Namaskar (greetings) everyone!
This week all the interns had to begin documenting all businesses and their addresses from Broadway to Kedzie on Devon Avenue. This information will be needed in the future for the website that is being designed by fellow interns Bridget and Harman. This was a daunting and enormous task for simply one individual to take on alone, so the work was divided amongst us four ladies.
I had the pleasure of recording down all business names and addresses between Damen Avenue and Western Avenue on Devon. This was a tedious task, but using the street view of Google Maps made it much easier to record all this information and saved me from facing Chicago's bipolar weather and boots from facing the un-plowed, icy, or over salted streets of Devon. Unfortunately, some businesses did not have visible signs of the addresses so I had to Google the names to get the exact address. Also Google Maps does not update at the frequency that businesses on Devon tend to open and close down. Thus, I took a quick stroll through some of the blocks to make sure that the store still existed and not been replaced by a new business or "for rent" sign. I also divided up the addresses by north and side of Devon, because the website and tasks along with it have been divided as such. I wanted to make it easier on the interns working on the website. This task was highly beneficial for me because I was able to re-accustom myself with Excel spreadsheets and using Google Maps.
The next task I am going to take on is going through my own family albums to find pictures taken on Devon. I also want to try to find pamphlets or flyers of events that took place within the neighborhood that my family has attended. So stay tuned for pictures documenting my own history!
Monday, February 25, 2013
Friday, February 15, 2013
Week Five: Devon Ave. Business Owners Meeting
This week I had the privilege to attend the "East" Devon Avenue Business Owners Meeting on Monday, February 11, 2013 with my mentor Professor Pincince. It invited Devon Ave. business owners located east of Western Ave. to meet with 50th Ward Alderman Debra Silverstein and the 24th District Police Department. The meeting was hosted by the West Ridge Chamber of Commerce. Unfortunately, Alderman Silverstein could not make it, but she had two representatives from her office attend the meeting. This type of meeting is usually held every four weeks on a Monday. It is designed to help business owners on Devon Ave. voice their opinions and concerns to the community leaders and police so that issues related to crimes specifically may be resolved. A resturanrant owner usually volunteers their venue to host the meeting. This month the meeting took place in the Kabul Express Restaurant. The meeting went well. The police officer stated that crime within the neighborhood has decreased 9% since last year and the police department is going to install more cameras in the neighborhood so that it can be more safe for residents and business owners. The police officers also stated that they would like the neighborhood to become more affluent and the only way to ensure this, would be to reduce crime. The next meeting is going to take place on March 4, 2013 and I hope to attend that one as well.
Our group has also been assigned to document all addresses on Devon Ave from Broadway to Kedzie. This work has been divided amongst all four of us in the internship. I began documenting every address (commercial and residential) between Damen and Western on Devon Ave on an excel spread sheet. This is a tedious and time-consuming task and I will continue working on it well into next week as well. Along with documenting the information, I would like to take pictures of several store-fronts within this stretch next week, so please stay tuned for some vibrant and colorful pictures!
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Week Four: Visit to the Chicago History Museum pt.2
Namaskar (greetings) everyone!
Last week I took on two tasks. First, I was instructed to come up with a set of ten questions that I will be able to use when I begin interviewing store-owners and residents of Devon Ave. Second, I was able to visit the Chicago History Museum and take a look at their archives pertaining to Devon Ave.
When I was coming up with questions I had to take several factors into consideration. I did not want to include anything pertaining to one's immigration status or religious affiliation. I want to stay away from such "heated" questions and focus more on the economic and migration patterns of the interviewee. Below are the questions I would like to ask a store-owner on Devon Ave.
1. Where are you from? If you are from India, which region are you from?
2. How many languages do you and your employees speak?
3. Do you live near the Rogers Park, West Rogers Park or West Ridge area? If so, why have you chosen this location?
4. Why did you choose to open up a business on Devon Ave. in particular?
5. How long has your establishment been open?
6. Are there stores that sell similar products as you nearby? Does this affect your competition?
7. Are your customers local residents or mostly people out of town?
8. What have you learned from your experiences as a shop owner and do you have any advice for new business owners?
9.Do you think you will pass on the business to your children or another family member?
10. Do you think the diversity on Devon Ave. is beneficial to your business?
My visit to the Chicago History Museum's archives was a great success. I was able to find census data dating all the way back to 1938 and pictures dating back to the 1980's pertaining to Devon Ave. I was able to document census data information from the Chicago Local Community Fact Book from 1938 to 1960 so far. The Chicago Local Community Fact Book gives a description of every neighborhood and includes a geographic and demographic synopsis. It also highlights some of the neighborhood's landmarks and local cultural specialties. Not only was I able to extract numerical data, but gain a cultural understanding of the neighborhood during that time period. It was also interesting to read the changing narratives over decades. I hope to retrieve the census data from 1960 to the present when I visit the museum this week. Using this census information I want to construct a chart that maps the growth in the immigrant population over a eighty year arc. I would also be interested in looking at any economic or demographic patterns within the census data.
The second set of information I came across was a plethora of pictures taken by Mukil Roy in 1984/1985. The pictures were taken as part of the Columbia College Project of Family History. They not only show the exterior of Devon Ave. such as the store signs and people walking down the street dressed in traditional clothing, but there are numerous pictures of people inside the stores as well.
This week I will be attending a Rogers Park Chamber of Commerce Meeting and taking more pictures between Damen and Western Ave.
Last week I took on two tasks. First, I was instructed to come up with a set of ten questions that I will be able to use when I begin interviewing store-owners and residents of Devon Ave. Second, I was able to visit the Chicago History Museum and take a look at their archives pertaining to Devon Ave.
When I was coming up with questions I had to take several factors into consideration. I did not want to include anything pertaining to one's immigration status or religious affiliation. I want to stay away from such "heated" questions and focus more on the economic and migration patterns of the interviewee. Below are the questions I would like to ask a store-owner on Devon Ave.
1. Where are you from? If you are from India, which region are you from?
2. How many languages do you and your employees speak?
3. Do you live near the Rogers Park, West Rogers Park or West Ridge area? If so, why have you chosen this location?
4. Why did you choose to open up a business on Devon Ave. in particular?
5. How long has your establishment been open?
6. Are there stores that sell similar products as you nearby? Does this affect your competition?
7. Are your customers local residents or mostly people out of town?
8. What have you learned from your experiences as a shop owner and do you have any advice for new business owners?
9.Do you think you will pass on the business to your children or another family member?
10. Do you think the diversity on Devon Ave. is beneficial to your business?
My visit to the Chicago History Museum's archives was a great success. I was able to find census data dating all the way back to 1938 and pictures dating back to the 1980's pertaining to Devon Ave. I was able to document census data information from the Chicago Local Community Fact Book from 1938 to 1960 so far. The Chicago Local Community Fact Book gives a description of every neighborhood and includes a geographic and demographic synopsis. It also highlights some of the neighborhood's landmarks and local cultural specialties. Not only was I able to extract numerical data, but gain a cultural understanding of the neighborhood during that time period. It was also interesting to read the changing narratives over decades. I hope to retrieve the census data from 1960 to the present when I visit the museum this week. Using this census information I want to construct a chart that maps the growth in the immigrant population over a eighty year arc. I would also be interested in looking at any economic or demographic patterns within the census data.
The second set of information I came across was a plethora of pictures taken by Mukil Roy in 1984/1985. The pictures were taken as part of the Columbia College Project of Family History. They not only show the exterior of Devon Ave. such as the store signs and people walking down the street dressed in traditional clothing, but there are numerous pictures of people inside the stores as well.
This week I will be attending a Rogers Park Chamber of Commerce Meeting and taking more pictures between Damen and Western Ave.
Friday, February 1, 2013
Week Three: Visit to the Chicago History Museum pt.1
Namaskar (greetings) everyone!
This week I went to visit the archival section at the Chicago History Museum. Unfortunately, the archives were occupied to capacity and I was not allowed to enter. I had to make an appointment for next week. I let them know that I was interested in pictures and artifacts pertaining to the West Rogers Park and West Ridge neighborhood because Devon Ave. covers all of these neighborhoods. My visit was not in vain though. As I was leaving, I noticed a mural or pictures taken from different neighborhoods in Chicago. As my eyes scanned through the colorful pictures, I came across two taken on Devon Ave. in 1999. I quickly took the pictures and scurried out of the museum before the security guard could decipher what I had done. Below are the two pictures and a little background information. I apologize for the blurry quality, but I was attempting to not get caught.
This is a picture of the annual Indian Independence Day Parade in 1999. The parade is always held on a Saturday around the Indian Independence Day which is August 15 and still continues to this day. It is organized by the Federation of Indian Associations. The parade procession usually begins near Warren Park on Devon and Western and goes west and ends on Devon and California. The parade is not only attended by the Indian community, but notable politicians and community members from Chicago. Notable Indian celebrities also make guest appearances. President Barack Obama even visited when he was a Senator! After the parade, there is always a cultural show and festival at Warren Park. The parade continues to this day, but the amount of parade floats have decreased in size over the years. For example, the Bengali Association of Greater Chicago can not afford to rent a float for the increasing prices. Now most of the floats are organized by banks, large businesses and religious organizations. A great deal or pride swept over me when I saw this picture because I have taken part in this parade since I was two years old with my parents. I no longer ride on the float, but my mom and aunts continue the tradition. Even though the floats have decreased in number the parade continues and hundreds of people visit and take part in it. Indian residents who have moved, come back to partake in the celebrations. It is encouraging that the tradition has not changed in the last two decades.
Right next to the Indian Independence Parade picture was a picture of a Russian bookstore taken in 1999. This shows that Devon Ave is not merely home to one ethnic group, but several. The bookstore represents the Russian community in the neighborhood. The bookstore is still there today, but there are several other Russian stores that have closed down in recent years. This may be because there has been increasing emigration to the suburbs. In 1999, there was a significant Russian population because the local elementary school I attended had bilingual Hindi and Russian classes. There was no longer a Russian bilingual class when I graduated in 2006. In less than a decade there was a significant change in demographics and this shows in the closing of several Russian shops. I wonder if the mural was updated, if there would be a picture representing the Russian community at all on Devon Ave.
Next week, I will finally be able to begin my research in archives, so please stay tuned!
This week I went to visit the archival section at the Chicago History Museum. Unfortunately, the archives were occupied to capacity and I was not allowed to enter. I had to make an appointment for next week. I let them know that I was interested in pictures and artifacts pertaining to the West Rogers Park and West Ridge neighborhood because Devon Ave. covers all of these neighborhoods. My visit was not in vain though. As I was leaving, I noticed a mural or pictures taken from different neighborhoods in Chicago. As my eyes scanned through the colorful pictures, I came across two taken on Devon Ave. in 1999. I quickly took the pictures and scurried out of the museum before the security guard could decipher what I had done. Below are the two pictures and a little background information. I apologize for the blurry quality, but I was attempting to not get caught.
Next week, I will finally be able to begin my research in archives, so please stay tuned!
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