The Chicago Bungalow

The Chicago Bungalow

This book is a companion piece to an exhibition created by the Chicago Architecture Foundation to explore the legacy of the Chicago Bungalow. Both the book and the exhibition interpret the architecture of the bungalow and its social history. It is part of the Chicago Architecture Foundationís ongoing work of celebrating and educating the public about the cityís great architectural tradition. ÝÝAfter 1915, new neighborhoods appeared across the prairie. The Chicago-style bungalow came to both dominate and symbolize these areas. A one and one-half story single-family freestanding home, it included such conveniences as electricity, indoor plumbing, and central heat. Chicagoans built some 80,000 bungalows. Another 20,000 were built in suburban Cook County. Nearly every ethnic and racial group in the area has made its way at one time or another to the Bungalow Belt. Today the Bungalow Belt includes white ethnic, African American, Latino, and Asian families. ÝÝThe City of Chicago launched the Historic Chicago Bungalow Initiative in September 2000. In partnership with the newly created Historic Chicago Bungalow Association, the Chicago Architecture Foundation, financial institutions, and the City of Chicago are taking the steps necessary to preserve bungalow communities. The Chicago Bungalow is a critical part of the cityís housing infrastructure and an architectural treasure that has remained too little known and appreciated. It is hoped that this book and exhibition will help to focus attention on this long ignored treasure of Chicagoís architectural legacy. Used Book in Good Condition