Marktown
Encyclopedia
Marktown is an urban planned
worker community
in East Chicago, Indiana
, built during the Progressive Era
in 1917 from marshland to provide a complete community for workers at The Mark Manufacturing Company
. It was founded by Clayton Mark, a pioneer maker of steel in the United States. The renowned architect hired to design the community, Howard Van Doren Shaw
, created a unique design in which the streets serve as walkways and the cars are parked on the sidewalks, as noted in Ripley’s Believe It or Not.
Only 10% of the original design was built, as the building of the community was terminated due to the aftereffects of World War I and the sale of the Mark Manufacturing Company. Today, Marktown is one of the only planned worker communities in which all of the originally constructed homes still stand.
The industries in East Chicago expanded to the borders of Marktown, surrounding the historic residential island with one of the densest industrial complexes in the world. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1975, and was listed as one of the seven wonders of Northwest Indiana.
Marktown is regarded as an important cultural resource of architectural and historical significance. In the words of the Marktown Revitalization Plan commissioned by the City of East Chicago in 2008, “Marktown is significant as it is a major work by a significant American architect, Howard Van Doren Shaw
, for its association with the driving economic force of industry that served as an identity of the region, and is representative of the planned industrial community movement of the late nineteenth and early 20th century.”
Planned community
A planned community, or planned city, is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area. This contrasts with settlements that evolve in a more ad hoc fashion. Land use conflicts are less frequent in planned communities since...
worker community
Company town
A company town is a town or city in which much or all real estate, buildings , utilities, hospitals, small businesses such as grocery stores and gas stations, and other necessities or luxuries of life within its borders are owned by a single company...
in East Chicago, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, built during the Progressive Era
Progressive Era
The Progressive Era in the United States was a period of social activism and political reform that flourished from the 1890s to the 1920s. One main goal of the Progressive movement was purification of government, as Progressives tried to eliminate corruption by exposing and undercutting political...
in 1917 from marshland to provide a complete community for workers at The Mark Manufacturing Company
Clayton Mark and Company
Clayton Mark and Company was a manufacturer of steel pipe and water well supplies located in Evanston, Illinois. The company was notable for creating Marktown, a planned worker village.-History:...
. It was founded by Clayton Mark, a pioneer maker of steel in the United States. The renowned architect hired to design the community, Howard Van Doren Shaw
Howard Van Doren Shaw
Howard Van Doren Shaw was an American architect. He became one of the best-known architects of his generation in the Chicago area.-Early life and career:...
, created a unique design in which the streets serve as walkways and the cars are parked on the sidewalks, as noted in Ripley’s Believe It or Not.
Only 10% of the original design was built, as the building of the community was terminated due to the aftereffects of World War I and the sale of the Mark Manufacturing Company. Today, Marktown is one of the only planned worker communities in which all of the originally constructed homes still stand.
The industries in East Chicago expanded to the borders of Marktown, surrounding the historic residential island with one of the densest industrial complexes in the world. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1975, and was listed as one of the seven wonders of Northwest Indiana.
Marktown is regarded as an important cultural resource of architectural and historical significance. In the words of the Marktown Revitalization Plan commissioned by the City of East Chicago in 2008, “Marktown is significant as it is a major work by a significant American architect, Howard Van Doren Shaw
Howard Van Doren Shaw
Howard Van Doren Shaw was an American architect. He became one of the best-known architects of his generation in the Chicago area.-Early life and career:...
, for its association with the driving economic force of industry that served as an identity of the region, and is representative of the planned industrial community movement of the late nineteenth and early 20th century.”