detailed survey of 19th century cottages in wicker park underway

i'll be spending the next several months documenting (off-and-on) 19th century residential structures in and around wicker park with an emphasis on workers cottages. an exhaustive photographic survey of these structures offered in condensed format (e.g., book, archive, etc.) is long overdue, espeically in light of the number of demolitions destroying the historic fabric of this neighborhood and others across the city.

i've included images of a two-story 1880s brick workers cottage accentuated with incised lemont limestone window hoods facing demolition in the image gallery below. 

note: i couldn't help but include richard nickel's "polish palazzo" as i crisscrossed the area. too bad only the facade and a few feet of the two-story building are all that's left standing.

images courtesy of bldg. 51 archive.

further reading:

BLDG. 51 FORMING NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION FOR PRESERVING CHICAGO WORKERS COTTAGES