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Another Old Then & Now Photo
Posted by:
SmoothRT
()
Date: July 12, 2010 11:09AM
Hi all,
First time poster here. I thought I would share an old photo I came across. This is a picture of my great-grandfather's old store:
This is on 2341 Rossevelt Road. According to Google Maps Street view, it looks like the building is still there:
View Larger Map
Like I said, I'm a newbie. Anybody else know anything more about this area or building?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/12/2010 11:19AM by SmoothRT.
First time poster here. I thought I would share an old photo I came across. This is a picture of my great-grandfather's old store:
This is on 2341 Rossevelt Road. According to Google Maps Street view, it looks like the building is still there:
View Larger Map
Like I said, I'm a newbie. Anybody else know anything more about this area or building?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/12/2010 11:19AM by SmoothRT.
Re: Another Old Then & Now Photo
Posted by:
Berwyn Frank
()
Date: July 12, 2010 05:02PM
SmoothRT pmed me and asked me to comment on this photo. (I hope you are ok with me answering directly in the thread).
The photo appears to be from the 1920s. It looks like it was Morris Gershbein's Barber Shop. Is this your great grandfather? A Harry Goldfein lived in one of the upper apartments. Amazingly the building still stands, although muddled up some. It appears that it was "modernized" perhaps in the 50s-60s? It also looks as if the building to the right of your great grandfathers in the photo may also be still standing.
The neighborhood itself is now known as the Tri-Taylor area and is in the midst of Chicago's large west side medical district. The neighborhood was pretty diverse in your grandfathers day with Irish, Jewish, Bohemians, and other ethnic groups living within its borders. The neighborhood bordered a couple of interesting ethnic and wealthy centers on the west side like Little Italy around Taylor St, Bohemian Pilsen, and was somewhat close to the Jewish center's of North Lawndale and Maxwell St. (which was changing by the 1920s). The area was also relatively close to another area that was changing by the 1920s, which was the wealthy area surrounding Ashland Blvd./Ave. from *approximately* Harrison to Monroe Street's.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/12/2010 05:03PM by Berwyn Frank.
The photo appears to be from the 1920s. It looks like it was Morris Gershbein's Barber Shop. Is this your great grandfather? A Harry Goldfein lived in one of the upper apartments. Amazingly the building still stands, although muddled up some. It appears that it was "modernized" perhaps in the 50s-60s? It also looks as if the building to the right of your great grandfathers in the photo may also be still standing.
The neighborhood itself is now known as the Tri-Taylor area and is in the midst of Chicago's large west side medical district. The neighborhood was pretty diverse in your grandfathers day with Irish, Jewish, Bohemians, and other ethnic groups living within its borders. The neighborhood bordered a couple of interesting ethnic and wealthy centers on the west side like Little Italy around Taylor St, Bohemian Pilsen, and was somewhat close to the Jewish center's of North Lawndale and Maxwell St. (which was changing by the 1920s). The area was also relatively close to another area that was changing by the 1920s, which was the wealthy area surrounding Ashland Blvd./Ave. from *approximately* Harrison to Monroe Street's.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/12/2010 05:03PM by Berwyn Frank.
Re: Another Old Then & Now Photo
Posted by:
SmoothRT
()
Date: July 13, 2010 06:46AM
Wow! You must have a reverse directory from that time period handy; that sure was quick and accurate. My father remembers staying with his grandfather Morris there quite well (If you look closely on the original, you can see my great-grandfather through the window cutting someone's hair). He says Morris lived on the third floor, and his brother Ben lived on the second floor. Perhaps this Harry G. lived there many years before that. Morris closed the barber shop and sold the building in 1955, so maybe the new owners modernized it shortly afterward.
Thank you for the background on the area.
Thank you for the background on the area.
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