2. Location
✦ In West Town next to Wicker Park
✦ Takes about one hour on public
transportation
✦ Directions:
✦ 1. Take the CTA Red Line
towards 95th
✦ 2. Get off at Clark/Division
✦ 3. Transfer to CTA Bus 70
✦ 4. Get off at Division &
Oakley
3. History
✦ Heart of Ukrainian Village- St. Nicholas
Cathedral built from 1913-1915
✦ First settled by Polish and Slovak
immigrants
✦ Influx of Ukrainians due to WWI, the area
then assumed this identity
✦ Post WWII- Ukrainian freedom crusade,
wave in immigration of highly skilled,
professional Ukrainians due to Soviet
onslaught
✦ After WWII, thousands of political
refugees came to this area, in opposition
of Stalinist regime
4. Landmarks
✦ St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral
○ Built 100 years ago, it is modeled after the multi-domed eleventh century
Cathedral of St. Sophia in Kyiv, Ukraine, whose famous mosaics and
frescos are mimicked in the Chicago landmark
✦ Fatso’s Last Stand
○ Known for char dogs, fried shrimp, homemade macaroni and cheese
✦ Kasia’s Deli & Catering
○ Kazimiera Bober immigrated to Chicago from Poland in the 1970’s and
opened the bakery which soon soared in sales for her famous pierogi.
✦ Racine Bakery
○ Family owned and operated since 1984 and offers a variety of Eastern
European ethnic food
○ Specializes in Lithuanian and Polish bakery and deli items
5. Demographics
✦ In Chicago, there are about 46,000 Ukrainian
immigrants, with the majority residing in
Ukrainian Village
✦ In the 1930s, there were already 5 Ukrainian
parishes in the neighborhoods of Chicago.
Today there are 3 major Ukrainian churches, two
Ukrainian banks, a Ukrainian school, a Ukrainian
museum, and many Ukrainian restaurants and
stores surrounding the area
✦ Ukrainians outnumbered other ethnic groups in
the neighborhood
✦ But by 1990, only 2,500 people living in these
neighborhoods claimed to be of Ukrainian
descent, due to emigration
7. Reflection
This experience to Ukrainian Village allowed us as a group to bond and
get to know one another while enjoying a part of Chicago that none of us has
ever been to. We became aware of the diversity Chicago embraces through
neighborhoods such as Ukrainian Village. We were able to see the beautiful
St. Nicholas Cathedral, and even explore different grocery stores with foods
we’ve never heard of. It showed us a side of Chicago that made us feel like
we were immersed in Eastern European culture with the languages we
heard, the Ukrainian flags proudly hanging from each house, and the amount
of cultural dishes sold at the corner market.
8. Sources
"Fatso's Last Stand." Http://www.fatsoslaststand.com. Fatso's Last Stand, 2014. Web. 21 Oct. 2014.
"Kasia's Deli :: About Us." Kasia's Deli :: About Us. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2014.
"Loyola University Chicago to Ukrainian Village." Google Maps. Google, n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2014.
"Traditional European Style." .:: Racine Bakery ::. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2014.
"Ukrainian National Museum of Chicago -." Ukrainian National Museum of Chicago -. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2014.
"Ukrainian Village." Chicago Metro Area Real Estate. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2014
"Ukrainian Village." Encyclopedia of Chicago. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2014.
