Living Conditions in 1900's Chicago

In the early 1900's, Jane Addams established the Hull House in the inner city of Chicago. In the surrounding, impoverished neighborhoods, there were a mix of many nationalities, living expenses and living conditions: Some of the groups are correlated.

Overall, the geographical area was basically slums or ghettos in extreme poverty. Most of the living space was made up of immigrants of various nationalities, usually living all within a close area. Groups of the same race or nationality, would live close to one another, also with the same living conditions. 

In the Polk & Twelfth and Hausted & Jefferson block of Chicago, Italians lived in the most low-cost spaces ranging from less then five dollars and $5-$10 for rent. Other predominant groups, the middle of the lower-class, on the block were Bohemian or English-speaking people that lived in the "mainstream" conditions, $5-$10 and $10-$15, respectively. The more "upperclass" of the poor were either Russian or Polish. They lived in space that was the most expensive range, from $15-$20 for rental.

In another block of the city, also close to the Hull House, there was the same type of groupings of ethnicities. It was the same types and cost of living space for the same types of nationalities. Except on this side of town, on this block, much of the space owned by English-speaking people were used as brothels!

There is more evidence of the poverty and the hardship experienced in the inner city of Chicago in various photos taken during that time period. Much of these photos show the hardship, and almost this misfortune, of the living conditions. There are photos of polluted city streets with dirty garbage boxes that were hard to empty and to clean. Another photo shows the density of the neighborhoods surrounding the Hull House, displaying the lack of space and the difficulty to find a play area for children. The last photo was a found play area: a small, garbage-lined, disease-infested alleyway with children running about. This showed what kind of places were used for play areas and shows the lack of supervision of the kids. 

Overall, the conditions were obviously not the best, back in that era. The living conditions were poor and were cramped, and expensive for that time period.  Jane Addams did her part to make it better for the less-fortunate by establishing her settlement house.