Don't let me catch you in the 'Workingman's Exchange'

Thu Dec 13, 2012 1:56 AM EST

historian Bryan Lloyd

The names and locations of every brothel, bar, casino and saloon that existed in the Cheyenne District of The Levee in Chicago between 1870 and 1905. Matching up the streets, it's the south end of today's "Loop."

Click through for the big version where there's also a second, revised map.

(via)

— Filed under: maps

Angel#77

This kind of History is so interesting. When you can actually see all the small businesses flourishing. Shopping local is one of the keys to sustaining our cities.

1 vote

#1 - Thu Dec 13, 2012 5:01 AM EST

Angel#77

I just noticed something else on the map...Satan's mile? Hmmm! what's that all about?

1 vote

#1.1 - Thu Dec 13, 2012 5:36 AM EST

Katherine Lorraine

Haha! On the second map there's West 22nd Street - The Street of Whores. That's fabulous.

I'm a huge civil engineering and city planning geek. I love this kind of stuff.

1 vote

#2 - Thu Dec 13, 2012 7:04 AM EST

stopthis

In D.C. that is K street.

1 vote

#2.1 - Thu Dec 13, 2012 9:44 AM EST

Angel#77

Sure, you are. You may want to clean up your language around here, there are ladies present.

#2.2 - Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:09 AM EST

Mj Oregon

I recommend "Sin in the Second City: Madams, Ministers, Playboys, and the Battle for America's Soul" by Karen Abbott. It's a great book about life in Chicago's Levee district during the same time period.

#3 - Thu Dec 13, 2012 1:14 PM EST

Compassion, a Human Right

I am trying, but I am a visusual person. I am not getting why this post is posted. too late!

#4 - Thu Dec 13, 2012 2:42 PM EST

JS from Chicago

Then you take it to the next level, and Google some of the places on the map, such as "Andy Craig's Tivoli"..

(it's middle right on the map, around State & Hubbard)

The Tivoli was known as the meeting place for most of the South side's pickpocket crew. In return for spending their money on the Tivoli's amenities, which besides the saloon included a sports book in the basement and prostitutes upstairs, Andy Craig served as the general bail bondsman for the group, always ready with a loan when one of them ended up in the Harrison Street police station. It was said that Craig, who became known as the "bail bond king", could be found serving bail at the police station every single day in the year, and for this reason the patrolmen came to refer to pickpockets as "Craig's people."

The Mayor ordered the Tivoli closed in 1903, after a sweep on Thanksgiving Day morning found the saloon open at 1:15 a.m., well past the midnight closing hour. The Tribune described the Tivoli at that time as home to all type of "disreputable persons," including "pickpockets, thieves, women, confidence men, and other law breakers." Not just thieves, but women!

From chicagocrimescenes (dot) blogspot (dot) com, December 2008. Fascinating maps.

#5 - Thu Dec 13, 2012 3:27 PM EST

Dennis McClendon

It's, shall we say, enhanced reality. Locations are inexact, establishments from disparate eras are shown together, there's never even been a 19th Street east of State, and lots of other things. So take it for character rather than historic accuracy.

#6 - Sat Dec 15, 2012 12:24 PM EST

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