated. 
Polish downtown today is very cosmopolitan and diverse, and hardly any Polish but there are a few Polish institutions that are still there. So on this stroll; I will take you to the Polish legacy around the Polish Triangle.  

The first 7 stops are a walking tour so you can park your car near The Polish Museum of America as we come back to it. Stop 8 and 9 are bonus stops to get you familiar with Polish food. You can stop at both or one of them and to get to each, you will need to drive. 

I hope you have lots of fun!

Photo credit: Flicker / Eric Pancer


Polish Museum of America

Polish Roman Catholic Union of America - PRCUA

Holy Trinity Polish Catholic Church 

St Stanislaus Kostka Parish

Chopin Theatre

Polonia Triangle

The Society For Arts

Kurowski Sausage Shop

Staropolska Restaurant

Stroll back in time to discover Polish Downtown Settlement in Chicago

Historical Stroll through Polish Downtown Settlement in Chicago

El asentamiento polaco del centro de Chicago fue el más antiguo y un centro político, social y cultural no solo para los inmigrantes polacos, sino también para los polaco-estadounidenses.
Estaba ubicado cerca del noroeste de la ciudad y cambió varias veces a lo largo de las diferentes oleadas de inmigración polaca. Sus límites se establecieron de la siguiente manera: Este – Avenida Racine, Norte – Avenida Fullerton, Oeste – Avenida Kedzie y Sur – Avenida Grand.

Varios barrios de Chicago formaron parte del centro polaco: Pulaski Park, River West, Bucktown, Wicker Park, East Village y Noble Square. En 1898, el corazón del centro polaco era el Triángulo Polaco, con un 99,9 % de polacos y solo un 1 % de no polacos. Era una comunidad con una fuerte presencia étnica que ofrecía tiendas, restaurantes y bancos donde los polacos se comunicaban en su lengua materna. La calle Division se conocía antiguamente como Broadway Polaca. Esto cambió radicalmente con la finalización de la autopista Kennedy en 1960. La construcción provocó que muchos residentes polacos se mudaran, especialmente a los suburbios que ofrecían viviendas más nuevas. Abundaban los edificios antiguos, pero estaban deteriorados.
Hoy en día, el centro polaco es muy cosmopolita y diverso, y casi no hay polacos, pero aún quedan algunas instituciones polacas. Así que, en este paseo, los llevaré al legado polaco en el Triángulo Polaco.

Las primeras 7 paradas son un recorrido a pie, así que pueden aparcar el coche cerca del Museo Polaco de América al regresar. Las paradas 8 y 9 son extra para familiarizarse con la gastronomía polaca. Pueden parar en ambas o en una de ellas, y para llegar a cada una, tendrán que conducir.

¡Espero que se diviertan mucho!

Crédito de la foto: Flicker / Eric Pancer


Retroceda en el tiempo para descubrir el asentamiento polaco en el centro de Chicago

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