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Jane Addams was the daughter of a wealthy miller, who leased a mansion on Chicago’s poor west side in 1889, welcoming the area’s residents, many of whom were poor immigrants, into the home, called the Hull-House. Today, that mansion is a museum that highlights the accomplishments of the social reformer, who provided childcare services so parents could work, supported the labor movement, drew attention to issues of immigration, pushed for universal education, and more. She went on to become the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. The first floor gives an overview of the social services that Addams and her co-worker, Ellen Gates Starr (also most likely her lover at one time, although the museum doesn’t come right out and say that), provided to the neighborhood, all in the backdrop of a comfortable, welcoming home—a far cry from the kind of stripped-down soup kitchen of many charities. Wander up to the second floor and you can see Addams’s sparsely furnished room and the desk where she worked, which was the centerpiece. Around the halls are photos of former residents and reformists who joined in Addams’s mission to understand poverty in order to move beyond it. The Hull-House does assume a basic knowledge of Jane Addams, a household name in Chicago, where a tollway, elementary school and high school bea,r her name. I’ve tried to supply you with that here, so you should be set to explore. The Hull-House also recently began a farm to educate visitors about gardening, and offers tours Monday, Wednesday, and Friday between 9am and 3pm. Call [tel] 312/413-5353 ahead to schedule a tour. Allow a half hour.