Rochelle Michaelson
I talked to Rochelle at her granddaughter Abby's Bat Mitzvah. Rochelle told me her grandfather Israel Cohen lived at 1316 Sangamon in the 1920s. Her grandfather was a founder of a synagogue in the neighborhood. The building is gone but the congregation still exists somewhere in the Northwest of Chicago. She said her father owned practically the whole block he lived on. She would go to visit her grandparents for the Jewish holidays and always had a wonderful time experiencing the Maxwell Street neighborhood, "it was like a circus." She remembers sneaking out of the house and going to see the man selling medicine using a bull whip to attract attention. Her exasperated grandmother would find her and say, with her hands on her hip, "Ruchel, Ruchel, Ruchel " (her name in Hebrew). Rochelle also remembers that a member of the family was allergic to regular milk and was told to drink goat's milk. So her grandfather kept two goats in a barn in the back of the house property. One goat was so tame that the family often took it into the house.
-- Steve Balkin interviewing Rochelle Michaelson, April 8, 2000
As a Young Girl
When I was a young girl, growing up on the southwest side of Chicago, my dear departed mother would tell me to cleanup my room saying, "your room looks like Maxwell Street". I guess that was a compliment. There was WOPA playing after midnight in that room on an old ivory-plastic radio. Not a bad memory.....miss the smells of Maxwell St., home of the Hot Polish sausage.
- Agnes Mary Zalewski <justag@mia.net>Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999
Theodore Muhammad
There was Theodore Muhammed, the peanut man. He was trained by Fard (founder of the Black Muslims). Theodore Muhammed was around in the 1930s to the 1950s and lived on Peoria or Sangamon. He sold all over and was walking all over Roosevelt Rd. He would usually end up at Father & Son's fish place. He had a day job at Mr. Taylor's Store where they sold candy and coal and wood. You know Fard was a peddler. Maybe he sold on Maxwell Street too.
- Jimmie Lee Robinson relayed in December 1998
Street Vendor chant, heard in November, 1998 in front of Jim's Hot Dog Stand.
Somebody and everybody needs cologne
Cologne for the woman.
So do and some don't.
Everyone wanna smell good.
Just like they knew they would.
Let it be understood.
-- Hugh the perfume vendor (recorded by Steve Balkin)
*********************
Vendor Chants at the New Maxwell Street Market, Sunday April 25, 1999
One dollar-one dollar, one dollar for a watermelon,
sweet watermelon, one dollar a watermelon
(and then something in Spanish).
++++
Duct tape, box, tape, carpet tape, masking tape.
One dollar
yo yos, yo yos, one dollar, yo yos
The Forth of July is tomorrow (referring to pop sound makers).
Ballad of Jimmie Lee Robinson by Steve Balkin, July 12, 2002
When They Ended The Polish Stands at Maxwell Street by Steve Balkin, 2001
Rites at the Bandstand, Maxwell and Halsted, Sunday Afternoon, August 15, 1999 by Steve Balkin
Reflecting on Gerald Suttles book, The Social Order of the Slum by Steve Balkin
New Maxwell Street Market, April, 25, 1999 by Steve Balkin
On Old Maxwell Street, Saturday, May 15, 1999 by Steve Balkin
Maxwell Street, 1999 by Margaret Mantle
Restaurant Reviews
These two reviews by were found in the Usenet group chi.eats
From: Rene G <renege13@hotmail.com>, Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 22:16:37 GMT
Jim's Hot Dogs 1320 S Halsted St (at Maxwell) 312-666-0533 Serves the definitive Maxwell Street Polish 24 hours a day. Curbside seating (i.e., no seats). This is where I take out of town guests who want to see the real Chicago (atmosphere is best at night but it's not for the squeamish). Just not the same since they tore down most of Maxwell Street though. Better get there before they tear it down too.
Manny's 1141 S Jefferson St 312-939-2855 Manny's is always mentioned as having the best corned beef in the city (this is probably true but does anyone remember Braverman's? -- talk about a good old place!). Even if you take away the corned beef (God forbid!) this is still one of the great places in Chicago. An old style Jewish steam table cafeteria. How many places in the city still serve rice pudding and stewed prunes?
IMAGES
Bargain Day, 1960s Album Cover
Street Scene 1970s (196K) - from Jazziz, Feb. 1999
Working on the website(49K) - photo by Lee Landry, 1998
web page provided by OPENAIR-MARKET NET
return to Preserve Maxwell Street
