The first Lithuanian colony in the city of Chicago was formed on the North Side. Some Lithuanians have lived there for about thirty years, or since the Chicago Fire.

It is difficult to locate the boundaries of the North Side Lithuanian neighborhood because the Lithuanian population is scattered over a wide area. The corner of Paulina Street and Wabansia Avenue is usually referred to as the center and most interesting part of the Lithuanian community, because about eighteen or twenty Lithuanian families lived in one building there. A large number of Lithuanians live in the neighborhood of Noble Street and Wabansia Avenue, but, this group is composed largely of Polonized Lithuanians, who came here from the city of Vilna, capital of Lithuania.

A Lithuanian parish, the St. Michael Archangel parish, was organized here only three years ago. Rev. N. Lukosius is the pastor. About 2,000 to 2,500 Lithuanians attend this Lithuanian church, which is located at 1644 West Wabansia Avenue.

A large part, probably a majority, of the Lithuanians living on the North Side are Polonized Lithuanians. Some members of this group still admit that they are Lithuanians, but they mostly speak Polish among themselves, attend the Polish Holy Trinity church, and do all their shopping in Polish stores.

It is estimated that there are about five or six thousand Lithuanians living on the North Side. About 2,000 attend the Lithuanian church, while about 1,000 do not attend any church, and about 3,000 are Polonized Lithuanians. Although this is a large Lithuanian population, there are nevertheless, very few Lithuanian business establishments on the North Side. Apparently Lithuanians do not patronize their own merchants; instead, they support the Poles and Jews.

Altogether there are eighteen Lithuanian business establishments on the North Side. They are as follows: Two meat markets, one owned by Mr. Sliuza, the other by Mr. Nauseda; one grocery store, owned by Mr. Kareiva; one confectionery store, by Mr. T. Grigalis; Mr. P. M. Kaitis sells men's furnishings, steamship tickets, real estate, and operates a printing shop; seven Lithuanian owned 3saloons; six tailor shops, by Mr. Dovydaitis, Mr. Buividas, Mr. Sakalas, Mr. Zitkus, Mr. Paulikaitis, and Mr. Antanavicius.

About two-thirds of the Lithuanian workers on the North Side are tailors. A large number of Lithuanians are employed in the following factories: Deering Farm Machine Works; Northwestern Yeast Co., where about 200 Lithuanians are employed; and the Jackson Bridge Works.

The Lithuanians on the North Side have twelve organizations; seven are Catholic and five are non-Catholic. The Catholic organizations are as follows: St. Michael Archangel parish; St. Michael Archangel Society; one branch of the Lithuanian Roman Catholic Alliance of America; Lithuanian Brothers Society; Grand Duke Gediminas of Lithuania Society; Lithuanian Dramatic Society of St. Cecilia (This Society was formerly known only as the "Lithuanian Dramatic Society;" when the name was lengthened most members resigned and the Society became less active)--the latter society maintains a Lithuanian-American library. The non-Catholic societies are as follows: Lithuanian Tailors 4Mutual-Benefit Club; Chicago Lithuanian Mutual-Benefit Association; two branches of the Lithuanian Alliance of America; one branch of the Lithuanian-American League; and the Singers' Circle.

Altogether there are five Lithuanian neighborhoods in the city of Chicago, and three in the suburbs. The North Side community has the purest air and the cleanest streets of all the Lithuanian neighborhoods in the city of Chicago. Only the Lithuanian communities in the suburbs of Chicago, such as Roseland and Kensington, have more healthy conditions.