South Chicago, Illinois

South Chicago is a neighborhood of the city of Chicago, Illinois. Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, South Chicago has nearly 38,600 residents in a 3.3 mile area. South Chicago, originally an independent settlement with the name of "Ainsworth," was consolidated along with three other villages into the larger city of Chicago in 1883. The steel industry dominated South Chicago from the late 19th century through the end of the 20th century.

The steel industry developed early in South Chicago, just ten years after the Great Fire destroyed much of Chicago's central districts. The North Chicago Rolling Mill Company built a new plant in South Chicago in 1881. Eight years later, it merged with several other companies to form Illinois Steel. Illinois Steel was briefly operated by Federal Steel before becoming part of the massive U.S. Steel Corporation, which became the largest business entity in the country when it was formed in 1901. As production increased, U.S. Steel expanded its reach into Lake Michigan, filling in the waterfront with slag and other debris until it eventually occupied some 600 acres. The plant closed in 1992, and today only the guardhouse remains. The Iroquois Iron Company, another South Chicago steel plant, was founded in 1899 and acquired by Youngstown Sheet & Tube Company in 1924. Other related manufacturers included Semet Solvay Company and Federal Furnace Company. The steel industry went into decline in the 1970s, creating economic depression which still affects the South Chicago neighborhood.

South Chicago's lengthy history of heavy industry and construction activity place it in a high risk category for asbestos exposure. Workers exposed to asbestos may be at risk for malignant mesothelioma, a cancer of the lungs. If you were exposed to asbestos in South Chicago, you may benefit from seeking the advice of a mesothelioma lawyer.

Jobsites in South Chicago where Asbestos Exposure Occurred

A number of jobsites in South Chicago, IL have been identified as harboring asbestos containing materials. These sites, at one point in their history, were known to have exposed a variety of tradesmen to asbestos. We will be documenting in more detail how asbestos exposure occurred at these sites in the future on this web site.