Author: lbchicago1@hotmail.com

Gately’s People’s Department Store was located at 112th Street and Michigan Avenue in the Roseland neighborhood. The store was open from 1917 until 1981. The store claimed it sold “Everything for the Home” as stated on the side of the building. In its early days, it was considered to be the largest store on Michigan Avenue.

During the holidays children could visit with Santa and the windows were decorated for Christmas. The shoe department had an X-Ray or flouroscope machine where you could see the bones in your feet. You could also get a haircut there. They also had a restaurant that served the Shoppers Special – a full meatloaf meal for $1 with a slice of blueberry cobbler or crunch cake. They even had a second fast food restaurant in the basement – the Green River Hot Dog Stand and kids could eat from the Donut Machine and ride on the Donut Train while their parents shopped!

The owner, Mr. Gately could be seen walking through the stores making his rounds to the different departments making sure customers were getting the products and assistance needed.

The building that formerly housed Gately’s People’s Department Store was destroyed by fire last Friday………………………….but these nice memories plus many others will forever remain in our thoughts!

*Note – Photos are from Wikipedia and Chicago Tribune

Naper Settlement is located in Naperville Illinois at 523 S. Webster Street. It’s an outdoor history village museum that has 30 historical buildings and structures documenting the history of the settlement of Naperville Illinois from the founding of the town in 1831 through the 20th century. Many of the buildings were moved there from their original locations and refurbished in a style fitting the period or replicated. It was established in 1969 on 12 acres of land given to the City of Naperville in 1936 by Caroline Martin Mitchell.

It is operated by the Naperville Heritage Society in partnership with the City of Naperville. With a commitment to the community and a focus on the future, the Naperville Heritage Society collects, documents, preserves and supports the history of Naperville Illinois to present day.

I hope you enjoy these photos of Downtown Naperville and the Historic District.

Last week my friend Suzette and I visited Chicago’s Chinatown neighborhood. We had a wonderful time walking around and taking in the culture of the neighborhood. We explored beautiful artwork, stores and buildings and had a delicious lunch of Teriyaki Chicken at the Richland Center Food Court. Chinatown is easily accessible from Downtown Chicago. You take the CTA Red Line train to the Cermak/Chinatown stop.

The Chopin Theatre is located at 1543 West Division Street in Chicago’s Polish Triangle in the Wicker Park neighborhood. It was built in 1918. It hosts hundreds of shows/presentations per year ranging from theatre to jazz and classical music, literature, film and social events. The main stage area seats over 200 and the black-box studio area seats approximately 175. It is currently showing Pinocchio through May 19th.

The terra cotta building was designed by architects Worthmann and Steinbach. It underwent some name changes over the years. It was first operated by Victor Bardonski and in 1923 it was renamed Harding Theatre. In 1931 it went back to Chopin, then to Pix Theatre and back to Chopin (which it remains today).

It has been owned by the Dyrkacz family since 1990. They bought it when it was largely vacant and have restored it to its present charm and it just celebrated its 100 year anniversary!

Some famous people that have presented there are: Gwendolyn Brooks, Studs Terkel, Kevin Koval, John Cusack, and Ed Pachke.

Find out more about the Chopin Theatre at http://www.chopintheatre.com

The St. Joseph Mercy Hospital building was erected and dedicated in 1931. It was originally called Mercy Manor. It is located at 421 N. Lake Street in Aurora Illinois. It was designed by architect Wybe Jelles Van der Meer of Rockford in the Collegiate Gothic style. It is six stories high and has a seven and a half story tower. It is the current home of the Presence Fox Knoll Retirement Center. It overlooks Wilder Park and the Fox River.

The Flat Iron Arts Center is located in the Flat Iron Building at the corner of Milwaukee, North Avenue and Damen in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood. It has been an artists colony since the 1980s and houses studios for visual arts of any type, musicians, hair design, etc. The building is open 24 hours a day/ seven days a week for viewing the art in the hallways. And artists studios open houses are held on the first Friday of each month.

The heart of the Wicker Park neighborhood in Chicago is at the intersection of Damen, Milwaukee and North Avenue. The locations shown below are all at this intersection, which is just steps from the CTA Blue Line Damen stop. The Damen stop (and this vibrant community) is just minutes from Downtown Chicago. Hip Wicker Park has been a residential community since Chicago was incorporated as a city in 1837.

The Polish Triangle (or Polonia Triangle) is located in the West Town neighborhood of Chicago. It used to be referred to as the Polish Downtown area of Chicago. It is located at the intersection of Milwaukee, Division and Ashland Streets.

The Polish Downtown is the city’s oldest Polish settlement. It dates back to the 1800s in Chicago history. The area is still home to numerous Polish institutions such as the Polish Museum, Polish National Alliance and the Polish Daily News. It’s also home to the Chopin Theatre and Podhalanka Polish restaurant.

The area near the triangle has two beautiful Polish Catholic Cathedrals: St. Stanislaus Kostka and Holy Trinity Polish Mission. Pulaski Park is also nearby.

The triangle is conveniently located right at the CTA Blue Line Division stop. The actual triangle is a park around a fountain called the Nelson Algren fountain. It was named after the famous poet/writer because he lived in the area and wrote about the Poles.

I really enjoyed visiting the Polish Triangle, because to me it represents everything Chicago was in the past, is currently and will be in the future. I attribute this to the area’s architecture with buildings from the 1800s and tall futuristic looking buildings. What a special place!

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The Thompson Center (as it is mostly referred to) is located at 100 West Randolph Street in Downtown Chicago. It houses State of Illinois government offices. It was completed in May 1985 and was designed by architect Helmut Jahn in the postmodern style. The building has 17 stories and takes up an entire block in Chicago’s Loop. It is bounded by Randolph, Lake, Clark and LaSalle Streets. The sculpture in front of the building is called Monument With Standing Beast, by Jean Dubuffet.

The building hs been called both outrageous and wonderful in its open-plan design. All 17 floors can be seen from the building’s large skylit atrium. The open office plan was meant to convey the message of an open government.

In addition to the sculpture in front of the building, it also houses many specially commissioned artworks funded by the State. The Illinois Artisan’s shop is also housed in the building.

The spot was previously the location of the Sherman House Hotel until 1973.

Amid controversy, the building is expected to be sold, because the State says it is too expensive to do the needed renovation and maintenance. It is hoped that it will be sold to someone who will maintain it rather than destroy this beautiful “work of art” building!