Bluffs and Piasa Bird, 2016

Browse Items (45 total)

  • Tags: immigration
Thumbnail Title Description Date Date Added
Henry Ybarra Oral History Interview This oral history interview with Henry Ybarra was part of oral histories conducted in the fall 2001 semester of History 447: Oral History.

Mr. Ybarra speaks about his time growing up in Lincoln Place as well as his family in and trips to Mexico. He utilizes photographs to guide his father, uncle, and other family members and their experiences in Mexico. Mr. Ybarra emphasizes his sense of pride about bring a resident of Lincoln Place.

Among the many topics Henry Ybarra talks about are his lifelong residency at Lincoln Place, working at Prairie Farms Dairy, his Mexican heritage, yearly trips to Mexico, and his family.
November 14, 2001 March 18, 2018
Hagop Varadian  Oral History Interview This oral history interview with Hagop Varadian was part of oral histories conducted in the fall 2001 semester of History 447: Oral History.

Hagop (Jake) Varadian was born on April 12, 1938 to Armenian immigrants and has been a lifelong resident of the Lincoln Place neighborhood. In this interview, he talks about his parent's life in Armenia during World War One and his mother’s experience in the Armenian Genocide which resulted in her having to live in the desert where her sister was born. He also touches on aspects of his own life that include being in the Army and teaching school for the Granite City School District.
November 6, 2001 March 18, 2018
Eleidys Guerra Oral History Interview In this oral history interview, Venezuelan student Eleidys Guerra discusses moving to Madison County to study English, leaving behind a job and large family in Venezuela. She describes how she and her son have adapted to their new circumstances with no familiarity with English. November 20, 2017 April 11, 2018
Eleanor Todoroff Oral History Interview This oral history interview with Eleanor Todoroff was part of oral histories conducted in the fall 2001 semester of History 447: Oral History.

Eleanor Todoroff was born and raised in the Lincoln Place community. In this interview, she talks about her father's emigration from Armenia and involvement in World War I, the role of the Macedonian Church in Lincoln Place, and the “Macedonian Bulgarian Ladies Aid Society.
December 5, 2001 March 18, 2018
Edward Asadorian Oral History Interview This oral history interview with Edward Asadorian was part of oral histories conducted in the fall 2001 semester of History 447: Oral History.

Born to Armenian immigrant parents in the 1920s, Edward Asadorian talks in-depth about the importance of retaining his cultural roots and passing those traditions on to his own kids. He also explains how his father came to this country and his families close relationship to the local Armenian priesthood.
November 14, 2001 February 17, 2018
Dena Lovacheff  Oral History Interview This oral history interview with Dena Lovacheff was part of oral histories conducted in the fall 2001 semester of History 447: Oral History.

Though Dena Lovacheff did not grow up in Lincoln Place, she moved there in 1951 when she married her husband, William Lovacheff, and resided there until 1988. In this interview, she describes her childhood, the family-run business called Louie’s Market, and living with her in-laws in the Lincon Place community.
November 29, 2001 March 15, 2018
Charles Merzian Oral History Interview This oral history interview with Charles Merzian was part of oral histories conducted in the fall 2001 semester of History 447: Oral History.

Mr. Charles Merzian is a second generation American. His father emigrated from Armenia in 1910, and his mother emigrated from Armenia shortly later. They were married in 1925 and became naturalized American citizens in 1945 and 1946 respectively. They had two children, Charles (born in 1928) and Nell (born in 1933). In this interview, Mr. Merzian describes life while growing up in Lincoln Place in two primary locations for socialization, the community center (the clubhouse) and Sim’s place (later honored as Sim’s college), and how they impacted the lives of virtually everyone living at Lincoln Place. Mr. Merzian stresses that the multi-ethnic relationships established when growing up were a definite asset in preparing him for his working career.
November 1, 2001 March 16, 2018
Carmen Cook Oral History Interview This oral history interview with Carmen Cook was part of oral histories conducted in the fall 2001 semester of History 447: Oral History.

Carmen Cook was born at Lincoln Place in 1943, where she spent most of her life, to Mexican immigrant parents. In this interview, she talks about her childhood and life, the ethnic diversity of the community, the Cinco de Mayo celebrations, the legacy of Ruben Mendoza (the Olympic soccer player), and the scholarship that was set-up in the name of Joe Gonzalez.
November 18, 2001 February 20, 2018
Arthur Bedian Oral History Interview This oral history interview with Arthur Bedian was part of oral histories conducted in the fall 2001 semester of History 447: Oral History.

Author Bedian lived his whole life in Lincoln Place and was born to an immigrant father from Armenia. In this interview, he talks about his father’s experience immigrating through Ellis Island, growing up in Lincoln Place, the community center, and his time and service in the Armenian Orthodox Church.

There was no audio recording of this interview in the original archive, but there is a transcript and biographical summary.
November 18, 2001 September 2, 2018
Annette Simpkins Oral History Interview This oral history interview with Annette Simpkins was part of oral histories conducted in the fall 2001 semester of History 447: Oral History.

Annette Simpkins was born to Armenian immigrant parents and lived her whole life in Lincoln Place. In this interview, she describes her childhood, her parent's emigration from Armenia before the genocide, her father's job at American Steel, her employment at the Army Depot, the diversity of the Lincoln Place community, and her time at the local theater.
November 26, 2001 March 18, 2018