Churches in Englewood, Chicago (Explanatory Text for Visual Tour)

        

         Churches in Englewood are important historical evidence of the European immigrants who resided in the community during the late 19th century and the early 20 century. Most of the churches were built by the Irish, German and Swedish as they were the predominant  ethnic groups in the 1900s (194, Local Community Fact book of Chicago 1990). Constructing new buildings in Englewood has almost stopped since the 1930s, which, on one hand, means the community's complete economical death, and on the other hand, the buildings we see in the area can all be traced back to around 1900. Due to the economical dismal of the area, Englewood is able to present the overview of a decayed past, especially at the time of the economic peak of that community.

          Churches in Englewood, therefore, are the best examples of how the immigrants created a society and worked to expand their own territories as all other members of societies do when they encounter a new foreign land and new cultures. Contrary to the present status that is almost 100% occupied by African Americans, the community was a European residential area until about 1950; it was composed of diverse ethnic groups like German, Irish and Swedish. Churches presented in my visual tour were almost all built before 1930 by these groups. What had made the churches grow so quick and plentiful within a relatively short period lies in some important social factors; such as the availability of mass transit and the growth of business in the area. Emergence of horse drawn streetcars and the annexation of Englewood to Chicago in 1889, which contributed to the growth of economy and population in part due to its easy access to the downtown (3-440, Spires of Faith). The main factor that explains the complete stop of new construction including church buildings is the racial change after World War II. The influx of blacks since 1950 was the beginning of downside spiral" of the neighborhood as they had confronted with the solid wall that would never easily offer them a social mobility to the upward (194, Local Community Fact book of Chicago 1990). As a result, the majority of the community has remained under the poverty line of U.S since 1960, while the churches of the earlier European immigrants remained as untouched and uncared. 

            The reasons why we are able to experience various small churches that are forgotten in such deserted neighborhood are maybe underlain in the neglect of public, for which the insignificance of the small structures in the poor community may provide to allow them an extended life. Or if we had been  able to put forth further effort to preserve them, we would be able to appreciate these architural treasures even more.  Also, going beyond the preservation we need to provide knowledge of their exsistense so they can be appreciated, instead of hidden lost stop on the expressway.