Some of Chicago's Public Baths

If you're a Chicago history type, you may know about Chicago's public bathhouses.  These were built from the 1890s through the 1910s in working-class neighborhoods.  At that time, many Chicagoans (especially immigrants) lived in cheap apartment buildings lacking hot water, with only a shared bathroom.  If you've heard the term "cold water flat," that's what it describes. 

So, the Chicago City Council stepped in and required every landlord to install a central water heater and private baths for their tenants. HA HA HA, THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN!  That would have alienated their wealthiest voters and resulted in a blizzard of lawsuits.  Instead, city administrators bought property, designed no-frills bathhouses, and built a few where they were most needed. And it really was just a few.  Imagine 20 bathhouses serving the entire city in 1910. 

I don't mean to belittle this.  It was a major Progressive Era accomplishment.  It was also an important achievement for women reformers looking to improve the city.  During this very sexist time, women were encouraged to participate in public health initiatives, which were seen as more appropriate for their "natural" inclinations.  In this case, the Municipal Order League, a women's reform organization established in 1892 to keep the streets clean at the World's Fair, actively advocated for bathhouses.

Most people imagine a huge shower room, but it was actually individual showers where you could change, then access a private shower stall.  Although the bathhouse was free, you could pay a nominal fee to rent a towel and buy some soap.  The basement held the water heater and laundry equipment. The second floor had an apartment for the bathhouse attendant.  Men and women used the same building, but on different days.  If you said you were busy washing your hair, that was valid-- the lines were long...

Eventually, the building codes were changed, and new construction was required to provide private bathrooms and bathing facilities.  After WWII, attendance at public baths fell rapidly.

A great book on bathhouses is "Washing the Great Unwashed: Public Baths in Urban America, 1840-1920," by Marilyn Thornton Williams.  There's also a good article on the Forgotten Chicago website: Public Bath Houses | Forgotten Chicago | History, Architecture, and Infrastructure.  

But a 1969 report from Chicago's Department of Development and Planning may be the most interesting.  It can be read here:  1969 A Report Concerning The Chicago Public Bath House System DPD : City of Chicago : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Primarily a planning report, it provides an overview of the public bath program and includes interesting statistics and strong photography.  But it's clear the architecture itself is not considered notable.  And in 1969 Chicago, perhaps it wasn't.  Even so, the report suggests landmarking the Ogden Public Bathhouse for its importance to Chicago's social history and as a representative example of its type.  The Commission on Chicago Landmarks, established by ordinance the previous year, presumably considered this recommendation. 

None of these public baths were ultimately landmarked, and I really don't know why. They were all city-owned, so who would have objected? Today, most have been demolished, though a few survivors were converted into single-family homes or adapted as park district buildings. But for a city that basically invented the public bath system, it's become just another historical footnote.  

These illustrations are adapted from photos included in the 1969 report.  For the ones that are long gone (all of them except Medill), I had to guess the color scheme.  I drew the buildings in pen, then scanned and colored them in Photoshop.

Items 1 through 21 are noted in Marilyn Thornton Williams' book, "The Great Unwashed: Public Baths in Urban America, 1840-1920"

Item 22 is from the City of Chicago's  "A Report Concerning the Department of Health's Bath House System, 1969."

A - Shower baths for men only located in pumping stations. These addresses were blank, so I'm making a guess on the exact location.

B - Now converted to a residence.

C - Also housed an infant welfare station with a waiting room large enough to serve as an auditorium.

D - Now in use as a Chicago Park District building.