35 Vintage Photos Capture Street Scenes of Chicago in the Mid-1950s

In the mid-1950s, Chicago was a city of sharp contrasts and vibrant energy. The post-World War II era brought economic growth, modernist architecture, and a booming population, all while maintaining deep ties to its working-class roots.

Streets in Chicago were lively and diverse. Downtown, sleek cars and sharply dressed people filled busy boulevards, while jazz clubs and theaters thrived. On the South and West Sides, working-class neighborhoods buzzed with street vendors and children playing.

Streetcars and buses crowded the roads, and neon lights lit up the night, casting a glow over blues joints and diners. Amid this energy, tensions over race and class simmered, as the city balanced growth with social change.

These vintage photos from Lou Horacek were taken by his father-in-law Kermit Wendt when he went to Chicago to study electronics at Coyne Institute, and took a bunch of pictures in his spare time.