An Illinois transplant who grew up and went to school in Indiana for 22 years, Elizabeth holds a BFA in creative writing and has enjoyed traveling across the country and parts of Europe. She has visited half of the states, as well as parts of Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, and regularly travels home to the Hoosier State to see friends and family. With more than five years of writing experience, Elizabeth’s articles have been featured on several websites, and her poetry and short stories have been published in multiple literary journals.
Involving a majority of world powers, the Second World War is categorized by the Holocaust, the first use of nuclear weapons in history, and the murder of between 50 and 85 million people, most of which were civilians. Meanwhile, these 13 rare photos show what was going on in Chicago.
Everyday life seemed normal on the surface, but even Chicagoans were struggling to get by. Keep scrolling for a peek into the past.
1. Taken in 1941, this image of a residence-turned-church shows the diverse architecture that makes Chicago unique. The old cars on the street really take you back.
3. This image of an alley beneath the train tracks shows Chicago's brick roads and steel beams. The man passing by seems to be dancing or walking exceptionally fast.
4. A couple walks down the street in 1940 passing the Atlas Tack Corporation. By the way they are dressed, it is apparent that some people still had money or could afford to hold on to their nice things.
7. One of the more interesting rare photos taken during World War II, this ancient image depicts children on the street, perhaps a group of siblings. From the way they are dressed it must have been cold out.