The Welsh Who Built Chicago

In the latter part of the nineteenth century, Welsh settlers who made their way to the shores of Lake Michigan in America's heartland became key contributors to the growth and development of what was to become the country's second largest city: Chicago. From 1883 on - when there was little more than an Indian trading center on that spot and a population of only 350 - Chicago grew more rapidly than any other urban center on the planet. By 1893, a mere sixty years later, it had evolved into a vibrant, modern metropolis with over one million citizens.A strong and identifiable Welsh community developed within the city as a number of Welsh churches, active benevolent and cultural Welsh societies, and a plethora of Welsh events brought citizens of Wales together in unity and fellowship. Their crowning achievement was the grand spectacle of the largest Eisteddfod (traditional cultural and music festival) to be held outside Wales during the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893. The Cambrian Benevolent Society of Chicago alone - founded by and for Welsh citizens of the city in 1853 - boasted a membership of 2,000 at that time.The contributions of the Welsh to the city's growth have been largely overlooked, due maybe to their comparatively small numbers. But they were undoubtedly here, weaving unquestionably vital threads within the fabric of the young city. A selection of stories of their life journeys from the old country to the heart of a new America are revealed within the pages of The Welsh Who Built Chicago