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connections to Chicago
Ukrainian Village
Reflection
Ola Kierzkowska
Sferra
University 101-029H
23 October 2016
Last weekend on October 15, 2016, my Univ group had the pleasure of exploring Ukrainian Village. My group included Spencer, Kristin, Chris, and myself! We woke up to an overcast day at about 65 degrees--our version of perfect weather for adventure. Ukrainian Village is within the West Town Community Area of Chicago. While the Germans were the one to develop the town after the fire in 1871, the Ukrainians began to outnumber every other ethnic group in the area beginning around 1900. In contrast to its neighbor, Wicker Park, Ukrainian Village is a predominantly working-class neighborhood. The average household income is $92,102, and the median household income is $61,357 (Ukrainian Village). The most [culturally] impactful parts of the town include the Saint Volodymyr Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral and the Saint Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral (Chicago Historical Society), where we actually got to go inside because it was the weekend of Chicago’s annual Open House Chicago festival.
I enjoyed visiting this neighborhood just because it was a different atmosphere from anywhere else I’d visited in Chicago. It was also a great way to get to know my group members better since half of us weren’t in the same friend group. Before coming to Ukrainian Village, we researched places to go and found interesting places such as the Historical Houses, Star Lounge Coffee Bar, and Komoda (Rami). It was a challenge to figure out what day worked best for everyone, but after a week of talking about it and planning our schedules, we figured that a Saturday morning was the best time for all of us to go. From there, it was all smooth sailing… Well, maybe not. I had originally typed in an address to a cafe on the outskirts of Ukrainian Village thinking that it would bring us to the heart of the town. After a lot of walking around and not seeing anything Ukrainian-looking, we stopped to look at a map on our phones and realized that we were in Humboldt Park, one town over from Ukrainian Village. Once we finally got to where we wanted to be, it was a great experience. I definitely didn’t feel like an outsider in the community. I felt more like an observer trying to figure out what the town was all about. It was a comfortable yet confusing atmosphere. The best way to describe Ukrainian Village is a mix of genres. There was a historical house district right next to modern cafes and homes. There was an old cathedral right next to a hipster gift shop. While it was hard to get my bearings, I think the mixture of styles gave the village its specific character.
Through this project, I learned not to discriminate against certain parts of Chicago because a lot of foreign parts hold secret treasures. While I do consider myself culturally diverse, I grew up in the suburbs. I was taught to be afraid of the neighborhoods surrounding Chicago. This project forced me to step out of my comfort zone and leave with fun souvenirs from Komoda gift shop and with great memories of good food from the Shokolad Cafe.
Works Cited
Chicago Historical Society. "Ukrainian Village." Ukrainian Village. Encyclopedia of Chicago, 2005. Web. 23 Oct. 2016. <http://encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/2160.html>.
Rami, Trupti. "The Insider’s Guide to Ukrainian Village: 15 Great Things to Do."Chicago Dining and Drinking. Chicago Magazine Real Estate Neighborhoods, 13 Sept. 2013. Web. 23 Oct. 2016. <http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/September-2013/A-Guide-to-Ukrainian-Village-Where-to-Eat-Shop-and-Play/>.
"Ukrainian Village." Point2Homes. Point2, n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2016. <http://www.point2homes.com/US/Neighborhood/IL/Chicago/Ukrainian-Village-Demographics.html>.