Descriptive inventory for the Gads Hill Center visual materials, ca. 1900-1970s

  • Identification00004471
  • TitleDescriptive inventory for the Gads Hill Center visual materials, ca. 1900-1970s
  • PublisherChicago Historical Society
  • Language
    • English.
    • English
  • RepositoryChicago History Museum Research Center 1601 North Clark Street Chicago, IL 60614-6038
  • OriginationGads Hill Center (Chicago, Ill.) Lewis Wickes Hine
  • Date1900-1970s
  • Physical Description
    • 1500 photographic prints : b&w ; 11 x 14 in. or smaller
    • 43 photographic prints : col. ; 9 x 13 cm. (3 1/2 x 5 in.) or smaller
    • 380 negatives : b&w ; 6 x 6 cm. (2 1/4 x 2 1/4 in.) or smaller
    • 44 negatives : cellulose nitrate ; 5 x 7 in. or smaller
    • 12 negatives : col. ; 6 x 6 cm. (2 1/4 x 2 1/4 in.) or smaller
    • 6 transparencies : slide, col. ; 35 mm
    • 1 folder of non-graphic material
  • Location
    • 1980.0164 PPL
    • 1980.0164 PCP-0092
    • 1980.0164 PPN-0107
    • 1980.0164 PNN
    • 1980.0164 PCN-0018
    • 1980.0164 PCT-0045
    • 1980.0164 PNG

Digitization and preservation of the nitrate negatives was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Advance appointment required to view color material in cold storage or negatives in cool storage; please email research@chicagohistory.org.

Nitrate negatives restricted from access, see reference copies instead.

Gift of Gads Hill Center, 1980 (1980.0164).

Nitrate reference copies available online http://collections.carli.illinois.edu/cdm/ref/collection/chm_pp/id/1433.

Gads Hill Center visual materials (Chicago History Museum) plus a detailed description, date, and box/folder number of a specific item.

Visual materials primarily relating to the activities, facilities, and people serving and using the Gads Hill Settlement House. The bulk of the collection consists of images of children of all ages. Many of the photographic prints are small snapshots (3 x 5 in. or smaller). Activities show children in mainly educational and play settings or in groups. Also included are a large number of pictures of children from carnivals, as well as a limited number of camp photographs. Teenagers are generally shown dancing, cooking, or in groups. A number of images illustrating children and teenagers involved in sports related activities are included in this collection.

The collection also includes a large number of Christmas images mainly of parties and choirs. Elderly people involved with the settlement house are generally shown playing cards, dancing, singing, or in groups. Included in the collection are a large number of photographs of buildings and neighborhoods and specifically a large number of images of the Gads Hill Settlement House. Also included in the collection is an image of Gads Hill in Gloucester, England. For the most part, the photographs of this collection lack any specific identification.

The Gads Hill Settlement House of Chicago was established in 1898 at 869 West 22nd Street in an area then predominately inhabited by Polish, German, and Czech immigrants. Its purpose was to serve as a neighborhood center, and to secure better social, economic, and moral conditions for the people of the district. In 1916, the settlement house moved to a new building on 1919 West 20th Street (now Cullerton).

Related materials at Chicago History Museum, Research Center, include the Gads Hill Center records.

Eliminated call number 1980.0164 PNN-0091 during nitrate digitization project 2017/03/01.

  • Subject
    • Polish Americans--Illinois--Chicago
    • African Americans--Illinois--Chicago
    • Older people--Illinois--Chicago
    • Charitable organizations--Illinois--Chicago
    • Children--Illinois--Chicago
    • Christmas--Illinois--Chicago
    • Cooking--Illinois--Chicago
    • Dancing--Illinois--Chicago
    • Handicraft--Illinois--Chicago
    • Nurseries--Illinois--Chicago
    • Parties--Illinois--Chicago
    • Singers--Illinois--Chicago
    • Sports--Illinois--Chicago
    • Settlement houses--Illinois--Chicago--1900-1959
    • Social settlements--Illinois--Chicago
  • NamesGads Hill Center (Chicago, Ill.)
  • Geographic Coverage
    • Lower West Side (Chicago, Ill.)
    • Chicago (Ill.)--Social conditions

The collection is arranged into two series by format and subject.

Series 1. Photoprints of activities, structures, and people, ca. 1900-1960s (box 1-5)

Series 1 consists of black-and-white 11 in. x 14. in. photographic prints related to adult, senior citizen, teen, and children activities at the Gads Hill Center such as camps, carnivals, picnics, sports, dancing, and theatrical performances, including some pictured at Christmas. Also included are images of local buildings, landscapes, and neighborhoods. Groups like the Central Cermak Community Council, HCCC, and unidentified African Americans are also pictured.

Series 2. Special formats, ca. 1920s-1970s (box 6, folder 1-5)

Series 2 consists of black-and-white photographic negatives and color photographic prints, negatives, and transparencies related to Gads Hill Center events like art and photograph exhibitions and other entertainment; sports; neighborhoods (including aerial views), and unidentified children.