Lithuanians in the Chicago area

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Ethnic groups in Chicago
July 4th parade with marchers carrying a 'Lithuania' banner followed by a Lithuanian flag in the West Pullman area of Chicago, circa 1950
Union Stockyards were at one time a significant employer of Chicago's Lithuanian community. Upton Sinclair's 1906 novel The Jungle
, revolves around the life of a Lithuanian immigrant working the Stockyards named Jurgis Rudkus.

"Windy City" whose presence goes back over a hundred years. Today the Chicago area possesses the largest Lithuanian community outside Lithuania,[1] who have dubbed the city as Little Lithuania, and many Lithuanian Americans refer to it as the second capital of Lithuania. Lithuanian Americans from Chicago have had a significant impact on politics in both the United States and Lithuania. The population is currently declining.[2]

History

Lithuanians have been documented as arriving in the US since 1918, when Lithuania

Imperial Russia. Although this is the first official record, Lithuanians began arriving at least two decades earlier; however, they were listed as Russian citizens.[1] This is compounded by the fact that, prior to Lithuanian independence, most if not all official documents were written in Russian, Polish or German. Thousands of Lithuanians have since moved to Chicago, providing a good source of labor for the growing city. The Lithuanian community in Chicago was most famously immortalized by Upton Sinclair in his 1906 novel about the treatment of workers in the Chicago stock yards, The Jungle
, whose story revolves around telling the life of a Lithuanian immigrant named Jurgis Rudkus.

Geography

Lithuanian Downtown

The first and most prominent Lithuanian enclave in Chicago was called "Lithuanian Downtown" which was located along Halsted street in

St. Mary of Perpetual Help. It was here that the Lithuanian church of Saint George was founded as the first Lithuanian parish in the Midwest, foreshadowing the prominence that Bridgeport would play as one of the key centers of Lithuanian activity throughout the United States.[3]
A large number of the early buildings of this district were built by the first prominent Lithuanian community leader, Antanas Olšauskas (pronounced Ole-shau-skas), circa 1910. Centered on Thirty-third and Halsted, Bridgeport was Chicago's leading Lithuanian neighborhood from the 1890s through the 1950s.

Distribution

Although

Back of the Yards. The adjacent near-western suburb of Cicero had an enclave of Lithuanians in the 20th century,[4] especially around St. Anthony's Parish.[5]
[6] The most recent wave of immigrants has settled in the Chicago suburbs of Lemont, Darien, Homer Glen and Woodridge, towns which all have a sizeable Polish community as well (particularly Lemont and Homer Glen). There is a small enclave of Lithuanians around the Beverly Shores area in northwest Indiana at the southern coast of Lake Michigan, where there is an American-Lithuanian Club.[7][8] Some Lithuanians moved on to work in Southern Illinois coal mines.

Culture

Monument to Steponas Darius and Stasys Girėnas in Marquette Park
Valdas Adamkus was an active member of the Lithuanian community in Chicago for decades before becoming President of Lithuania.

Today "Little Lithuania" is the center of

Sisters of St. Casimir Motherhouse,[9] Holy Cross Hospital
, and Nativity BVM Catholic Church, which have been associated with Lithuanians.

Churches

A number of the most architecturally significant churches of the

Lithuanian culture
.

Museums

The Lithuanian Museum, owned by the Lithuanian Research and Studies Center, operates at the Lithuanian Youth Center (Lietuvių Jaunimo Centras, 5620 S. Claremont Ave.) The Museum is open and accessible when the Youth Center is open.

Opened in 1966, the Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture is located in south Chicago, at 6500 South Pulaski Road. The purpose of the museum is to celebrate and preserve the Lithuanian culture. As a non-profit organization, the museum began its collections from donations from within the community—such as limited antiques from the Balzekas family. Today, the museum offers a variety of exhibits for both children and adults. Every two years the museum organizes tours to Lithuania, where the groups visit the most well-known places in Lithuania.[10]

The Lithuanian Folk Art Institute of Chicago can be found at the Lithuanian World Center, which is located in Lemont. The museum contains a variety of wood carvings, amber jewelry, Lithuanian national clothing pieces, sculptures, and many other traditional folk art.[11]

Restaurants

Lithuanian restaurant in Chicago[12]

The Lithuanian cuisine options in Chicago are widespread. Opened in 1938, the Healthy Food restaurant was one of the first well-known Lithuanian restaurants in Chicago located on Halsted near 32nd street, in the Bridgeport neighborhood, a historically Lithuania community. The restaurant created an atmosphere that resembled Lithuania by decorating the place with a variety of traditional art. They were well known for making their meals "consistent, as mom used to make at home."[12] The restaurant closed its doors in 2009.[13]

About a block away from the now-closed Healthy Food restaurant is Bernice's Tavern which has been in the care of the Badauskas family for just over 50 years.[14] To this day it is one of the few places you can find Švyturys beer in Chicago. The namesake of the bar passed away in 2017.

A more recent Lithuanian restaurant Grand Duke’s opened in 2005 located on Harlem Avenue. Grand Duke’s has created a special medieval Lithuanian environment. They are known for their traditional comfort food and the entertainment as well. Grand Duke’s has been featured on Check, Please!, PBS, ABC news Hungry Hound and Chicago’s Best. In 2019, they were replaced with Thirsty Pig BBQ & relocated to Downers Grove. In 2012, Grand Duke’s opened up a sister restaurant Old Vilnius located in Darien.[15][16]

Schools

There are a number of Lithuanian schools established in or near Chicago. At the Chicago Lithuanian Youth Center, the Lithuanian School of Chicago (Lith.: Čikagos Lituanistinė Mokykla), a private school for Lithuanian immigrant children, was founded in 1992. Other Lithuanian schools include Maironis in Lemont, Gediminas in Waukegan and Rasa in Naperville.

Media

Draugas building in Chicago, IL
Naujienos

First published in 1903, the Draugas (Friend) is the first Lithuanian newspaper in the United States and is printed by the Lithuanian Catholic Press Society in Chicago. Other Lithuanian publications include Amerikos Lietuvis (Lithuanian American), Vakarai (The West), and Čikagos Aidas (Echo Chicago). These newspapers not only provide news and current events that involve Lithuanians living in Chicago, but also stories from around the entire world, such as economic, political and social trends relevant to Lithuanian-speaking peoples. These publications can most often be found in local stores in which Lithuanians shop at, some examples are Brookhaven in Darien, Peter’s Deli in Lemont, and Lassak Deli in Willowbrook and these are also found online.[17][18]

Naujienos was printed from 1914 through the 1980s, Vilnis was printed from 1920-1989, Liaudies Menas (The People's Art) was printed 1950–1951.

Festivals

Years ago, the Lithuanian Song festival (Dainų Šventė) and Dance Festival (Šokių Šventė) have been held at the now-demolished

Chicago O'Hare Airport
.

Opera

The Lithuanian Opera Company of Chicago was founded by Lithuanian emigrants in 1956, and presents operas in Lithuanian.[21] Lithuanian operas were sometimes held at Maria High School in Chicago, a school that has been associated with Lithuanians, and such operas are now sometimes held at Morton East High School in Cicero.

Notable People

Lithuanian sites in the Chicago area

St. Casimir's Lithuanian Cemetery in Chicago

References

  1. ^ a b Čikagos aidas. The Lithuanian Market. Retrieved on 2008-09-04
  2. ^ "Once important diaspora centre, Lithuanian community in Chicago is shrinking". lrt.lt. 2023-03-13. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  3. ^ "NeighborHome". Archived from the original on 2011-09-03. Retrieved 2008-09-13.
  4. ISBN 978-0226505305
    .
  5. ISBN 0738541079
    .
  6. ^ "The Town of Cicero-Colorful Cicero". Archived from the original on July 19, 2011.
  7. ^ Beverly Shores Depot Exhibit Highlights Lithuanian Art, Culture and History by Mary Fox, The Beacher, August 19, 2004, issue, p. 48
  8. ^ Sidabrienė, Rūta (August 15, 2015). "Ilgiausių metų Beverly Shores Lietuvių klubui". Draugas (in Lithuanian). Chicago: Lithuanian Catholic Press Society. p. 4.
  9. ^ Cofounder Of Sisters Of St. Casimir by Kenan Heise, Chicago Tribune News, July 20, 1988
  10. ^ "About – Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture". balzekasmuseum.org. Retrieved 2017-04-26.
  11. ^ "Lith. Folk Art Institute of Chicago - LWC | Organizations". Lithuanian World Center. Retrieved 2017-04-26.
  12. ^ a b "Healthy Food Lithuanian (closed)". Check, Please! | WTTW. 30 July 2012. Retrieved 2017-04-28.
  13. ^ "Healthy Food Lithuanian Closing". Chicagoist. Archived from the original on 2009-12-17. Retrieved 2017-04-28.
  14. ^ "Bernice never imagined she'd be running Bernice's Tavern". Chicago Reader. March 12, 2015. Retrieved 2017-09-21.
  15. ^ "Grand Duke's". Check, Please! | WTTW. 30 July 2012. Retrieved 2017-04-28.
  16. ^ "About us". Old Vilnius Cafe. 2012-10-26. Retrieved 2017-04-28.
  17. ^ "About Us". DRAUGAS NEWS. Retrieved 2017-04-28.
  18. ^ "Lietuviška spauda JAV ● Lithuanian Press in USA". www.litua.com. Retrieved 2017-04-28.
  19. ^ Giles, Audra M. (July 2015). "The Tenth North American Lithuanian Song Festival". Draugas News. Chicago: Lithuanian Catholic Press Society. pp. 8–9.
  20. ^ "Čikaga uždainuos lietuviškai !". Draugas (in Lithuanian). Chicago, IL: Lithuanian Catholic Press Society. July 2–4, 2015. pp. 1–9.
  21. ^ "About the Lithuanian Opera Company, Inc. in Chicago". Lithuanian Opera Co. Archived from the original on 2005-12-21. Retrieved 2006-09-14.
  22. ^ "Pagrindinis". Maironio Lituanistinė Mokykla.
  23. ^ "Lithuanian World Center – Lithuanian World Center (Pasaulio lietuvių centras) – LWC".
  24. ^ "BalticJesuit". www.balticjesuits.org.
  25. ^ "LTSC - Lituanistikos tyrimo ir studijų centras, Chicago, IL". www.litua.com.
  26. ^ "Čikagos centre plevėsuoja trispalvė". Draugas (in Lithuanian). Chicago, Illinois: Lithuanian Catholic Press Society. August 15, 2015. p. 1.
  27. ^ "Ateitininkų Namai".
  28. ^ "Apie mus @ Ateitininkų Namai". www.atnamai.org. Archived from the original on 2010-07-16.
  29. ^ "Vaizdai » Ateitininkų Namai". www.atnamai.org. Archived from the original on 2012-02-22.
  30. ^ "Lithuanian Parishes of the Roman Catholic Diocese in America". Archived from the original on January 30, 2009.
  31. ^ "Lithuanian National Cemetery". lithnatcemetery.com. Retrieved October 31, 2018.

External links

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