A boarder, a widow, and a tenant sit down for dinner: Foodway comparisons in the Goose Hill neighborhood, east St. Louis, Illinois

During the turn of the twentieth century, the Goose Hill neighborhood in East St. Louis, Illinois, was predominantly a working-class population largely employed at the National Stockyards and its related industries. Many people in Goose Hill lived in multifamily homes or rentals, though a few did own homes. In this study, foodways comparisons between inhabitants of a boardinghouse, a long-term stable household, and a high-turnover tenancy highlight differences and similarities between such divergent types of households. It also illustrates and provides a discussion of priorities and consumer preferences within each household. This case study presents one viable way in which such a methodological framework can be used to approach interpretation of turn-of-the-twentiethcentury urban archaeological sites and assemblages. It also highlights the strengths and shortcomings of such a multievidentiary approach.