Bridgeport Block Party
South Side
Bridgeport, a neighborhood just three miles southwest of the Loop, has a long history as a working-class community. Irish, German, and Norwegian immigrants settled in the area as they worked to build the Illinois and Michigan Canal in the 1830s that would connect the Chicago River to the Illinois River and make Chicago a booming center of trade. Bridgeport has continued to attract communities of immigrants from many countries working in nearby industries.
Video Running Time 2:41
Sometime in the 1970s, a moment of neighborhood unity was captured on camera by filmmaker Tom "Tommy Chicago" Palazzolo. After moving to Chicago in 1960, Palazzolo began using his experimental filming style to chronicle the oddities of the city. His footage in Bridgeport shows neighbors of all ages enjoying the simple joys of games and activities together on the street in front of their homes.
