Following the influx of Catholic immigrants from Eastern and Southern Europe to Chicago, many churches were built from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. Reflecting the city’s population distribution, there were 15 Italian churches compared to over 40 Polish houses of worship. Among the Italian immigrants were master stonemasons who built the churches. Read about an Italian immigrant and her Polish friend in Chicago 100 years ago in Tazia and Gemma (see NOVELS).
