Sinclair wrote the novel to portray the harsh conditions and exploited lives of immigrants in the united states in chicago and similar industrialized cities. The history of the stockyards is the subject of dominic pacygas slaughterhouse. When two parties, acting together, commit an illegal or wrongful act, the party that is held responsible for the act cannot have indemnity or contribution from the other, because both are equally culpable, and the damage results from their joint offense. The top 10 books about chicago from saul bellow to philip roth, novelist andrew rosenheim salutes the writers who have captured the beauty, and the ugliness, of his hometown browse the archive of. Thats when chicago s infamous union stock yard opened to the public, in 1865. National a philip randolph pullman porter museum, 10406 s. Image detail for chicago stockyards 1947 le marche au bestiaux new york library upton sinclair and the jungle. Union stockyard gate chicago 2020 all you need to know. The main character in the book, jurgis rudkus, a lithuanian immigrant, tries to make ends meet in chicago. In his new book, slaughterhouse, chicago historian dominic pacyga goes. Pacyga explores the history of the union stock yards, from its opening on christmas day 1865 to its.
Illustrated history of the union stockyards sketchbook of familiar faces and places at the yards paperback. The scott building is still standing and is used by the hillsboro high school,located west of our stock yards. Maryland ave, chicago this oneofakind museum features tells the history of the first national black labor union in the united states. Both the rise and fall of the district owe their fortunes to the. Pacyga, who has written distinguished histories of the city, is one of those scholars. Hogs were driven to the roofs of the building, where they were allowed to cool down. Whatever the occasion, stock yards has you covered. Above the central arch is a relief of sherman, the steer that won the american fat stock show in 1878. The union stock yards were organized and opened in 1865. On christmas day, 1865, the union stock yarda 320acre facility on chicagos south sidewas opened. Union stock yards digital collections at the university.
The stock yards company at the present time own 400 acres of land320 acres in one block and eighty acres in outlying lots. The yards inspired upton sinclair to write his book the jungle. W jos grand illustrated history of the union stockyards sketchbook 1st 1896. This market was uniquely well situated to benefit from changes taking place across the nation. Utterly disturbing, centuryold photos of meatpacking facilities. Jun 01, 2018 the shrinking union stockyards closed for good in 1971. The forgotten chicago tragedy that killed 21 firefighters. Its position in the development and maintenance of the chicago economy helped position the. Pacyga is a guide like no otherhe grew up in the shadow of the stockyards, spent summers in their hog house and cattle yards, and maintains a longstanding connection with the workingclass neighborhoods around them. This book discusses the great fires of chicago, including the union stockyards fire of 1910, which is featured on pages 4048. It contains horrific descriptions of working conditions in the stockyards and describes the rampant disregard there for. Utterly disturbing, centuryold photos of meatpacking. Dec 20, 2011 dominic pacyga shares history of chicagos stockyards in slaughterhouse they closed some 44 years ago, but chicagos union stockyards profoundly shaped the development of the city and the modern world. Chicago, illinois contributor names vachon, john, 19141975, photographer.
May 12, 2016 the jungle exposed the horrors of the meatpacking industry. These companies refined novel industrial innovations and influenced financial markets. The gate was probably designed by john wellborn root of burnham and root around 1875, and is the only significant structural element of. The union stockyards is the meatpacking district in chicago during this time. Union stock yards simple english wikipedia, the free.
Focusing on the union stockyards and related businesses, we can see the. Grand 1896 chicago 1st ed at the best online prices at ebay. A visual journey through chicago s union stockyards please use the documents in this weebly in order to investigate the environment, conditions and legacy of chicago s union stockyards. A remnant of the union stock yard gate still arches over exchange avenue, next to the firefighters memorial, and can be seen by those driving along halsted street. This facility was purchased in 1958 from the hillsboro livestock co. Chicago stockyards project gutenberg selfpublishing. In the jungle, sinclair gives a gruesome account of the meatpacking industry as corrupt, unsanitary, and diseased.
Or, surprise your special someone with a romantic night in with the kings and queens meal, complete with sides and desserts. A spectacular aerial photograph of the raging fire in the union stockyards area as it swept, leaving an appalling trail of ruin, together with other pictures showing in detail the other thrilling views of the disastrous south side fire, will be found on page 5. Jan 16, 2018 the union stockyards left an indelible mark on chicagos history, not only defining the city as hogbutcher for the world, but also provided jobs for the many immigrants coming to chicago. Chicagos union stock yard and the world it made pacyga. Old horses did wind up in rendering tanks, but americans wouldnt eat them. A half mile of pork, at armours great packing house in chicago, around 1894 taotronics warm and cool mist humidifiers, 5. Chicago history takes a look at the union stockyard.
Following the end of the civil war in 1865, chicago s various, scattered livestock markets consolidated into one large market, the union stock yard, on the south side. The 109,000 horses transshipped through chicago were likely destined to work in the eastern cities. The salt opened in 1865, chicago s union stock yard was the greatest livestock market the world had seen. As a result, the government would step in and pass legislation that protected consumers from consuming unsafe food. Nov 23, 2015 they closed some 44 years ago, but chicagos union stockyards profoundly shaped the development of the city and the modern world. During the 1870s and 1880s, the united states wrested new territory from american. Chicagos union stock yard and the world it made by dominic pacyga book excerpt the columbia college chicago history professor dominic pacyga traces the. The union stock yards co,inc property was an original part of the samuel p and elizabeth scott land. How chicagos slaughterhouse spectacles paved the way for big. Online shopping from a great selection at books store.
The district was operated by a group of railroad companies that acquired marshland and turned it into a centralized processing area. Pacyga is a guide like no otherhe grew up in the shadow of the stockyards, spent summers in their hog house and cattle yards, and maintains a. For a hundred years, the back of the yards area on the south side of chicago was home to the union stockyards, the legendary institution that put its stamp on the entire city. The union stockyard and transit company, known commonly as the chicago stockyards, was a major industrial hub in chicago for more than a century. Jurgis returns to chicago, holds down a succession of laboring jobs and works.
By the 1890s, the railroad money behind the union stockyards was vanderbilt money. According to the illustrated history of the union stockyards, horses went first class in other ways. If youre planning a feast for family and friends, ordering stock yards steaks will make it an applauseworthy event. Chanute submitted a competitive design for the union stock yards of chicago, and this having been selected in preference to a score of other designs, he was made chief engineer of the yards, and supervised their construction. Tracy ullman, producer of the union stockyards for chicago stories. He and his family live near the stockyards and meatpacking district where many.
A depiction of the decline of the union stockyards as major meatpacking companies relocated. After you look at these images of meatpacking facilities from early last century, youll understand why social reformer upton sinclair wrote his great 1906 novel the jungle about workers horrific experiences in the meat packing industry. The union stockyards history fair carbondale duration. When chicago was hog butcher to the world wttw chicago. The fall of chicagos porkopolis and the rise of niche meat. How chicagos slaughterhouse spectacles paved the way for. The union stockyards left an indelible mark on chicago s history, not only defining the city as hogbutcher for the world, but also provided jobs for the many immigrants coming to chicago. In 1875, the chicago tribune estimated that nearly onefifth of the chicago population was dependent on the stockyards and packinghouses, and by 1880, livestock receipts in the city amounted to 8. This tripartite gate marked the entrance to the animal pens and is flanked by pedestrian arches. The book begins with his wife ona and his wedding feast.
The city of chicago has an endlessly fascinating history that scholars have explored for several generations. A longabandoned swift and company facility, high above the stockyards district of fort worth, texas physical description. This limestone gate, marking the entrance to the stockyards, survives as one of the few relics of chicago s heritage of livestock and meatpacking. Dominic pacyga, a local historian and former stockyard worker, tells the story in his new book slaughterhouse. Photographs from chicago s meatpacking industry, circa 1900 a different type of farming, the meat packing industry in chicago feeds the nation just like our crops do. Sep 10, 2015 in this weeks roundup of chicago book news, slaughterhouse by dominic a. Dec 22, 2016 the forgotten chicago tragedy that killed 21 firefighters. We would love to have you stop by and visit the union stock yards co. This handout will be turned in at the end of class. From the minute it openedon christmas day in 1865it was chicagos m. Following the end of the civil war in 1865, chicagos various, scattered livestock markets consolidated into one large market, the union stock yard, on the south side. To research his writing of the jungle, sinclair worked in chicago at the stockyards.
Oct 16, 2007 back of the yards, chicago circa 1972. The union stockyards operated in the new city community area for 106 years, helping chicago become known as hog butcher for the world and the center. His novel was aimed at one of the most profitable industries in chicago, the stockyards, which employed 25,000 men, women, and children and each year slaughtered fourteen million animals. We are a place where grandparents and parents bring their children or grandchildren to see the animals and receive a candy treat. This perspective print of chicago s union stock yards and packing houses was drawn and published by charles rascher in 1890. An investigation carried on under the direction of the board of the university of chicago settlement.
Please complete the handout according to the stop that you are at on the weebly. For pacyga, a history professor at columbia college chicago. Chicago historian dominic pacyga labored in the stockyards as a young man. Upton sinclairs famed novel, the jungle, had a profound effect on the huge business of the stockyards in chicago. Title the great union stock yards of chicago summary birdseye view, with identification key listing the names of 37 commercial pack houses, fertilizer factories, slaughterhouses, and other businesses shown in the print. In business since 1931 and in hillsboro since 1958. Pacygas book about chicagos union stock yard and the surrounding neighborhood is all at once a history of technology and a work of urban, business, and labor history.
Dominic pacyga shares history of chicagos stockyards in slaughterhouse they closed some 44 years ago, but chicagos union stockyards profoundly shaped the development of the city and the modern world. Pacyga explores the history of the union stock yards, and the paperback of on immunity by eula biss will be released. They closed some 44 years ago, but chicagos union stockyards profoundly shaped the development of the city and the modern world. Explore chicago s history with cpls digital and archival collections, recommended books and blog posts. Chicagos union stock yard and the world it made university of chicago press, a new book by columbia college history professor dominic pacyga. The jungle is a 1906 novel by the american journalist and novelist upton sinclair 18781968.
Chicago photos image by bradford electrics history. Complete online text of the novel by upton sinclair whod worked in the meat. The union stock yard gate, located on exchange avenue at peoria street, was the entrance to the famous union stock yards in chicago. Courtesy of university of chicago pressdominic pacyga this is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. The new ep is out now head on over to our bandcamp page unionstockyards.
Chicagos union stock yard and the world it made by dominic pacyga book excerpt. Union stockyards 850 w exchange ave chicago, il historical. I recall so vividly reading upton sinclairs book the jungle when i was in high school. Illustrated history of the union stockyards paperback chicago.
Dominic pacyga traces chicago stockyards history in. Its arched limestone gate was declared a public landmark on february 24th, 1972. The chicago stock yards were created on swampland southwest of the city in the 1860s to consolidate the scattered independent yards that were strewn about the growing city. The yards inspired upton sinclair to write his book the jungle the stockyards became the important point of the rise of some of the earliest international.
A half mile of pork, at armours great packing house in chicago, around 1894. How chicago s slaughterhouse spectacles paved the way for big meat. Slaughterhouse tells the story of the union stock yard, chronicling the rise and fall of an industrial district that, for better or worse, served as the public face of chicago for decades. Oct 15, 2015 how chicago became hog butcher for the world in his new book, slaughterhouse, chicago historian dominic pacyga goes back to his roots as a laborer in the southside stockyards. A day at the union stock yardan article that was published in the july 1907 issue of chicago the great central market magazine. A study of chicago s stockyards community an investigation carried on under the direction of the board of the university of chicago settlement. The gate was designed by john wellborn root of burnham and root around 1875. His latest work to examine the history of chicago is slaughterhouse. The coffee pot is always on and candy is always on our office counter. Pacyga is a guide like no otherhe grew up in the shadow of the stockyards, spent summers in their hog house and cattle yards, and maintains a longstanding connection with.
Dennis collection of stereoscopic views 3 aerial view of chicago s union stockyards, ca. Chicago, illinois contributor names vachon, john, 19141975, photographer created published. See below for links for more excellent introductory sources to the history of the union stockyards, and scroll down to see the two signs i find at the site which also provide a brief history. We worked our asses of to write this one and were really stoked to share it with you. Find events on chicago history explore chicago s history with cpls digital and archival collections, recommended books and blog posts. Dominic pacyga shares history of chicagos stockyards in.
More impressively, he covers all these subdisciplines well in a slim 200 pages of text. He and his family live near the stockyards and meatpacking district where many immigrants, who do not know much english, work. Nov 22, 2015 dave talks with author dominic pacyga about his new book marking the 150th anniversary of the opening of the stockyards. A square mile of the city just upstream from downtown devoted to turning livestock into products that saw 18 million animals in a year at its peak. Dec 03, 2015 how chicago s slaughterhouse spectacles paved the way for big meat. Chicagos union stockyards gate ordinary philosophy. The great union stock yards of chicago library of congress. Pacyga will be published by university of chicago in october. Pacyga explores the history of the union stock yards, from its opening on christmas day 1865 to its closing in 1971, and looks at the stockyards. In the great union stock yards stockyards, chicago, u. Courtesy of university of chicago pressdominic pacyga dave talks with author dominic pacyga about his new book marking the 150 th anniversary of the opening of the stockyards. Bush harper, a man who works for mike scully as a union spy. Explore all three branches of the chicago river on a journey through the heart of the city.
881 823 998 806 512 213 513 1250 974 963 899 689 297 245 1183 1610 1651 224 1592 615 486 1322 1136 109 518 146 996 7 436 805 817