Cicero The First Suburb West (Images of America (Arcadia Publishing)) [Paperback]

Betty Carlson Kay (Author)

Book Description

Series: Images of America (Arcadia Publishing) | Publication Date: October 30, 2000

Mention the town of Cicero just about anywhere in the world, and you may receive two responses: first, a mimed tommy-gun pointed at you, reminiscent of the Roaring Twenties when Al Capone ran the town; second, a comment about Cicero's racial intolerance. Although the old Capone hangouts are mostly gone, and the town's racial makeup is

changing, those old stereotypes linger. Cicero: The First Suburb West tells the story of this

vibrant community and its links to the past--including its connections to Western Electric and the tragic Eastland disaster. The Hispanic families that are making their homes in Cicero today mirror the Slavic immigrants who settled here a century ago. Their goal was, and is, to provide safe and affordable housing for their families, and pursue the "American Dream."

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Betty Carlson Kay was born and raised on 22nd Place in Cicero, as was her father before her. She has taught first grade for 30 years, mostly in Springfield, Illinois. She is the author of the series Americans of Character, and her book Illinois from A to Z was recently published by the University of Illinois Press. She is also the author of another Images of America title, Jacksonville, Illinois, published by Arcadia in 1999. Cicero: The First Suburb West will show you this town's past, but if you look carefully, you will see the present--and the future.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing (October 30, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738507865
• ISBN-13: 978-0738507866
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,982,389 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't Turn Down This Rare Find!, May 6, 2006

By 

The River (Minooka, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cicero The First Suburb West (Images of America (Arcadia Publishing)) (Paperback)

A majority of my aunts & uncles grew up in this notrious suburb & they would always tell me how nice Cicero was before I was born and this book brought back a lot of memories for my relatives. The book is all pictures and shows sites of where the Chicago Syndicate used to frequent.