By the late 1960s, the Gaylords was a strong force on the Northwest side of Chicago. The paranoia and anger caused from the growing Puerto Rican immigration swelled the ranks of the Gaylords street gang. Which created new satellite sets or spots around the city.
The Gaylord street gang had no official political views at this time. They were just a predominantly White street gang trying to defend their turf in a climatic time.
When the Vietnam War started many members of the Gaylords were drafted in to service for their country. This left the Chicago streets a little more open for street
gangs with mostly black or spanish hertage to spread out and grow.
By the late 1960s, the Gaylords was a strong force on the Northwest side of Chicago. The paranoia and anger caused from the growing Puerto Rican immigration swelled the ranks of the Gaylords street gang. Which created new satellite sets or spots around the city.
By 1968 on the Northside of Chicago, the Gaylords now controlled street corners
or places, such as Palmer and California, Lawndale and Altgeld, Kilbourn Park, Augusta and Monticello, and Manor Bowl.
The Gaylords also had some Southside territory too. The Gaylords on the Southside controlled areas like; 55th and Ashland, 18th and Western. Over here, they were busy defending their neighborhoods from a ever flowing Mexican immigration with their gangs, and the growth of the black community and their gangs. Now. Don't forget the 1960s were turbulent times. This was also the historic moment for Black Civil Rights, and the black street gangs were now growing too, and had political agendas also. And we can't forget the notorious Black Panthers, who were also striking blows against an oppressive system.
Everyone was basically defending the prosperation and preservation of there own kind.
The Gaylord street gang had no official political views at this time. They were just a predominantly White street gang trying to defend their turf in a climatic time.
When the Vietnam War started many members of the Gaylords were drafted in to service for their country. This left the Chicago streets a little more open for street
gangs with mostly black or spanish hertage to spread out and grow. This was because of non drafting of many illegal immigrants and other minorities for different reasons in to the Vietnam War. In the 1970s, the Gaylords experienced a
very strong and rapid growth due mainly in part to the many Gaylords returning from service in the vietnam war. A member of the Imperial Gangsters, an enemy gang of the Gaylords since the early 1970s stated that,
"Vietnam Vets, got out of Nam, and they was a GL before they went in.
When they got out of Nam they was even crazier."
In the early 1970s, the Gaylords were the largest white club or street gang on the streets of Chicago.
They also had a lot of American pride within their organization. This may be from the Vietnam Veterans
within their leadership at this time. Even one of their business or complimentary cards has the slogan,
"The American Dream." they were a little like the Hells Angels MC but, on the streets of Chicago and
without the bikes. For instance, the Hells Angels at this time period also had a lot of new members
who were Vietnam Veterans. Also, the 7-12 numbers used by the Gaylords was taken from the Hells Angels
usage of the numbers 81.
1970Gaylords
In the early 1970s, the Gaylords, like other White gangs, were still in the process of defending their neighborhoods from what they considered invaders.
Their sets of; Lawndale and Altgeld, Palmer and California, Kilbourn Park were still actively strong. With the success of these particular street corners came the opening of sets like; Reinberg School, and Springfield and Lemoyne.
By the middle 1970s, some of the sets that were opened, with high the hopes of prospering, did not live up to the expectations of a long life span. Sets like Augusta and Monticello, closed down, mainly due to their location. They seemed to be too far of a distance away from the other sets, and were directly in the way of the Puerto Rican immigration. They were like outposts way off in the desert. Even the founding corner of Huron and Throop, and the nearby set of Ohio and Noble closed down, because of the drastic ethnic change in the old neighborhood The Gaylords now gave up control of the Grand and Noble area. Most members then found themselves at other sets on the Northwest side, or just giving up on the war altogether.
The Gaylord's Southside sets of 18th and Western, 55th and Ashland, and the Sherman Park area were also diminishing. The Southside was way out of control. The Mexican immigration was choking out the natives, and the natives had no recourse, but to take off in flight. The Black gangs also were too much to contend with. They did not even appear to be normal oldschool turf gangs. The black gangs appeared to have outgrown the simple street oldschool gang definition, and were more like political organizations, that dealt in major criminal activity to support their causes. Sadly, by the late 1970s, the Southside sets had also closed down, thereby erasing the presence of the Gaylords on the Southside of Chicago.
In the early 1970s, the Gaylords were the largest white club or street gang on the streets of Chicago.
They also had a lot of American pride within their organization. This may be from the Vietnam Veterans
within their leadership at this time. Even one of their business or complimentary cards has the slogan,
"The American Dream." they were a little like the Hells Angels MC but, on the streets of Chicago and
without the bikes. For instance, the Hells Angels at this time period also had a lot of new members
who were Vietnam Veterans. Also, the 7-12 numbers used by the Gaylords was taken from the Hells Angels
usage of the numbers 81.
Gaylords