Sheffield is one of Chicago’s oldest neighborhoods. Its boundaries are Halsted, Armitage, Fullerton, and the North Branch of the Chicago River. Most of the buildings are multi-storied. The few standing in the area in 1871 were untouched by The Fire. Although many were added after, an 1886 map of the neighborhood still shows a large number of empty lots. Buildings were still being added in the boom of the 1920s.

The people who lived in Sheffield in the 1940s were mostly in the lower middle class. Few owned their homes, but lived in apartments with small rooms, tall windows, and airy back porches.

But the people had spunk and dedication. When WWII came they were ready to dig in and do what they could to help bring the war to a successful conclusion. Most never lost hope.

The stories in Sheffield Sketches are an attempt to capture the spirit of the times and reveal the character and habits of fictional people who might have lived there during an important decade in our history. They exhibit the virtues and flaws of other Chicagoans. Having lived through the Great Depression, they were used to hard work and personal sacrifice. They may or may not have been members of the greatest generation, but they were human in every way.