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Frank J. Wachewicz was born in 1885 or 1886 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  He was one of six children of John and Mary Wachewicz.  When he was five years old, his family moved to the Calumet region.  He attended school in Hammond, Indiana, and then went to Jones Business College .  Before he went into realty, Wachewicz was a clerk in the old Lion store.  He then worked as a real estate salesman for four years before opening his own business . 

At the time, Calumet City, Illinois, then known as West Hammond, was filled only with small homes and
its real estate held no real value.  Everyone was more interested in the booming city of Hammond, Indiana,
located across the state line from West Hammond.  As crime figures moved into the area, the reputation of the city was poor.  A few businesses were established on the north side but drew little attention.  Frank J. Wachewicz saw an opportunity in West Hammond.  Although the city was divided between north and south by a marsh, he saw that it might be a prime location for realty sales.  The marsh was not the most aesthetically pleasing piece of land, but Wachewicz wanted to change that.  He went to see the owner of the marshland, Caspar Staub, and convinced him that the area could be built up and that he was the man that should do it   In 1911, Wachewicz went into business .  

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