Ukrainian Village District

“Also in the district are residences, accessory buildings, and commercial buildings on Damen, Leavitt, and Hoyne avenues. This exceptionally distinct residential area conveys the history of the Ukrainian immigrants in Chicago at the turn of the twentieth century as they replaced earlier waves of German and Polish immigrants that settled in an area bounded by Chicago Avenue, Division Street, and Western and Damen avenues.”

“The Ukrainians were not the first to build a community in this particular part of Chicago. German settlers had been there for at least a generation, and were the largest single cultural group in Chicago.”

“The District was almost fully developed by 1910, with the bulk of the construction taking place in the twenty-year period from 1886 to 1906. Today, the structures still display the distinguished workmanship, ornate detailing, and high-quality material that appealed to the Ukrainians a century ago.”

“Today's Ukrainian Village District represents the earliest and most intact remaining residential section of this unique Ukrainian community in Chicago. W. D. KERFOOT & CO. (1837-1918) W. D. Kerfoot was born on April 16, 1837, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.”

“John's Lutheran Church at Superior and Bickerdike (now Bishop) Streets. The Ukrainians' growing congregation soon led to construction in 1913 of the present St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church building at 835-45 N. Oakley.”

“Helen's Catholic Church was built at Augusta Avenue for Polish Catholics. an Waves of Ukrainian immigrants also poured into the area. They came in 1918 after the war between Western Ukraine and Poland, in 1919 after the formation of the Soviet Ukrainian government, in 1932-33 after the great famine in the Ukraine, and during World War Two during occupation of the Ukraine by Germany.”

“In addition to the residential structures, the Ukrainian Village District contains four multi-story mixed-use buildings, located on Damen Avenue. These structures, constructed upon corner lots or upon narrow 20-foot frontages, utilize the street level space for retail, while the upper stories are often used as apartments.”

“Holli, Melvin G. and Peter d'A. Jones. Ethnic Chicago. Rev. ed. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1984. Kochman, Thomas, and Miroslav Semchyshyn, eds. Ukrainians in Illinois.”

“A small garden sits between the house and the sidewalk. Window treatments include one, two, or three units used together. Ornamentation is generally within the brick courses, the window lintels, cornices, and column capitals; many cottages exhibit touches of gingerbread decoration.”

“The various materials and arrangement of features provide a range of architectural touches, including Romanesque, Queen Anne, Italianate, and even Arts-and-Crafts. The single-family structures in the Ukrainian Village District include large and more elaborate multi-story brick and wood structures, greystones, and even two later-period bungalows.”