Have you ever strolled through a neighborhood past rows of stately greystones only to come across an incongruous structure or parking lot and wondered what might have been there before?
Using a combination of historic images and advertisements taken from postcards, photographs, and publications held in the Special Collections and Archives, Rev. Edward R. Udovic, C.M., Ph.D, has pinned these to their current GPS street view in the interactive website called, Historypin. Within the Lincoln Park neighborhood, Fr. Udovic has created twelve walks designed to highlight the evolving character of the city blocks anchored by the longtime residency of DePaul University’s campus and the parish of St. Vincent’s Church. Each walk corresponds to different types of establishments and provides a glimpse into past entertainments, residences, industry, and such community services as schools and hospitals as they were then, now, or are no longer.
The exhibit case outside of Special Collections and Archives in Room 314 of the John T. Richardson Library showcases a selection of artifacts from our collections paired with a screen snapshot that relocates these within Historypin’s map. We encourage you to stop by this exhibit between now and the end of the summer or to take a walk, virtual or actual, using the site as a guide.
In conjunction with the Lincoln Park Community Research Initiative, Rev. Edward Udovic will discuss the creation of this site and its historic tours on Thursday, May 8th at 6:30 in McGowan South. Admission is free.