Jeffery Manor / Merrionette Manor

     While South Deering is reported to have had an inhabited area of only about a half square mile in 1934, it has grown considerably since then.  The original residential area of South Deering was close to the Wisconsin Steel Works and was known as Irondale. 
     Since 1940 the major residential construction has centered  in the northwestern portion of South Deering west of Yates Boulevard between 95th and 103rd streets, an area which for decades had been used for dumping waste and slag. This area was quickly built up in Merrionette Manor in the north east corner and into Jeffery Manor on much of the remainder of the land. These two developments have come to be known as Jeffery Manor. The residential structures of Jeffery Manor are mostly two-story, single-family dwellings, with some one-story single-family homes and some apartments in row houses. Later plans called for an addition of ranch style homes in the area between 95th and 98th Streets on Bennett Ave. There was a limited amount of construction east of Yates Boulevard and north of 104rd street and building was been almost negligible south of 103rd street. 
     Jeffery Manor was a part of the housing boom that followed World War II and was responsible for population growth in the Southeast Side.  It differs from other housing developments because it did not follow the traditional grid pattern of Chicago Streets.  Instead, the "Manor" as it is currently called by residents, has curving streets similar to a suburban street pattern.  Chicagoans often get lost in the Manor because the streets do not follow the traditional Chicago pattern. 
 

Aerial View 1938

Aerial View 1994

     The above aerial photographs show the area which includes Jeffery Manor.  In the 1938 photo on the left, the area covered by the photo is approximately 95th Street at the top (north) to 105th Street at the bottom (south), Torrence Avenue to the right (Torrence runs to the left of the railroad tracks), and Jeffery Boulevard to the left (Jeffery Blvd. runs north and south until it turns diagonally toward the southeast).  The more recent (1994) aerial covers a smaller area.  It runs from 95th Street at the top (north) to 100th Street at the bottom (south) and from Merrion Avenue on the left (west) to Yates Avenue on the right. 
Picture Adds Jeffery Manor to 
1938 Aerial Photograph

Click on the links at the left to tour
Chicago's Deering Community.