Bronzeville photo, 1961

Description of the Collection

One aerial color photograph (by unidentified photographer) of buildings, primarily residential, covering the 3400 south blocks of Michigan Ave., Indiana Ave., Prairie Ave., and Calumet Ave. in Chicago. Photo is apparently taken from the roof of De La Salle Institute (located at 3455 S. Wabash) and shows a two-bay red and green "Dutch" type building at center bottom with a sign reading "Sparks Hotel" (located at 3433 So. Michigan per 1961-62 telephone book white pages). A white Cadillac, ca. 1961, sits in front of one empty lot near the center of the photo. There is a second empty lot near at the left edge of the photo. Otherwise the image shows densely packed three- and four-story buildings, primarily of brick and stone with some of the mansions along Michigan Ave. clearly visible. One newer white commercial building at the left is the former Chicago Defender building. Michigan Ave. buildings still extant in 2001 include the former Sparks Hotel, and the ones at 3431, 3427, and 3423 So. Michigan.