Stock Yards Collection

Chicago Stockyards 1
Butchers in the Chicago stockyards at work on beef carcases, exposed by Upton Sinclair in his 1905 novel The Jungle

Chicago Stockyards
Cattle awaiting slaughter in the Union Stock Yards, Chicago - note the boards for Armour and Swift

Chicago Stockyards 9
Two-thirds of the 8 million pigs that enter the Chicago stockyards are destined for pork joints : the rest are used to make sausages. England is a major client

Chicago Stockyards 8
Sheep hang by their rear legs as they pass towards the attentions of the butchers at the Chicago stockyards

Kansas City, Missouri, USA
6117300 Kansas City, Missouri, USA by American Photographer, (19th century); (add.info.: Stock yards, Kansas City, Missouri, USA, in the late 19th century)

The Great Fire at Chicago, Views in the City (engraving)
1625980 The Great Fire at Chicago, Views in the City (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Great Fire at Chicago, Views in the City)

The Great Union Stock Yards, Largest Live Stock Market on Earth, Chicago, Illinois, c1930s. Union Stock Yards were the centre of the American meatpacking industry

Cattle, Great Union Stock Yards, Chicago, Illinois, USA. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
Cattle, Great Union Stock Yards, Chicago, Illinois, USA. Stereoscopic card detail

Historic image in black and white of cattle in Union Stock Yards in Chicago, circa 1900; Chicago, Illinois, United States of America

Stock yards, Kansas City, Missouri, USA, in the late 19th century. From the book The United States of America - One Hundred Albertype Illustrations From Recent Negatives of the Most Noted Scenes of

Sheep farming, polytunnel sheep buildings and steel shed on modern farm beside coast, Scotland, september

Boy who sells papers around the stockyards, South Omaha, Nebraska. Date 1938 Nov

Chicago Stockyards 2
Sheep arriving at the Chicago stockyards to be converted into legs of mutton and lamb chops

Chicago Stockyards 13
Any bits left over are chopped into pieces by the mighty machines of the Chicago stockyards, for use in sausages, corned beef, Spam and so forth

Chicago Stockyards 12
Carcases of meat hang from hooks in the huge refrigerated rooms of the Chicago Stockyards

Chicago Stockyards 10
At the Chicago stockyards, three or four strokes of the butchers knife suffice to cut a sheep into pieces

Chicago Stockyards 5

Chicago Stockyards 4
Bird s-eye view of the Chicago stockyards, where 25, 000 people are employed to butcher the animals

Chicago Stockyards 15
Every year, between 3 and 4 million cows enter the Chicago stockyards, ending up as carcases in refrigerated rooms before being despatched to their destinations

Chicago Stockyards 3
Pigs arriving at the Chicago stockyards to be converted into pork chops and sausages

Chicago Stockyards 14
At the Chicago stockyards, meat is used to make sausages, hamburgers, frankfurters and so on

Chicago Stockyards 6
At the Chicago stockyards, cattle are driven through a narrow passage where each in turn is fatally stunned by a butcher, their first stage in their final journey

Chicago Stockyards 11
Joints of meat are stacked in huge refrigerated rooms at the Chicago Stockyards

Chicago Stockyards 7
After being fatally stunned, the cattle at the Chicago stockyards are chopped into pieces and all their usable parts separated

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The Chicago Stockyards, also known as the Union Stock Yards, were once the heart of America's meatpacking industry. Established in 1865, they quickly became the largest livestock market on Earth. The stockyards spanned over 475 acres and were a bustling hub of activity. Chicago Stockyards 1 In their prime, the Chicago Stockyards processed millions of animals each year. Cattle from all across the country would be brought to these yards for auction and eventual slaughter. It was a sight to behold - cowboys herding cattle through the streets of Chicago, creating an unforgettable scene. Chicago Stockyards 9 However, not all memories associated with these stockyards are pleasant. One tragic event that forever marked their history was "The Great Fire at Chicago. " In October 1871, this devastating fire destroyed much of the city and claimed many lives. Engravings depicting this catastrophe serve as a reminder of how fragile life can be. Chicago Stockyards 8 Despite such setbacks, the Union Stock Yards remained resilient and continued to thrive throughout the years. By the early 20th century, they had become an iconic symbol of American industry and prosperity. Kansas City, Missouri played its part in shaping America's livestock industry too. The stock yards there flourished during late-19th century America when it emerged as another major center for cattle trading. The Great Union Stock Yards in Kansas City witnessed countless transactions between ranchers and buyers looking to secure high-quality livestock for various purposes. These yards served as a crucial link connecting rural farmers with urban consumers. A young boy wearing a hat astride a horse in one such cattle yard captures both innocence and hard work intertwined within this dynamic environment – where generations learned about agriculture firsthand while contributing to their family’s livelihoods. Historic black-and-white images from circa 1900 showcase scenes from Union Stock Yards in Chicago – capturing moments frozen in time.