Ukrainian Village, Chicago
Coordinates: 41°53′46″N 87°41′01″W / 41.895989°N 87.683734°W
Ukrainian Village is a Chicago neighborhood located on the west side of the Chicago downtown. Its boundaries are Division Street to the north, Chicago Avenue to the south, Western Avenue to the west, and Damen Avenue to the east.[1] It is one of the neighborhoods in the West Town community area.
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[edit] History
Ukrainian Village, like neighboring East Village began as farmland. Originally German Americans formed the largest ethnic group in the vicinity, however by the turn of the century the neighborhood was largely Slavic. Similarly to Chicago's Lithuanian Downtown in Bridgeport, Ukrainians settled in the district because of their familiarity with Poles who lived in the surrounding Polish Downtown. Dense settlement of the neighborhood was largely spurred by the 1895 construction of an elevated train line along Paulina Ave (1700 W) that would later be decommissioned in 1964.
Over the past half century, it has remained a middle-class neighborhood, populated largely by older citizens of Eastern European ethnicity, bordered (and affected) on many sides by more dangerous areas. It was insulated somewhat from surrounding socioeconomic change in the large industrial areas on its south and west borders by the strong fabric of ethnic institutions as well as the staying power of the Orthodox and Ukrainian Catholic congregations. These local ethnic institutions include the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, the Ukrainian National Museum, and the Ukrainian Cultural Center.[2] Although Ukrainian Village continues to be the center of Chicago's large Ukrainian community, the gentrification of West Town is rapidly changing the demographic. Ukrainian Village continues to be home to approximately 10,000 ethnic Ukrainians.
Other notable local landmarks include Ss. Volodymyr and Olha Ukrainian Catholic Church, St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral, St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral, Roberto Clemente High School, St Mary's Hospital, and Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Cathedral, the latter having been commissioned by St. John Kochurov and designed by famed architect Louis Sullivan.
"East Village", the area east of Ukrainian Village extending from Damen to Ashland, was originally known as "East Ukrainian Village".
A few scenes from a popular 90's Russian movie, Brother 2, were filmed in and around Ukrainian Village.
[edit] Churches
There are a number of Churches within Ukrainian Village, with three churches located on one street, most being within a block of each other. St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral was the first of the two Ukrainian Greek catholic churches in the village with Ss. Volodymyr and Olha Ukrainian Catholic Church forming in the 70's after St.Nicholas' parish split in disagreement.
[edit] Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Cathedral
Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Cathedral, was the first Eastern European church in what was then called the "Slavic Village". Holy Trinity Cathedral was commissioned by St. John Kochurov and designed by famed architect Louis Sullivan.
[edit] St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral
Attached to the parish is the St.Nicholas Ukrainian catholic school.
[edit] St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral
St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral represents Eastern Orthodox Christianity, the dominant religion in Ukraine and typically serves new Ukrainian immigrants who have left Ukraine after the fall of the soviet union. Although Orthodox in faith, the Cathedral is under the UOCUSA which is under the jurisdiction of the Eccumenical Patriarchate and has no affiliation with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Ukraine The church was originally built for a German parish, and sold twice before it was finally bought and converted by the current Ukrainian parish. The parish runs a Saturday school of Ukrainian language for students from preschool to 10th grades.
[edit] Ukrainian Village District
On December 4, 2002, the Ukrainian Village District, centering on Haddon Avenue, Thomas Street, and Cortez Street between Damen and Leavitt Avenues, including portions of Damen, Hoyne and Leavitt Avenues, was designated a Chicago Landmark District.[3] Extensions to the district were designated in 2005 and on April 11, 2007.[4]
[edit] Gallery
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Saint Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral
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Saints Volodymyr and Olha Ukrainian Catholic Church
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Saint Volodymyr Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral
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The Ukrainian National Museum
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A restaurant in Ukrainian Village with the colors of the Ukrainian flag
[edit] See also
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ukrainian Village, Chicago |
- Slavic Village in Cleveland, Ohio
[edit] References
- ^ "Chicago Neighborhoods – Ukrainian & East Village". City of Chicago. http://www.explorechicago.org/city/en/neighborhoods/ukrainian___east_village.html. Retrieved 2011-06-14.
- ^ Chicago's Ukrainian Village, The Ukrainian Observer, Issue 208
- ^ "Ukrainian Village District". City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development, Landmarks Division. 2003. http://www.ci.chi.il.us/Landmarks/U/UkranianVillageDist.html. Retrieved 2007-05-14.
- ^ Reports of Committees: Ukrainian Village District Extension. City Clerk's Office – City of Chicago. 2007-04-11. pp. 102605–102648
[edit] External links
- Official City of Chicago West Town Community Map
- ForgottenChicago.com's article on Ornamental Stained Glass in Ukrainian Village
- Ukrainian Village Neighborhood Association
- Ukrainian Village Neighborhood Watch
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