• Along the Calumet

    Since 2006, I have photographed the region along the Calumet River on the South side of Chicago. This river was the key to this once heavily industrial area that drove the South side’s economy and put Chicago on the map as one of the largest industrialized cities in the United States and the world. Today, this dreary place is nothing like it was 50 years ago; most of the factories and mills have been demolished or abandoned. Though the river is still flowing, its traffic has been slowed. I hope to examine the past, present and future of this region through both research and photography.

    The Calumet River was integral to the industrialization of the Chicago area, which set the stage for immigration and unionization that transformed the South side. With the increasing rate of outsourcing of American manufacturing jobs, it seems that the vitality of the river will continue to fade. What will become of the region remains to be seen.