Old Maxwell Street Chicago

[MrChewie007]

Now i know where all the white sox fans live lol GHETTO

[backwardk]

@MrChewie007

Fags and the Northside

[Curious142]

It looks like Maxwell St. used to be a slum. But appearances can be decieving.

[madmex1000]

That relay sad to think of how it used to be. Im sad to say its gone. We still got the memories

[daddystressed]

anyone remember the tailor shop that used to be on the second floor ? you could walk up a flight of stair and people would be sitting around the front waiting on their cloth's. you could walk up mto the counter and the fitting rooms were on your left hand side. anyone know ithe name of that place or if they move to a new place ?

[tlkw]

THE UIC FUCK EVERY ONE FOR THIS LAND

[snuggie007]

*Sigh* how I miss the ol' sweet stench of greasy rat sausages! (I know they relocated, but its not the same). And strangely enough, I even miss those homeless peddlers that would be out on Halsted trying to sell porno flicks to me and my friends. The area is completely unrecognizable now, as is the rest Chicago if you were around pre-UICification. A lot of the grit and grim is gone, but so is a huge part of what gave the neighborhood its character. Oh how I miss all of your warts Chicago!

[15septembergirl]

It's amazing how this neighborhood has changed in 10-20 years. UIC has taken over.

[OneFlistedFury]

I used to be upset at the crap that they built around there over a historic neighborhood, but upon viewing historic photographs of the neighborhood, it was clear to me that it was NEVER nice around there. It was all crap buildings that have been falling apart since the 40s. It's sad that the old Maxwell Street neighborhood is dead w/ yuppies dancing on its grave but it's even sadder that it wasn't built to last in the first place.

[checker764]

@OneFlistedFury "it's even sadder that it wasn't built to last in the first place"

That's not true at all. It WAS built to last, and did last for over 100 years. But when UIC and the city made their backroom deal for this land a few years before this videa was shot, part of the deal was that the city would withhold ALL city services - street repair, regular garbage pick up, building inspections, etc. - in order to drive out the residents to make way for the demolition and "improvement".

[7UniqueElements]

UIC & The City made plans for Jewtown way back in the 60s. My daddy told us that all the time. Didn't yall notice how the city NEVER cleaned Jewtown up or repaired it? You could've fallen to your dayum death on one of many sidewalks down there & rarely did a street sweeper clean on the side streets if ever. The vendors did their best to keep it clean where they had their stands. Do yall remember Rush Liquors or Nate's Delicatessen? RIP NATE.

[gypsysisterlove4]

hello chicago!! long time no see!:(( miss you! use 2 go every month with my men,,on halsted and get some maxwell style sauges with lotts of onion&HOTT!PEPPERS!!<3 darn! i sure miss it!! so long! dear chicagoeans! btw chicago is my son's birthplace!<3

[BlahSnarto]

I remember how it was if you went sound there were shanty's (late 80's early 90's era) now it looks like someone shat a mall and condo going south..

Thanks for posting the video.

[Blackwater1]

Django Reinhardt?

[brownsunday]

i was like 20- 21 back in this time, Chicago was the best city mein, barely crimes, having sex with girls like anyday, dont haveto dress to impress, money wasnt nothing, all we did was trade stuff, at that time, drugs werer introduced and it was destruction to chicago!!!

[pecorino69]

all these people talkin about history and what not, on here...you fokin people didnt live there. buncha tourists takin in the scenery...the place was dump back in the 70s and i guarantee you woulda shit your pants to go there. Ghetto gets cleaned up and now its, "Oh the history!" fokin burb folk...and fok da blues bros too!

[TDKIII]

old buildings are irreplaceable...besides, its just a bunch of ugly new architecture and strip malls down there now

[butterp7]

Oh my god! This footage is great. I'm sending this to all my buddies. Right before you get to the corner of Halsted is where Kelly's sports store used to be! Used to by all my Chuck Taylor converse shoes there for..get this..$10!! Right there is Jim's polish stand. Best damned polish/cheesburger/porkchop sandwhiches! Of course the Deli was right across from Jim's on Union where they filmed that Blues Brother scene. God how I miss the real Chicago!!!

[reckonman]

great video

[tubesock7777]

Was that Roosevelt and Halsted right at the end?

[7UniqueElements]

It shole is...heading north towards Taylor Street.

[mytheropy]

Thanks for showing this before construction took over.

[DaFaceManXXX]

this is best footage, That's mess up Uviversity Village replace Maxwell street

[skydog70]

In all honesty, there was really nothing down there worth missing. Maxwell was full of too much rifraff..I'm sure the Hot Dogs and onions., (and grape sodas) can be made somewhere else, and, of course, the music, too...

[mytheropy]

Well if our Alderman & friends,in that area, would have thought more about how history and People would perceive them NOW and what could have happend to that area then I think he would have made a better decision.

The riffraff's wouldn't be there if they policed the area like they do on Rush str.

I see what it could have been. Now you see ..... An over inflated over hyped encroachment into low - middle class housing neighborhoods. Fleeting Options.

Cheap Real Estate gone wild...

[mrdeedz1]

you never really miss anything until its gone. Damn you, UIC!!!

[mytheropy]

They paved pair - O - dice

and put up a parking lot...

bop bop...

[WHTSOX74]

Filmed before YouTube era is what makes this great.I like Maxwell st. better the old way.

[Israel1E]

WHERES THE HOT DOG STAND?????????

[number1tactician]

Pause the video at 1:18 --- you'll see it. Man! This really brought back a lot of great memories.

[mytheropy]

GONE........ $  $ _____

[RCA76]

Geesh, I remember when I went to UIC in 1996 and it looked just like this. I since went back last year, DIDN'T EVEN RECOGNIZE IT!

[peaceonearth777]

You should have been there in the 50s and 60s. You would really trip. My mom took me there on Sundays as a kid for the flea market. When I worked in Greek town in the 70s early 80s it still was great. Loved that smell of grilling onions! Oh yeah, what a town. I miss it. Moved out for good in 84. Or for bad really. Peace on,,,,,,,,,,

[maxwellstreetdoc]

Great Footage! Check out our videos all footage is from Cheat You Fair: The Story of Maxwell Street!

Showing at Sundance 2008! Finally the world will hear the REAL history of Maxwell Street!!

[UFMD1]

this was a bad time for the place, the stores and street sellers were already shut down. I like the older "jew town" a lot, even with the crime. now like every other once cool place in Chicago, just mundane yuppy shit, no flavor.

[hipsterduck]

what's the song playing in the background?

[CaponeX773]

Wow. This is how I remember Maxwell/Halsted. Now it's all gentrified and unrecognizable. I spent many a Sunday morning down there while growing up. *sigh* Dem was the days.

[ottlakerambler]

Yes and no, Al.

Yes, now the corner of Maxwell and Halsted as everyone Knew it doesn't exist anymore and is absolutely unrecognizable. No, it is not gentrified. It is "University Village."

[mejia111]

what year is this from?

[DisturbingTheFleece]

Great vid! Very nostalgic...Kinda miss the original hot dogs, polishes, pork chops, gold chains, pornos, nikes, leather coats, and "coordinating" pimp suits.

[tktseller]

Wow! Never thought it looked that bad. Now it's all Yuppies!