Author: lbchicago1@hotmail.com

The Tremont House Hotel has a long and interesting place in Chicago history, primarily due to its resiliency after disasters. The original Tremont House Hotel was built in 1833 and was named after the Tremont House in Boston. It was a three story building on the northwest corner of Lake and Dearborn in Chicago. It was established as one of Chicago’s first hotels in 1836. The structure burnt down in an 1839 fire.  It was replaced by the second Tremont House Hotel in Chicago, which was built in 1841. It was also destroyed by fire in 1849. The third Tremont House was built in 1850 (and this time was built of brick in an effort to prevent fires). Alas, this building was also destroyed by fire (the Great Chicago Fire of 1871).

It had been designed and built by Chicago architect John Van Osdel. It was six stories high and had 260 rooms. It stood on the southeast corner of Lake and Dearborn in Chicago. It was considered the only real first-class hotel in Chicago at that time and the leading hotel in the West.

It was at this hotel that Lincoln and Douglas began their campaigns, and it was therefore unofficially known as the 1860 National Republican Convention Headquarters. The Wigwam (located on Lake Street near the Chicago River) was the convention center attended by more than 12,000 delegates and the hotel provided accommodations for the Illinois Republican Party members who attended the convention. The building was raised to street level in 1861 by Ely, Smith and Pullman and received a complete overhaul during that process. Building owner, James Couch and his son Ira Couch made sure the building was perfect inside and out, sparing no expense on details such as luxury furnishings throughout. In 1861, Stephen Douglas died in the building. After it burnt to the ground in the Great Chicago Fire in 1871, a hotel at Michigan and Congress became the temporary New Tremont House.

Then, the New Tremont House (or Tremont House  No. 4)  was built on the same spot of the last landmark building. Although, Ira Couch had died in 1857, his estate built the fourth Tremont House in 1873, which stood until 1937, but was bought by Northwestern University in 1902 to house their law, dental and business schools. The Couch family presence can still be found in Chicago. There’s an alley-like street in the Loop named Couch Place.  It’s also important to note there were a lot of fires in downtown Chicago in the 1800s due to wood structures, lumber yards, the winds and poor fire fighting equipment.

The Tremont name is preserved in Chicago today, because there is currently a Tremont Chicago Hotel at 100 East Chestnut. John Coleman purchased the property in 1976 and renamed it The Tremont, reviving the name and prestige of the famous hotel. The Tremont was bought by Starwood Hotels and Resorts in 1998, but the Tremont name lives on!

 

 

 

The Mecca Apartments(Flats) were built in 1891 and located on the corner of State and 34th Streets in Chicago’s South Side Bronzeville neighborhood. The architects were Frank Burnham and George Edbrook. It was originally built to be a luxury hotel for those attending the 1893 World’s Fair. Then, the Mecca Apartments became a sought after address for Chicago’s upper class society. It had two large interior courts that were carpeted and had elaborate fountains and ornate railings. It also had skylights that topped the two wings of the u-shaped building.

Later, the building became known as the Mecca Flat Blues. It was then home to many African Americans that came to Chicago from the South during the Great Migration. At that time, the Bronzeville neighborhood was the heart of the Chicago blues and jazz scene and many nightclubs were located in the area of State Street between  31st and 35th Streets. A famous blues song called “Mecca Flat Blues” describes the struggles and hardships of life in the Mecca Flats.  Gwendolyn Brooks also published a famous poem called “The Mecca”. The Mecca was demolished in 1952 due to disrepair and to facilitate the expansion of the Illinois Institute of Technology; and even though this beautiful building was gone, it was replaced by another landmark –  architect Mies van der Rohe’s S.R. Crown Hall on the IIT campus. Nevertheless, an important part of Chicago jazz and blues history is now gone.

Note- Thanks to the cityofchicago.org and the Chicago Cultural Center for these amazing photos.

Last week I went on a Chicago Detours tour of downtown buildings that were in existence during the 1893 World’s Fair (Columbian Exposition). That is how I discovered the Fine Arts Building, aka the Studebaker Building.

The Fine Arts Building is a ten story building located at 410 S. Michigan Avenue (across from Grant Park and on the same street as the Congress Plaza Hotel and several renowned universities, including Roosevelt University, Columbia College and Spertus College). Located in an area that is arguably one of the most scenically beautiful spots in Chicago. The Fine Arts Building is beautiful as well, so it fits in perfectly with the area.

It was built in 1884 and designed by architect Solon Spencer Beman in the Romanesque style.  It originally only had eight stories, but in 1898 the eighth floor was removed and three new floors were added. That renovation also included the addition of Art Nouveau murals and other artwork on individual floors of the building.

The building was originally the Studebaker carriage sales and manufacturing site. In 1896  the Studebaker family converted the building into studios for artists, musicians and architects. Frank Lloyd Wright had an office in the building. It also became home to the women’s suffrage movement and the Arts and Crafts movement. The building also houses the Studebaker Theatre, aka Studebaker Hall dedicated in 1898. The venue has featured orchestra, plays, live TV shows and ballet performances over the years.

When you enter the lobby of the building you automatically feel like you’ve taken a step back in time to the late 1800s, because although the building is well maintained, it was not completely renovated. It probably looks very much like it did in the late 1800s. It’s the only building in downtown Chicago that still has manually operated elevators with elevator operators. The lobby level houses the Artists Cafe, which is a classic Greek family restaurant. The rest of the building contains mostly businesses and shops related to the arts, such as recording studios, performance studios, violin makers studios, bookstores, record stores and a yoga studio. You can hear the sounds of various instruments being played as you make your way through the building. The building was designated a Chicago Landmark on June 7, 1978.

I enjoyed the feel of the building so much that I wish I could open a shop there. I would be perfectly happy doing that, but I’m not an artist, musician or business owner, so instead I think I’ll just take a yoga class there!

My friend Carmen just returned from visiting her family’s orchard in Mexico. She was there for a month. I wish I could have gone with her, but since I couldn’t, she emailed me photos of all the beautiful places she visited. It (almost) made me feel like I was there! I hope you feel the same way too. Enjoy!

The Orchard

 

The Mountains

Flowering Tree

 

The Market

Farm Animals

Town Square

Beautiful House

Beautiful Flowers

Pet Parrot

If you’re like me, you’ve probably walked past the Federal Center and Plaza in downtown Chicago dozens of times and never thought about it’s history. The Federal Center and Plaza in Chicago is comprised of the John C. Kluczinski Federal Building, the Everett McKinley Dirksen Federal Courts Building, the Ralph H. Metcalfe Federal Building and the U.S. Post Office (Loop Center). Bounded by Dearborn on the East, Clark on the West, Jackson on the South and Adams on the North. The Kluczinski, Dirksen and U.S. Post Office (Loop Station) were all designed by architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in the Mid-Century Modernist style.

The John C. Kluczinski Federal Building is located at 230 S. Dearborn St.  It was completed in 1974 and is a 42 story tall skyscraper with 1.2 million square feet of space. It was named after U.S. Congressman John C. Kluczynski who represented Illinois’ 5th congressional district from 1951 until 1975. It was designed in the minimalist style.

The Dirksen Federal Courts Building is located across the street at 219 S. Dearborn St. It was completed in 1964 and is 30 stories tall with 1.4 million square feet of space. It was named after U.S. Congressman and Senator Everett Dirksen. It was designed in the international style.

The U.S. Post Office (Loop Station) is located at 211 S. Clark St. It was completed in 1975 in the minimalist style.

The Metcalfe Building is located at 77 West Jackson Blvd. It was built in 1991 and designed by Fujikawa Johnson and Associates in the Mies van der Rohe style. It is 27 stories tall and it was named after former Olympian and U.S. Representative Ralph Harold Metcalf.

The Federal Plaza features a red steal sculpture by Alexander Calder entitled Flamingo. It was unveiled on the plaza in 1974.The plaza hosts events such as farmers markets, arts, crafts and jewelry booths, as well as demonstrations (with required approval).

The entire complex is on a grid pattern and seams of the granite pavers extend into the lobbies and up to the sides of the Kluczynski, Dirksen and Post Office buildings to create unity among the three buildings.

There was a Federal Building in Chicago prior to the current buildings described above. The old Chicago Federal Building was built in 1905 and demolished in 1965. It was built by architect Henry Ives Cobb in the Beaux-Arts style. It was 297 ft. tall.

Quite a different look – then and now! Both beautiful in their own way for their own time!

 

 

Anyone who knows Chicago knows Marshall Field’s flagship store on State Street. Almost every Chicagoan has probably shopped there at some time in their life. Now, of course, Marshall Field’s is no longer there – instead it was replaced by Macy’s in 2006.

The Marshall Field and Company building was constructed in 1891-92 at 111 North State Street, on the corner of State and Washington. Other sections were added to the building in 1902, 1906, 1907 and 1914. It was designed by Chicago architect, Daniel Burnham. The building is among the largest stores in the world. It is a designated National Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was also designated a Chicago Landmark in 2005. It is a granite structure known for its atrium with several balconies, called “The Great Hall” and its Tiffany mosaic vaulted ceiling, as well as the two clocks on the outside of the building. After construction of all the sections was completed the store consisted of 73 acres of floor space with largest book, china, shoe and toy sections of all department stores in the world.

The Marshall Field’s Department store itself was founded in 1852 and merged with Federated Department Stores (Macy’s) in 2006, thus losing the Marshall Field’s name. Marshall Field’s origin goes back to a dry goods store founded by Potter Palmer in 1852. It was located at 137 Lake Street.  In 1865 Palmer sold the business to Field and Leiter and the store was renamed Field, Leiter and Company. In 1868 they leased a six story space at State and Washington. The building was completely destroyed by the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, but rebuilt.

In 1881 Marshall Field bought out Levi and Leiter and renamed the business Marshall Field and Company. The building that currently stands on the corner of State and Washington was then started in 1891 and completed (with multiple additions) by 1914.

The building is also known for Christmas traditions such as the Christmas Tree in the Walnut Room and the decorated Holiday window displays (and is known for its Frango mints).

Macy’s today continues to be an upscale retail department store selling men’s, women’s and children’s clothing as well as jewelry, cosmetics, and home furnishings and accessories; as well as personal services such as a beauty salon, personal shoppers, wedding and gift registry, jewelry and watch repair and alterations.There are eight restaurants located in the building and they also sponsor events that are free to the public, such as a flower show and fashion shows.  It is a beautiful and fun place to shop!

 

 

 

 

 

The City of Chicago celebrated its 181st Birthday this past Sunday, March 4th. Chicago was incorporated as a city on March 4, 1837. So, I thought it would be interesting to take a look back at what the city was like at that time.

The city was divided into three districts (North, South and West) by the Chicago River. Due to its location on the river and near a portage between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River watershed, it quickly became a major trading center and grew rapidly. During that time and for several decades it became known as the world’s fastest growing city. It also became an important railroad transportation hub between the eastern and western parts of the U.S.

At the time of incorporation, Chicago’s population was approximately 4,000 and it had many dry-goods stores and grocery stores; and a few hardware stores. It also had a few taverns and law offices. Chicago was the county seat. The panic of 1837 and the depression that followed did affect the Chicago economy, but it didn’t stop it due to the money that was laid out for building the Illinois and Michigan canal.

Between 1844 and 1854 many immigrants came to Chicago to work in factories, and flour mills, grain elevators, warehouses and packing houses were formed to process the shipments moving to the East. The Illinois and Michigan Canal was completed in 1848 (which opened trading throughout Chicago). By 1854 Chicago was considered the railroad center of the West. By 1860 Chicago had a population of 109,260.

In 1865 the Union Stockyards were built at 39th and Halsted streets and meatpacking businesses soon followed. Other important events of the time included:

1840 – Public Schools established; 1848 – Chicago Board of Trade established; 1855-Chicago Police Department formed; 1855-Lager Beer riots; 1855-Street Grade raised;  1869-Chicago Water Tower built; and 1871-Great Chicago Fire.

        

 

Dearborn Station is an old Chicago train station located on the corner of Dearborn Street and Polk in Chicago’s Printers Row neighborhood and borders the South Loop area. Dearborn Station is the oldest of the six early commuter train stations in downtown Chicago.

Dearborn Station opened on May 8, 1885. It was designed by New York architect Cyrus L.W. Eidlitz and built by J.T. Alton in the Romanesque Revival style. It has a 12 story clock tower that can be seen from many blocks away. It cost nearly $500,000 to complete. It featured a classic Harvey House Restaurant, and ornate interior.It was the main facility for the Chicago & Western Indiana Railroad and provided service for the Chicago, Danville and Vincennes Railroad; the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railroad Company and the Grand Trunk Junction Railroad. By the turn of the century there were 25 railroads consisting of approximately 122 trains and 17,000 passengers that went through the station on a daily basis. Santa Fe’s most famous trains could be seen passing through the station. Trains such as the Super Chief, El Capitan, Zipper, Silent Night and Wabash Banner Blue and Blue Bird.

From 1920 through 1949 Santa Fe ran trains from Dearborn Station to Southern California, so a lot of Hollywood stars, such as Clark Gable and Judy Garland passed through the station. Dearborn Station closed May 1, 1971 when services were taken over by Union Station. In 1976 the tracks were removed and the trainshed was demolished. The station has been restored and now houses office and retail space.

I first became familiar with Dearborn Station when I walked around the Printers Row neighborhood during lunchtime and then joined a Curves fitness center that was previously located there. Today Dearborn Station contains a restaurant, a bank, a wellness center, legal offices, mail services, jazz club and a medical facility. It’s a beautiful building in a beautiful neighborhood – definitely worth checking out!

          

As a child growing up in the Avondale neighborhood in Chicago I loved to go to the Olson Park & Waterfalls with my mother. My mother simply called it Olson Rug. I think we visited there at least once a week during the Summers. It was such a place of natural beauty right in the heart of the city. It was within walking distance of our house.

It was located at the corner of Pulaski and Diversey next to the Olson Rug Company (which owned and operated the park). It had 35 foot waterfalls, rock gardens with 3500 rare plants, shrubs, trees (such as junipers,spruce and pine), ponds with ducks, ravines and caves. It was also home to hundreds of wild birds. The park was a stark contrast to the surrounding industrial area. The Chicago Tribune called it one of Chicago’s Seven Lost Wonders. Admission to the 22 acre park was free and over 200,000 people visited annually.

The park opened in 1935. Walter Olson had the park built because he wanted to bring some natural beauty to the gray industrial background of the area. He wanted it to resemble his vacation home setting in Wisconsin. The building of the park was a huge project that took 200 workers approximately 6 months and was made of 800 tons of stone and 800 yards of soil. The Native American theme of the park included tee-pees and totem poles and events with Native American chiefs performing war dances. 1935 was the 100th anniversary of the forced movement of Illinois Native American tribes from Illinois across the Mississippi River. The park included a symbolic gesture deeding back the area of the park to the Native American tribes. The Olson Rug factory, mill and grounds were sold to Marshall Fields in 1965 and the park was closed in 1978.

I grew up in the Avondale neighborhood of Chicago. Avondale had a lot of industry. It seemed like there was a factory on almost every block. It’s no wonder Avondale has been referred to as the neighborhood that built Chicago! My parents both worked at factories. My Mom worked at Beltone hearing aid factory at Addison and Kimball and my Dad worked at Continental Can Company around Belmont and Cicero. Still, the factory that stood out to me the most was I.S. Berlin Press. It was a large building complex that was located on the Northeast corner of Belmont and Kimball. It was designed by A. Epstein and Sons architects.

Chicago was the the center of the printing industry when I.S. Berlin was located there in 1949. It had previously been located in the Printer’s Row neighborhood since it was founded in 1920, but was relocated to Avondale to make room due to the construction of the Congress Expressway.

I.S. Berlin Press printed children’s books, advertising literature with colored pictures, and other products using the lithography process. Manufacturing companies like I.S. Berlin were the base of the post-World War II industrial economy in cities like Chicago. When the plant first opened on Belmont and Kimball in 1949 they emplyed over 500 workers. A major $2.5 million expansion was made to the facility in 1961. This new addition was designed to reflect the curved shape of the new Northwest (Kennedy) Expressway built at the same time. The clock at the top became a true Avondale landmark. Growing up, I remember looking at the clock from my back porch window to check the time and it was also where we looked on the Fourth of July to view the fireworks.

I.S. Berlin was demolished in 1977 following a decline in the manufacturing industry which cost Avondale and other industrial Chicago neighborhoods thousands of jobs. It was replaced by the Kennedy Plaza Shopping Center.