Maxwell Street

From the late 19th century until the 1960s, the open air marketplace created at Maxwell Street was the largest and busiest of its time. Most active on Sundays, this flea market sprawled over surrounding blocks and hosted a variety of items for purchase. Few vendors had fixed prices; instead, extended bargaining was the rule. Today, the market has been moved east to Canal Street to make room for the development of the University of Illinois Circle Campus. Preservationists are trying to save Maxwell Street by making it a historic district. Various groups have proposed including a Chicago Jewish history museum in the district, as so many early Jewish immigrants lived or worked near the market.