Brick Cottage Row
Brick Cottage Row

Photo Tom Vlodek

How can you help preserve Chicago's workers cottages?

Walk around your block and get to know the houses and your neighbors better

Get involved in community groups in your area

Join a local preservation organization such as Preservation Chicago or a neighborhood preservation group to stay informed

Write to your alderman to tell them how these houses are a benefit to your neighborhood and worth preserving

Find tips on renovating historic houses at the Chicago Bungalow Association

Talk to your neighbors about decreasing the zoning classification of your street to lower the financial incentives for demolition

Share photos and stories about your favorite workers cottages on social media

Join the Chicago Workers Cottage Initiative mailing list to learn more!

Historic Preservation Organizations

Preservation Chicago - focussing on Chicago history in all neighborhoods

Landmarks Illinois - statewide historic preservation group

Chicago Bungalow Association - tips and resources for improving historic homes of all types

House History Research

Chicago Ancestors - list of historic resources and map of local history

Family Search Wiki - go-to resource for locating Chicago-specific historical info

Workers Cottage Background Info

This Popular House Style in Chicago Is Going Extinct - Bob Vila

Chicago Building Types: Worker Cottage - Moss Architecture

The Working Man's Reward: Chicago's Early Suburbs and the Roots of American Sprawl by Elaine Lewinnek

City of American Dreams: A History of Home Ownership and Housing Reform in Chicago, 1871-1919 by Margaret Garb

From Cottage to Bungalow: Houses and the Working Class in Metropolitan Chicago, 1869-1929 by Joseph C. Bigott