Polish Pioneers in Illinois

Every good Chicagoan will tell you that Chicago has the largest Polish population outside of Warsaw. It's no secret that the area has welcomed a large number of Polish immigrants throughout the twentieth century but it's pre-1850 Polish immigration that interests James D. Lodesky.

Polish Pioneers in Illinois, 1818-1850 by Lodesky attempts to account for all of the earliest Polish settlers in Illinois. He believes that about 325 Poles lived throughout the state before 1850.

Lodesky discusses reasons for early Polish immigration and Polish history in Illinois and elsewhere. He examines Polish populations in Chicago and several counties throughout the state and also provides genealogies of some early families.

Indispensable history for Illinoisans with Polish roots!