On occasion, ILHS has been asked about touring the many sites in Chicago of labor history interest. Our "resident expert," Bill Adelman, is usually available to conduct group tours. ILHS can act as your charter agent. Union conventions are good candida tes for this option.
If you want a self-guided tour, ILHS has pocket guide books on both Haymarket and Pullman among the many items on its booklist. Ask for the list and order by mail (no credit cards). You might like to visit our office and display area. We are at 28 E. Jackson in Chicago. Call for an appointment. Phone: 312-663-4107. Our e-mail address is ilhs@mcs.com.
There are a couple of routes we would suggest, either of which could be tailored to fit the available time and interest.
1. Haymarket
Scene of the Haymarket Tragedy of 1886, Randolph St and Desplaines Ave. There
has not been much to see at this spot, but the City has recently installed
a commemorative plaque at what was Crane's Alley where the hay wagon and
the speakers were. The bomb was thrown from this area. The bronze plaque
is flush in the sidewalk on the east side of Desplaines, a few steps north
of Randolph. It is an appropriate place for a short talk about the 8-Hour
Movement and the tragic events of May 4. There is free park ing in the service
drive along Randolph. Randolph is west bound only.
Thence, to Halsted St. and the Hull-House Museum and on to Ashland Ave. where many unions have located along "union row." Proceed on the Eisenhower Expressway west to Forest Home Cemetery and the dramatic Haymarket Martyrs Monument. There could be an a dditional stop at the grave of Adolph Strasser, a founder of the AFL. It can be found in the Cigar Makers' section of the cemetery.
It is possible to omit Hull-House and Union Row, if time is a problem, or to vary this tour by traveling through various ethnic communities en route (Mexican, Polish, Bohemian), or even add the Frank Lloyd Wright section of nearby Oak Park and River Fo rest. Another option is to visit the Lucy Parsons Memorial in Wicker Park. It might be arranged to have the artist talk about her concept of an "uncomfortable bench for uncomfortable thoughts."
An option would be to take a lunch stop at an ethnic restaurant on Roosevelt or Cermak Road, timed between Hull-House/Union Row and Forest Home Cemetery.
2. Stock Yards/ Republic Steel (Memorial Day Massacre)/Pullman.
To 41st and Halsted for a short stop at the picturesque and historic Stone
Gate to the old Chicago Stock Yards, followed by a brief tour of surrounding
area including the "Canaryville," neighborhood, and/or "Back of the Yards."
In "Bronzeville" one can s ee the large mural painting "The Worker," by William
Walker, located on an exterior wall of the now abandoned headquarters of
the United Packinghouse Workers (CIO) at 49th and Wabash.
Then, to the "East Side" and Steel Workers Local 1133 union hall and the memorial to the ten victims of the Memorial Day Massacre of 1937. Talk with local union officers about "downsizing" of the steel industry.
Pass the abandoned hulk of the Wisconsin Steel Mill, to Pullman (original locus of the Great Pullman Strike of 1894). Park at the Visitor's Center for a walk through the community. See the Florence Hotel, the Greenstone Church, Market Hall, and streets lined with the original "Model Town" row houses, all just as they looked a hundred years ago.
Lunch at the Florence Hotel in Pullman, or have dinner at the nearby Retreat, an upscale restaurant situated in a former Pullman executive's mansion on 111th Street one block east of the Florence Hotel.
Of interest, too, is the Randolph/Pullman Museum and Gallery in North Pullman on 103rd Street. There are also excellent mural paintings at several of the Illinois Central Railroad underpasses visible from Cottage Grove Ave.
Equity actors in costume, representing key characters involved in the stories of Haymarket and Pullman can be engaged to interact with the touring party.
Price for Tours: Keeshin charter bus quote as of 1/15/96, 47-passenger with full amenities: Minimum 4 hr @ $350; $50 per additional hour; plus city tax $7.50. Union driver.
An ILHS guide is available, fee negotiable.
The Illinois Labor History Society
28 E. Jackson, Chicago, IL 60604
Phone: (312) 663-4107