Chicago's Elite - 1891


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Chicago's Elite - 1891
Posted by: nordsider (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: December 05, 2014 09:09AM

I thought this may be of interest, the "Sensible Etiquette" for Chicago's elite, from: The Elite Directory and Club List of Chicago -1891.

http://books.google.com/books?id=jX03AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA9&dq=The+Elite+Directory+and+Club+List+of+Chicago&hl=en&sa=X&ei=o5mBVK6QD8aMyAS1joGABw&ved=0CC0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%20sensible%20etiquette&f=false

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Re: Chicago's Elite - 1891
Posted by: dforgue (---.149.190.130.ptr.us.xo.net)
Date: December 10, 2014 08:33PM

Speaking of Chicago's elite, google also had Social Registers from before and after World War I available. Used the organization (still extant) Colonial Dames of America as an indicator for elite-status Yankee women in Chicago and plotted their listed addresses and names.

Three interesting things. From 1912 to 1921 the number of women listed falls dramatically. Also, I think it's interesting that in 1912 women are listed by their husband's name, while by 1921 most are listed under their own name. Finally, the geography of where these women lived is interesting in what has changed and what has not.

[url=https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zTlKYlFxXRKk.kSgs9t1YW0ZM]map[/url]

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Re: Chicago's Elite - 1891
Posted by: nordsider (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: December 11, 2014 08:11AM

dforgue,

Thank you for the interesting comment, and map. Do you suppose, that World War I sped the change for women, between 1912 and 1921? The Roaring Twenties arrived soon after.

And, the 19th Amendment in 1920, gave women the right to vote.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/11/2014 08:29AM by nordsider.

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Re: Chicago's Elite - 1891
Posted by: dforgue (---.149.190.130.ptr.us.xo.net)
Date: December 11, 2014 11:59AM

Nordsider,
I suspect that the Roaring 20s, flappers, and other phenomena I have a vague understanding of all play a role. I would like to believe that someone with a better grasp of the history would find the map useful as a data set. I am working on a similar map plotting Chicago's ethnic-based houses of worship in the 1920s on a map. The data are interesting to me, but I don't have the knowledge (or time to acquire it) to make strong interpretations.

BTW, I didn't mean to hijack your string here. I suspect that the Dames are pretty elite, and I thought the map might apply the who to the what of the etiquette book you posted about.

David

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Re: Chicago's Elite - 1891
Posted by: WayOutWardell (199.101.76.---)
Date: December 11, 2014 01:49PM

Fascinating stuff.

I was just going over the book Nordsider mentioned looking for the neighborhood in which I live.

Noticed that the unmarried sons and/or daughters at a given house are listed individually even if they live the same address as mom and dad.

Also, the house numbers indicate the old, large estate-style houses which would be replaced a only few years later with more housing density (row-houses, apartment buildings, etc).

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Re: Chicago's Elite - 1891
Posted by: davey7 (---.dsl.chcgil.ameritech.net)
Date: December 11, 2014 05:25PM

I wonder if people saved money by not listing during the war years, or felt less elite or exclusive during that period. I don't know whether women went to work much in that war, but that's also a possibility, along with many dying and their children not caring enough to renew memberships.

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