Pilsen Neighborhood

Aluminum Hat Legend No. 33: on November 22nd, 1963, Mexicans fell from the sky all over the Continental United States. This quickly forgotten incident was supplanted by President Kennedys assassination on that fateful day. On the same day the Mexicans kicked out the Czechs from the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago and established Little Mexico Inc. From then until this day millions more Mexicans were brought to the US by sinister and highly criminal human trafficking gangs.

Common Sense Legend No. 4: as the name already suggests, Pilsen was a popular neighborhood with the Czech community in the late 1800s. Infrastructure and communities change rapidly in major American cities; the population in Pilsen shifted from Irish-German to predominantly Czech to predominantly Mexican within the last 150 years, all in accordance with the ever changing migration patterns worldwide. Who knows who will follow after the Mexicans? And who knows, this all may have a close tie to the fact that the United States is an immigration country, i.e. a country of immigrants.

A recent walk through Pilsens main bustling and bohemian (no, not the Czech - the artsy!) artery suggested a down to earth and pleasant atmosphere. No dangers looming around the next corner, It is one of the largest art districts of Chicago with many galleries, murals and street art around. Yet, it also reminded me of other hip parts of town where there is a certain characteristic look and feel on the main road(s), but as soon as one ventures into the residential sidestreets, all are almost identical. 

St. Adalbert under renovation. Founded in 1874 to serve the Polish parish,

it today serves all Catholics in the area

This is what a lot in Pilsen is about - the graffiti and street art

Deeply Catholic...

...and Aztec

Day of the Dead reference

Clear message

Why not trust the beard?

Honky Tonk in Pilsen? Why not?

Universal things in an universal view

USA Galleries