Chicago Landmarks Tour 2010-2011

Exhibit at Water Tower

2011-11-08T15:03:00.000-08:00

I didn't plan on writing any additional posts after visiting my last landmark. But I happened to see a photo exhibit at the Water Tower that fits perfectly with this blog. The exhibit pairs current photos of Chicago landmarks with vintage photos of the same landmarks. Some of the vintage photos appear to have come from post cards. You'll recognize a few landmarks from my blog.

So if you enjoyed this blog, you should try to see this exhibit. It's at the City Gallery in the Historic Water Tower.

Chris

Trip 122: The Fat Lady Sang

2011-10-17T13:31:00.000-07:00

Date: October 16, 2011
Trip: 122
Landmarks Visited: 4
Landmarks To-Date: 353
Landmarks Remaining: 0!

The fat lady performed on a brisk Fall Sunday morning. Shawn joined me on a trip to see the four last landmarks on my list.

1. Oglesby Cooperative Apartment Building (6901 S Oglesby Avenue)

2. Gwendolyn Brooks House

The poet lived in this small frame house during the early 20th century.

3. Adams House (9326 S Pleasant Avenue)

I did not have a grand plan for the order that I visited landmarks. So I'm pleased that it worked out that a Frank Lloyd Wright design was part of my last trip. Wright was obviously important to Chicago architecture and I was a fan of his work before I even started this project.

3. Oakland District (4100 block of S Berkeley and surrounding historic structures)

My lack of planning worked out well for me again in that my very last landmark was a pleasant surprise. The heart of this district is a block Queen Anne-style cottages designed by Cicero Hine in the late 1800s. I've never seen houses quite like these in Chicago. The block very much has the feel of a German or Dutch village. I especially like the rounded corners of the first floors of some of the cottages, and the larger second floors.

I included a picture of Shawn here because he joined me for more landmark trips than anyone else. Thanks Shawn, I couldn't have done it without you!

Thanks for reading my blog! I hope that you enjoyed it.

Chris

Trip 121: Traffic Jams Can't Stop Me

2011-10-13T15:23:00.000-07:00

Date: October 2, 2011
Trip: 121
Landmarks Visited: 4
Landmarks To-Date: 349
Landmarks Remaining: 4

This trip to the southwest side of town was slowed by a major accident on I-90. Police had the road completely closed, but luckily I had decided to exit before traffic came to a full stop. It took about 90 minutes to get to the first landmark. I was tempted to turn-around for the day, but I'm so closed to the end that I stuck it out. And thanks to GPS, getting off the expressway at a random exit is no longer a problem.

1. Waller Apartments (2840-58 W Walnut Street)

This is a relatively small apartment block near the original Sears Tower.

2. Five Houses an Avers District (1942-2102 S Avers Avenue)

This district is five houses in row on Avers. The addresses are deceiving because the houses are all within one block.

3. Iglehart House (11118 S Artesian Avenue)

This farmhouse managed to survive the growth of the city and the construction of an expressway literally next to it.

4. Palliser's Cottage Home No. 35 (2314 W 111th Place)

The landmark plaque explains that the name of this house was taken from the fact that its design appeared on page 35 of a pattern catalog titled "Palliser's American Cottage Homes". This is the only known design by this company built in Chicago.

Trip 120: A Fall Preview

2011-10-06T15:25:00.000-07:00

Date: October 1, 2011
Trip: 120
Landmarks Visited: 4
Landmarks To-Date: 345
Landmarks Remaining: 8

On a very fall-feeling Saturday morning I set out to see four landmarks near the Chicago Skyway. Initially I planned to visit these on my way to Toledo the weekend before, but an untimely rainstorm ruined those plans.

1. Peoples Gas South Chicago Neighborhood Store (8935 S Commercial Avenue)

This quaint storefront is now a neighborhood grocery store.

2. Calumet National Bank Building (9117 S Commercial Avenue)

3. Calumet Park Fieldhouse

This is a very large fieldhouse, but the exterior appears to have been covered in some sort of sprayed on concrete. So some of the architectural details look almost out of focus. And the lobby has a very out of place drop ceiling.

4. Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway Bridges-Pair (east of the Skyway and north of 98th Street)

I'd seen these bridges many times from the Skyway. But once again the challenge was figuring out where I could get a good photo. I ended up standing on the 95th Street bridge, which would have been pleasant had it not been for a cold wind blowing off the Calumet River. It briefly felt like late November.

Trip 119: Superman and Vintage Cars

2011-09-23T13:28:00.000-07:00

Date: September 18, 2011
Trip: 119
Landmarks Visited: 2
Landmarks To-Date: 341
Landmarks Remaining: 12

Shawn and I started out to see five landmarks on this grey Saturday morning, but first Superman and then vintage cars slowed our progress. First, I was driving on Lower Wacker when I saw a police SUV driving directly at me in the wrong lane. My first thought was that I was going the wrong way. Then I saw the camera car behind the police and realized that they were filming a scene for the next Superman film. At the next intersection the police directed us off Wacker. Still, it would have helpful to have been given earlier warning of the street closure.

So a little later than we expected we were approaching our first destination when the street was closed again, this time for a vintage car show of some sort. I tried driving around to enter our destination street from the other way, but then realized that it was a one way street. So no luck there...

After all the delays, we only managed to see two landmarks before rain and afternoon plans sent us home.

1. DuPont-Whitehouse House (3558 S Artesian Avenue)

This is a large house that is part way through what appears to be a major renovation. The house is for sale (listed for $199,000) so I was able to get some info from the listing. Here are the details if you're in the market for a historic home:
LAST CHANCE TO OWN A PART OF CHICAGO HISTORY BEFORE IT COMES OFF THE MARKET...... A CHICAGO LANDMARK, THE DUPONT WHITEHOUSE. 4,332 SQUARE FEET + 1,444 SF IN BSMT. SELLER HAS DONE A LOT OF WORK TO THIS PROPERTY BUT THERE’S STILL WORK TO COMPLETE. OFFERS 3 FIREPLACES, 4.5 BATHROOMS. DUAL PARLORS, GORGEUOS SKYLIGHTS, MSTR BEDROOM WITH FIREPLACE, 2 CLOSETS AND FULL BATHROOM. CASH OFFERS ONLY!!! ONLY SERIOUS BUYERS!!!

2. Walter Burley Griffin Place District (1600-1800 W Griffin Place [formerly 104th Place])

The houses in this district date from the early 1900s, and seven of them were built by Walter Burley Griffin. Early in Griffin's career he had worked with Frank Lloyd Wright, and Wright's influence can be seen in some of the homes here.

Trip 118: Life Goes On

2011-09-16T14:08:00.000-07:00

Date: September 11, 2011
Trip: 118
Landmarks Visited: 5
Landmarks To-Date: 339
Landmarks Remaining: 14

On the anniversary of the terrorist attacks, Shawn and I went to see some landmarks. Going on with normal life seemed like the right way to spend the day.

1. Sunset Cafe (315 E 35th Street)

This former jazz club is now a hardware store.

2. Giles-Calumet District (3700-3800 Giles and Calumet Avenues)

This is another district of period row houses. Although not as opulent as those in some other districts, these homes still have a lot of character.

3. Richard Wright House (4831 S Vincennes Avenue)

The author wrote his first novel while living on the second floor of this house.

1. Greenwood Row House District

These row houses are located near the University of Chicago, and according to something I read were originally targeted at professors. Interestingly, the houses look detached from the front, but are connected in the back.

4. Raber House (5760 S Lafayette Avenue)

I've been wanting to see this landmark since I read a Tribune article about it. Apparently a developer wants to buy the building, renovate it, and use it as basically the headquarters for an urban vineyard that would utilize the surrounding vacant land. This would be very back-to-the-future because the building was originally the manor house for an urban plantation.

Given the condition of the building, it would be amazing if these plans came to fruition. The city owns the building so buying it would probably not be a problem. But I can't imagine the costs of restoring the structure. From the outside at least, all that appears to be left is the brick facade. But I would love a chance to see the interior...

Trip 117: Two New Guests

2011-09-16T13:06:00.000-07:00

Date: September 10, 2011
Trip: 117
Landmarks Visited: 2
Landmarks To-Date: 334
Landmarks Remaining: 19

Two new friends, David and Kevin, joined me on this sunny Saturday morning. We visited two landmarked districts on the south side.

1. Jackson Park Highlands District (6700-7100 S. Bennett, Constance, Cregier and Euclid Avenues)

This neighborhood really reminded me of how wealthy the south side of Chicago was at one time. The neighborhood is block after block of substantial brick homes with large yards. It's still a beautiful neighborhood today. Unique for Chicago is that the neighborhood does not have alleys or visible power lines. I read on the landmark plaque that underground power lines were one of the innovations in this district.

2. Washington Park Court District (4900-4959 S. Washington Park Court)

This district is basically a block of row homes on both sides of the street. I think it is unusual for Chicago in that the houses are physically connected, where in most Chicago neighborhoods there is some space between each home. The variety of architectural styles is impressive for such a relatively small area.

Trip 116: Go South West Young Men

2011-08-27T15:49:00.000-07:00

Date: August 27, 2011

Trip: 116

Landmarks Visited: 5

Landmarks To-Date: 332

Landmarks Remaining: 21

On Saturday morning Shawn and I headed to the south west side.

1. Truevine Missionary Baptist Church Building (6720 S. Stewart Ave.)

This landmark is a bit of a milestone for me as it is the last church on the list.

2. Engine Company 129, Truck 50 (8120 S. Ashland Ave.)

This landmark is also a milestone for me--it's the last fire station on the list.

3. Longwood Drive District (9800-11000 S. Longwood Ave. & 10400-10700 S. Seeley Ave.)

This district is a beautiful neighborhood on the south west side of stately homes. Part of the neighborhood's charm is the variety of architectural styles and the very large scale yards for an urban neighborhood. It's almost like a suburb in the city.

4. American System-Built Houses (10410 & 10541 S. Hoyne Ave.)

The design of these two houses was Frank Lloyd Wright's answer to affordable housing. The two homes below were the only ones built in a planned subdivision that was abandoned because of World War I.

5. Foster House and Stable (12147 S. Harvard Ave.)

This house is yet another Frank Lloyd Wright design. The roof lines of both the house and the stable definitely show Japanese influences. I also like how the side entryway is surrounded by vertical boards. It makes it seem somehow more grand.

Trip 115: Air Show Sunday

2011-08-25T10:26:00.000-07:00

Date: August 21, 2011

Trip: 115

Landmarks Visited: 7

Landmarks To-Date: 327

Landmarks Remaining: 26

On the Sunday of the annual air show my friend James and I headed to the south side. The only goal of the day was to be home before 3 pm to avoid post air show traffic. The weather was great and we even had time for lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant.

Also, based on a reader suggestion I am going to start including addresses along with the names of the landmarks.

1. Engine Company 84, Engine 51 (6204 S. Green St.)

As part of this project I've seen a lot of fire stations. This one is more architecturally interesting than most. It's relatively large and has a pitched roof which is unusual for Chicago fire stations. The red brick with white terra cotta accents, however, is very typical for Chicago.

The station is no longer in use but appears to be in good shape.

Another thing that we found odd is that it sits in the middle of what seems to be an abandoned parking lot. It might have been a bus depot or something similar at one time.

2. Chicago City Bank and Trust Building (815 W. 63rd St.)

This building sits just across 63rd St. from the fire station above. The most interesting features of the building's exterior are the relief sculptures on the facade.

3. Yale Apartments (6565 S. Yale Ave.)

These beautifully maintained apartments are now senior housing. This building has lots of interesting details, included the rounded corners, arched windows on the upper floors and Louis Sullivan-like designs on the stone accents.

My friend James likes to point out unusual punctuation. So notice how the building name is written in the stone above the front door ("The: Yale"). I'm not sure what the colon is for.

4. Canaan Baptist Church of Christ Building (6657-59 S. Harvard Ave.)

This church was designed by the architect who also designed the Pullman district. And I do see some similarities with the church in Pullman.

5. Chatham-Greater Grand Crossing Commercial District (Cottage Grove Ave. between 75th and 79th Streets)

This district includes primarily commercial buildings with terra cotta accents. What's probably most unique about the district is simply the number of surviving period buildings in a relatively small area.

6. Lorraine Hansberry House (6140 S. Rhodes Ave.)

We weren't sure if we had the right house when we first came across this one. It's not architecturally unique for the neighborhood, and there's no plaque marking the spot. But some research confirmed that this is the house of the playwright who wrote "A Raisin in the Sun". I also learned that her parents were civil rights activists who fought to de-segregated the neighborhood when they moved into this house.

7. Garfield Boulevard "L" Station and Overpass (319 E. Garfield Blvd.)

There is something very quaint about this station that was built for the 1893 World's Fair. It's very small by today's standards and I think relatively plain for its own time. But the large awning is very inviting--it's reminiscent of boardwalks or carnivals.

The station has been replaced by a modern version across the boulevard, but a friend just told me that there is some plan to make use of this structure.

Trip 114: South Shore Sunday

2011-07-31T16:31:00.000-07:00

Date: July 31, 2011

Trip: 114

Landmarks Visited: 4

Landmarks To-Date: 320

Landmarks Remaining: 33

On another hot summer Sunday morning, Shawn and I drove to the Bronzeville and South Shore neighborhoods to see a few landmarks.

1. Eliel House

This house was designed by Louis Sullivan. Some of the original facade has been covered with siding, so you can't really see the architectural details any longer.

2. Kenna Apartments

The most striking features of this building are the relief sculptures that flank either side of the main entrance. It's surprising that a builder was willing to make this kind of investment in a relatively small development.

3. South Shore Cultural Center

This building is now part of the Chicago Park District, but I love the story behind it. It was originally a private and exclusive country club. The members of the club were unwilling to expand their definition of membership as the demographics of the neighborhood changed. Eventually, they had close the club.

The buildings were in disrepair and were set to be torn down when the people in the neighborhood got together to save the clubhouse. So the very people that were denied membership to the club eventually saved it.

The interior of the building has some beautiful party rooms, and the building itself faces directly on the lake with a small beach area.

4. Miller House

This is a large and beautiful Prairie Style house that was designed by a student of Frank Lloyd Wright.

Trip 113: Soldier's Home

2011-07-28T14:10:00.000-07:00

Date: July 23, 2011

Trip: 113

Landmarks Visited: 1

Landmarks To-Date: 316

Landmarks Remaining: 37

This building is more historically interesting than it is visually interesting. Visually, it doesn't appear that much of the original facade of the building is left. Just the stone above the windows looked worn enough to possibly be original.

But historically, the building is the last remaining direct tie to the civil war in Chicago. The building was used as a hospital for soldiers during the war. It was adjacent to the Camp Douglas prisoner of war camp for Confederate soldiers.

Trip 112: Chicago & Western Indiana Railroad Bridge

2011-07-22T15:38:00.000-07:00

Date: July 17, 2011

Trip: 112

Landmarks Visited: 1

Landmarks To-Date: 315

Landmarks Remaining: 38

This railroad bridge was a nice change of pace because it was actually easy to get to. It's located literally adjacent to the the Torrence Avenue bridge. We walked the sidewalk on Torrence and got a close-up of the now abandoned railroad bridge. I especially like the photo below of the giant bicycle chain that used to move the bridge.

Both bridges on located on the far south side in an industrial district near a Ford plant.

Trip 111: Calumet-Giles-Prairie District

2011-07-16T19:04:00.000-07:00

Date: July 16, 2011

Trip: 111

Landmarks Visited: 2

Landmarks To-Date: 314

Landmarks Remaining: 39

It looked like rain this morning, but I decided to risk it and headed out to see a couple of landmarks. Shawn and I had to fight a little Cubs traffic to get out of the neighborhood and then headed south to another landmarked neighborhood. I think the Calumet-Giles-Prairie District is actually part of the larger Bronzeville neighborhood.

1. Roloson House

This 'house' is actually a small group of row houses within the Calumet-Giles-Prairie District. According to the landmark plaque, these are the only row houses that Frank Lloyd Wright designed that were actually built. I would not have known these were Wright homes just by looking at them. To me they are more Louis Sullivan meets Tudor.

2. Calumet-Giles-Prairie District

The district is a small neighborhood of mostly very well maintained period homes. The homes are not quite as opulent as those on the boulevards of Chicago, but they are still beautiful and interesting for their architectural variety.

Trip 110: A Beautiful Summer Saturday Near Hyde Park

2011-07-09T14:17:00.000-07:00

Date: July 9, 2011

Trip: 110

Landmarks Visited: 5

Landmarks To-Date: 312

Landmarks Remaining: 41

On this sunny Saturday morning I headed back to the Hyde Park area to see 5 more landmarks.

1. Heller House

This is a beautiful Frank Lloyd Wright design. I thought I was being very insightful noticing that the house combined elements of Wright's Prairie Style with Louis Sullivan's more ornate decoration. Then I read the landmark plaque and realized that it said the exact same thing.

I also noticed that the main entrance to the house was on the side, rather than directly facing the street. I think this makes a house less inviting, but it must have been a trend at the time. I noticed that a number of the bungalow houses in the Villa District also have side entrances.

2. Engine Company 45, Truck 15

This firehouse is the same design that seems to have been common across many of Chicago's stations. The main design elements are red brick with light-colored stone decoration.

3. Keck-Gottschalk-Keck Apartments

This building is a 3 flat residential building in the International Style. It was definitely ahead of its time design wise. At first I walked right past it thinking that it was a contemporary building. With the surrounding mature trees, it also doesn't have the greatest street presence. This building also has a side entrance, which makes seem even a little more inaccessible.

4. St. Gelasius Church Building

This is yet another church building that had a major fire. The interior was apparently gutted in a 1976 fire and the building was expected to be demolished. Then the Catholic diocese gave the building to an order of priests called Institute of Christ the King. This group is trying to renovate the building and make it a shrine.

Apparently the church was originally called St. Clara, but I can't find any explanation for the change to St. Gelasius. I think churches usually only change names when they are taken over by another denomination. But this church seems to have always been a Roman Catholic parish. My guess is that as the ethnic mix of the neighborhood changed, church members just wanted a new name.

5. Lorado Taft's Midway Studios

This artist's studio is now part of the University of Chicago. I have photos of the studio itself, and the attached house that I assume was his home. I know this artist best was his work "Fountain of Time" which is still located not far from his studio.

Trip 109: Powhatan Apartments

2011-07-02T06:25:00.000-07:00

Date: July 1, 2011

Trip: 109

Landmarks Visited: 1

Landmarks To-Date: 307

Landmarks Remaining: 46

I started off my 4th of July weekend by heading down to Hyde Park on Friday after work. Hyde Park is a neighborhood with a lot of mature trees, and you could definitely see some damage to them from the storm that we had earlier in the week.

I often say that one of the (few) things I miss about living in Chicago is thunderstorms--but this week's storm definitely helped make up for that. It started with high winds from the lake. From my apartment I could see some of the biggest waves I've ever seen on Lake Michigan. A newly planted evergreen tree on my balcony did not fare well. Then the wind abruptly stopped and there was some spectacular lightening. I repeatedly saw bolts that seemed to touch down to the surface of Lake Michigan. Next came heavy rain and hail. Garfield Park Conservatory on the west side seemed to get the worst of the hail damage. I read that in some parts of the building 90% of the glass panels were shattered by the storm.

Back to landmarks--I went to Hyde Park to see the Powhatan Apartments. This art deco high rise overlooks a park and Lake Michigan. The most notable feature of the building is the tile work on the facade using Native American motifs. Interestingly, the tiles on the lowest floors are black, with more colorful and more abstract designs on the upper floors. The building is named for a Native American chief.

Trip 108: Villa District

2011-07-01T15:45:00.000-07:00

Date: June 26, 2011

Trip: 108

Landmarks Visited: 1

Landmarks To-Date: 306

Landmarks Remaining: 47

On a beautiful Sunday afternoon Shawn and I visited the Villa District. It's basically a housing development for the early 1900's that was initially all bungalows. It's located on the north side not far from where we live in Lakeview.

Probably the best word to describe the Villa District would be quaint. The neighborhood has tree-lined streets that are marked by stone flower planters that were originally lamp posts. The trees make the neighborhood unusually quiet for Chicago, especially considering that the Kennedy Expressway and Metra tracks are literally adjacent to the area.

Virtually every house appears to be well maintained, and from the same general era. It has very much the feel of the Frank Lloyd Wright district of Oak Park, on more of a Chicago budget.

Trip 107: Hot Sunday Morning

2011-06-10T16:34:00.000-07:00

Date: June 5, 2011

Trip: 107

Landmarks Visited: 6

Landmarks To-Date: 305

Landmarks Remaining: 48

On this unseasonably hot Sunday I passed another milestone. I have now seen over 300 landmarks. It made me start thinking about if/ when I see the last landmark. I plan to buy myself a bottle of champagne.

1. Site of the John and Mary Jones House

John and Mary Jones were early civil rights activists. Unfortunately, there is nothing left of their home. I wasn't even able to find a landmark plaque.

2. St. Charles Air Line Bridge

It took a little research to learn why this railroad bridge is called an 'air line' bridge. Apparently it was one of the first movable bridges to utilize air buffered pistons. Its span was also shortened when it was moved to its current position when the underlying portion of the river was straightened.

3. Engine Company 65, Truck 52

This landmark took me to a neighborhood that I had never visited before--Brighton Park.

4. Eighth Regiment Armory

This building was the first armory in the United States built for an African-American military regiment. Today it is a public high school/military academy.

5. Elam House

This house is definitely my favorite landmark of this trip. It's another Chateauesque mansion along one of Chicago's original boulevards. Unfortunately, a 1992 fire destroyed the interior of the building. It has yet to be restored, but the exterior appears to be in excellent condition. From the 1930's through the 70's the house was used as a boarding house for underprivileged women and girls.

6. Chicago Orphan Asylum Building

This building was originally an orphanage. Later it became a community center and was part of the Chicago Black Renaissance of the 30's and 40's. Today it is a Baptist institute.

Trip 106: Four South Side Neighborhoods

2011-06-04T15:49:00.000-07:00

Date: June 4, 2011

Trip: 106

Landmarks Visited: 6

Landmarks To-Date: 299

Landmarks Remaining: 54

On this hot and humid Saturday morning I drove to four south side neighborhoods (Pilsen, Chinatown, Bronzeville and Kenwood) to see six landmarks.

1. Thalia Hall

This building was originally built as a community center when the neighborhood was primarily Bohemian. Today the neighborhood is primarily Latino and the building houses a restaurant and appears to be undergoing some renovations.

2. Schoenhofen Brewery

This building appears to be perfectly maintained, but there isn't any signage to indicate what company currently occupies it.

This building is located next door to the brewery building. At first I thought it might be part of the brewery complex, but I think the Star of David on the facade rules that out. I thought the architectural detail made the building worth a couple of photos regardless of its landmark status.

3. James Ward Public School

This is Chicago's oldest school building still in use as a school.

4. Unity Hall

I especially liked the coats of arms above the main entrance to the building.

5. Pilgrim Baptist Church

This church burnt in 2006 and all that remains are portions of the facade. The structure built to support the remaining facade is pretty impressive itself. The building was originally designed by Adler and Sullivan and had a central structure that rose above the surviving walls. Plans are to rebuild the church assuming that adequate funds can be raised.

6. South Side Trust & Savings Bank Building

This building is still in use as a bank. Today it is a branch of Urban Partnership Bank.

Trip 105: Railroad Bridges Day Two

2011-05-31T09:42:00.000-07:00

Date: May 30, 2011

Trip: 105

Landmarks Visited: 3

Landmarks To-Date: 293

Landmarks Remaining: 60

On Memorial Day I headed out with Shawn for a second day of visiting railroad bridges.

1. Chicago & Illinois Western Railway Bridge

In the first two photos, the bridge in question is the one in the foreground with the graffiti. The limits of my camera's zoom capabilities prevented me from getting a good photo. From some web research, I learned that what makes this bridge unique is that it rolls back a short distance as it cantilevers upward.

The third photo is not mine. I found it on the web and it better shows the mechanical portions of the bridge.

2. Illinois Central Railroad Swing Bridge 2

This bridge and its twin below both swing from a central pier to open.

3. Illinois Central Railroad Swing Bridge 1

Trip 104: Railroad Bridges

2011-05-29T13:48:00.000-07:00

Date: May 29, 2011

Trip: 104

Landmarks Visited: 3

Landmarks To-Date: 290

Landmarks Remaining: 63

I set out on Saturday morning with a plan to see six landmarked railroad bridges. But I learned that railroad bridges are hard to get to. First, they're located on private property. Second they tend to be surrounded by industrial property with no easy access. So I ended up having to find roadway bridges with views of the target railroad bridges, or nearby city parks that happen to have a clear view. The process took longer than expected, and the rain cut my day short at just three bridges.

1. Chicago & Northwestern Railway Bridge

This bridge is abandoned, and it doesn't seem that it will ever be used for trains again. The east side of the bridge is almost on top of the Merchandise Mart building. And the west side of the bridge is very close to residential condos. It also might be permanently rusted open.

2. Pennsylvania Railroad Bridge

This bridge reminded me somewhat in appearance of the Tower Bridge in London. But instead of the center of the bridge being cantilevered, the entire deck is lifted upward along the towers.

3. Pennsylvania Railroad "Eight Track" Bridge

This bridge appears to be four side by side bridges. Two of the bridges appear to cantilever toward one shore, and two to the other shore. I was thinking that the bridges probably look like scissors as they open and close for boats to pass.

Trip 103: The Most Remote Landmark

2011-05-14T15:37:00.000-07:00

Date: May 7, 2011

Trip: 103

Landmarks Visited: 2

Landmarks To-Date: 287

Landmarks Remaining: 66

1. Illinois-Indiana State Line Boundary Marker

On a rainy Saturday morning I was driving to Toledo for a Mother's Day visit. I stopped by what I think is probably the most remote (or at least the most difficult to find) landmark in Chicago. It's the border marker between Illinois and Indiana. It's located at the entrance to the State Line Generating Plant, which itself it wedged between the Skyway toll road and Lake Michigan. You have to drive through a residential neighborhood and then down a one lane road along railroad tracks to get to it. When you find it, you definitely have the feeling that you're trespassing on private property.

The marker was moved to it's current location--I'm guessing due to the construction of the Skyway. It's not a lot to look at, but it is one of the oldest surviving structures in Chicago.

2. Drake Fountain

On the way to the boundary marker, I also stopped by Drake Fountain. The interesting thing is that it doesn't appear to be a fountain at all. According to the city's website, it was originally an "ice water fountain" donated by John Drake and the Italian government. I'd never heard this term before, and oddly wasn't able to find a good definition on the web. I'm assuming that blocks of ice were put there in the summertime to provide cool water for residents, but it's not obvious how that would have worked with the structure that remains there today at least.

Trip 102: Bronzeville

2011-05-01T16:43:00.000-07:00

Date: May 1, 2011

Trip: 102

Landmarks Visited: 4

Landmarks To-Date: 285

Landmarks Remaining: 68

Today was the first day of May, and it was finally sunny after almost continuous rain for the entire month of April. Shawn and I headed to Bronzeville to see a couple landmarks. We had lunch at "Chicken & Waffles".

1. Chicago Defender Building

This building isn't much to look at. It was originally a Jewish temple, and then it was home to the Chicago Defender newspaper for a number of years.

2. Roberts Temple Church of God of Christ Building

This building similarly isn't very fancy. It was obviously landmarked for its historical significance. Emmett Till's funeral was held in this church. He was a teenage boy who was brutally murdered while visiting relatives in Mississippi. His funeral had a major impact on the civil rights movement.

3. Black Metropolis-Bronzeville

Bronzeville is the historical center of the African-American community in Chicago.

4. Ida B. Wells-Barnett House

Trip 101: Kenwood

2011-05-01T15:59:00.000-07:00

Date: April 17, 2011

Trip: 101

Landmarks Visited: 4

Landmarks To-Date: 281

Landmarks Remaining: 72

On a sunny Sunday morning my friends Yen, Nick and I headed to the Kenwood neighborhood on the south side. Of all the landmark districts I've seen so far, this neighborhood has the largest concentration of large, vintage, single-family homes. The variety of architecture is impressive as well.

1. McGill House

I would have expected to find this house in the French countryside, not on a Chicago street. It's spectacular in scale and detail, and has been beautifully maintained. The original mansion has been divided into apartments or condos, but the exterior still looks like a single family home.

2. North Kenwood District
3. Kenwood District

These are actually two separate landmark districts, but on the ground it feels like one neighborhood. So I didn't attempt to separate the photos. I just included a few of homes that I particularly liked.

4. Stephen A. Douglas Tomb

We actually came across this landmark by accident while driving home. Douglas was a senator and is probably most remembered as being Lincoln's political rival. His tomb is located on a portion of his prior estate and probably overlooked vast grounds in its day. But today it overlooks railroad tracks and Lake Shore Drive. Still the monument itself is beautiful, and is in such perfect condition that it looks as if it could have been built yesterday.

Trip 100: Business & Pleasure

2011-04-16T15:22:00.000-07:00

Date: April 16, 2011

Trip: 100

Landmarks Visited: 5

Landmarks To-Date: 277

Landmarks Remaining: 76

Today was a bit of a milestone because it was the 100th time that I headed out to see landmarks. I was also able to mix a little business with pleasure because I delivered an insurance policy to a client in Wicker Park and then headed further south to see a few landmarks. It was a chilly, rainy morning but since I was driving it wasn't too awful.

1. Stock Yards National Bank Building

This building reminded me a lot of Independence Hall in Philadelphia. It's located less than a block from the gates to the old Union Stock Yards. The building is completely boarded up and a sign says that it is property of the city. It looks to be a good shape for an abandoned building, but the last picture here shows a couple of pieces of the terra cotta facade that had fallen on the sidewalk. The pieces were big enough to do serious damage if anyone had been standing there. I actually thought for a minute of taking one with me as a souvenir, but then decided that it should remain where it was.

2. Wendell Phillips High School

The landmark plaque says that a group of students from this south side high school formed the nucleus of the basketball team that became the Harlem Globetrotters. It motivated me to read the history of the Globetrotters to find out why they aren't called the Bronzeville Globetrotters or the Southside Globetrotters. According to Wikipedia, one of the founders picked Harlem for their 'hometown' because it was the center of African-American culture at the time and because an out-of-town name would give the team more mystique.

3. Metropolitan Apostolic Community Church Building

4. Victory Monument

This monument honors an African-American unit of the Illinois National Guard that fought in France during World War I.

5. Supreme Life Building

The rain and the cold killed my motivation to take more photos of this landmark. But it's in the heart of Bronzeville, so I will see it again when I visit the overall Bronzeville neighborhood that is also landmarked.

Trip 99: Beverly/Morgan Railroad District

2011-03-27T14:38:00.000-07:00

Date: March 27, 2001

Trip: 99

Landmarks Visited: 1

Landmarks To-Date: 272

Landmarks Remaining: 81

On a sunny Sunday morning I headed south with my biggest entourage yet for a landmark trip. My friends James (the amateur photographer), Nick (the professional photographer) and Yen (the gallerist) joined me. We went to the Beverly Hills and Morgan Park neighborhoods to see a group of landmarked train stations. The six stations are located from 91st to 115th Streets.

A. Beverly Hills - 91st Street Station Yen, James and Nick

B. Beverly Hills - 95th Street Station

We remarked walking up to this station that it looked more like a home than a station. The landmark plaque says that the original 1890s station was replaced in 1945 with a building that was designed to reflect the surrounding houses. The building was renovated in 2000 and looks brand new.

C. Beverly Hills - 99th Street Walden Station

This station, while small, is very picturesque.

D. Beverly Hills - 107th Street Station

This station is in rough shape. To me it looked like a neglected cottage from an inland lake in Michigan.

This is Nick shooting photos from between the railroad tracks. I told him that my dad, who worked for railroads his whole career, would not be pleased. But Yen had read the schedule at one of the stations and the train only runs every two hours on Sunday. Since we'd already seen a train go by, there wasn't too much risk.

E. Morgan Park - 111th Street Station

This was definitely the largest and nicest of the stations in the district. Notice the brick fireplace in the waiting area. I also liked that the undersides of the eaves are painted aqua.

F. Morgan Park - 115th Street Station

This station appears to have been abandoned by Metra. There are large holes in the roof, and one end of the building is taped-off. This is probably because of the risk of the roof collapsing. It's sad because it is a very quaint building. I especially liked the rounded corners.

Trip 98: Pullman District

2011-03-20T15:55:00.001-07:00

Date: March 20, 2011
Trip: 98
Landmarks Visited: 1
Landmarks To-Date: 271
Landmarks Remaining: 82

On Sunday morning my friend Nick and I headed south to the Pullman District. Nick is a professional photographer and likes to use architectural images in his work. I would say this has been my favorite landmark so far. Pullman was hugely important to the history of Chicago, for its economic impact, its affect on race relations in the city and beyond, and its impact on the labor movement. Plus the area is really living history. Most of the residential buildings that remain are still occupied. The southern portion of the district appears to be a thriving neighborhood. I don't know if any filming has ever been done in Pullman, but Nick and I both agreed that it would be a great location for a period piece. Or maybe the hotel building could be used in a horror film.

The area makes me think much more of the historic portions of Philadelphia or Boston than it does of the rest of Chicago. Most of the buildings were built with red brick where in other parts of Chicago stone facades are more common. Plus the area has sort of a town square, which is also uncommon elsewhere in the city. But the streets are wider than you would find on the East Coast.

The district also includes crumbling, abandoned buildings and buildings that have been partially preserved but have been boarded up and sealed off. Our trip got cut short by cold rain, or I would have taken even more photos. I think the Pullman District is under-appreciated by Chicagoans and tourist alike. This is probably due in part to the fact that it is so far from the Loop, and because the surrounding area has problems with crime and plight. But I definitely plan to go back...

Here's an interesting factoid that I learned while researching Pullman. Abraham Lincoln's son ran the company at some point after the death of the founder George Pullman.

Hotel Florence

The exterior of the hotel is well preserved. From a sign in the window the Bronzeville Historical Society gives tours, but it was closed while we were there. From what we could see through the windows, the interior looks to be fairly well preserved too.

Row Houses

The biggest portion of what remains from the originally industrial city is row houses. Those around the hotel seemed to be more luxurious than those farther away. I'm guessing that these were for executives and managers and the simpler homes were for laborers.

Greenstone United Methodist Church

As the name implies, this beautiful church is made of green stone.

Factory

This is part of the original factory complex. For this portion at least, the roof is gone and some of the walls are collapsing.

Clock Tower

This building with the clock tower was probably part of the factory complex as well. It looks as if it had been renovated and used fairly recently. But at least portions of the building have since been sealed off.

Livery Stables

This building is still in use as an auto repair shop. I thought it was interesting that the building was still in the transportation business after about 150 years. Notice the horse head on the facade.

Market Place

If I read the plague correctly at the site this building used to be a market. A person walking by told Nick that the neighborhood tried to raise money to restore the building, but this is as far as they got. The floor looks stable so maybe the building could be used for events during summer weather.

The market building is surrounded by four quarter-round buildings with columns that give a very Roman feel to the space in my opinion.

A professional photographer in action!

Mural

This mural is on the back on the contemporary visitors center building.

This is Nick helping to manufacture a Pullman car.

Firehouse

I'm guessing that this building was a firehouse because of the size of the door, and the tower that could have been used to dry fire houses. I especially like the design of the tower which looks Venetian to me.

The building is abandoned and looks to be in bad shape. What a fun renovation project this would be!

Trip 97: Another Saturday Afternoon Drive

2011-03-19T20:39:00.001-07:00

Date: March 19, 2011
Trip: 97
Landmarks Visited: 5
Landmarks To-Date: 270
Landmarks Remaining: 83

I took another Saturday afternoon drive to see a few landmarks.

1. Indian Boundary Park Fieldhouse

According to this plaque, this architectural artifact in the park was actually part of an early city hall building in Chicago. It's odd that it ended up in a park that is quite far from downtown.

2. Laramie State Bank Building

I've noticed this building before just driving past. The detailed tile work on the facade (and the color) is unusual for a bank building I think.

3. West Town State Bank Building

This building looks more like a 'typical' bank design.

4. Sears, Roebuck and Company Administration Building

This building is part of a complex that was the headquarters of Sears before the company moved to the Sears (now Willis) Tower in the Loop. (The company has long since left the Loop and is now located in the far northwest suburbs.) The administration building was the company's headquarters and is connected by pedestrian bridges to a couple of other buildings in the complex.

The tower in the photos is all that remains of the 3.3 million square foot merchandise building.

5. Shedd Park Fieldhouse

Trip 96: South on State Street and Wabash Avenue

2011-03-19T19:07:00.000-07:00

Date: March 5, 2011
Trip: 96
Landmarks Visited: 8
Landmarks To-Date: 265
Landmarks Remaining: 88

This trip was actually the first anniversary of my starting this project. So I officially haven't met my goal of seeing all 353 landmarks within a year, but I'm not feeling too bad about covering 265 in that time. Chicago is actually bigger than I realized, so it's more time consuming than I anticipated to travel between locations. This trip I drove 36 miles and spent over 3 hours to see 8 landmarks. Still, I think I can finish over the next couple months. The longer days and nicer weather of spring will help.

1. Vorwaerts Turner Hall

This building originally housed a neighborhood German athletic club. According to a quick Internet search the letters FFST on the facade stand in German for Healthy, Upright, Strong & True.

2. Quinn Chapell

According to the landmark plaque, this is the oldest African American congregation in Chicago.

3. Wabash Avenue YMCA

4. First Church of Deliverance

This is one of the most unique churches that I've seen. I would really like to see the interior. I guess it would be considered art deco in design. Apparently the towers where an addition to the original building.

5. Engine Company 61

6. Overton Hygienic Building

This building housed a number of early African American owned businesses in the city, including a cosmetics company, a life insurance company and a bank. The architect who designed the First Church of Deliverance building above, also had an office in this building.

7. Chicago Bee Building

This building was home to an early African American Newspaper. The floral detail on the facade is really beautiful. It is just south of the Overton building and was in fact built by the same person.

8. Crown Hall

This is another landmarked building on the Illinois Institute of Technology Campus. And it goes without saying that it is a Mies van der Rohe building. The day I was there was unseasonably warm and the front doors were left open. I looked in and saw a dozen or more architecture students building wooden models. I didn't know they still did that--I assumed that everything would be digital now. It made me think that van der Rohe would smile if he saw the same scene.

Trip 95: Austin to Chinatown

2011-03-05T12:21:00.000-08:00

Date: February 27, 2011
Trip: 95
Landmarks Visited: 11
Landmarks To-Date: 257
Landmarks Remaining: 96

On a sunny and unseasonably warm Sunday morning my friend James joined me to see some landmarks. James is a very serious amateur photographer, so you'll notice him in some of my photos holding an impressive camera.

We started out in the Austin neighborhood and then worked our way south to Chinatown. The plan worked perfectly because we arrived in Chinatown around lunchtime. Austin at one time was a separate little town, and by the size of many of the houses it must have been a relatively well off place.

1. Hitchcock House

2. Four Houses by Architect Frederick Schock

Each of these houses is impressive on its own. But the fact that the four of them have been preserved in such proximity is pretty amazing. And all four houses appear to be almost perfectly maintained.

3. Schlect House

4. Beeson House and Coach House

5. Marie Schock House

The architect built this house for his mother.

6. F. R. Schock House

This house is probably my favorite of the four because of the stonework, the second floor porch, and the number and variety of windows.

7. Jewish People's Institute

There was no signage or address on this building to identify it, so I was pleased when I noticed the menorah in the stonework. This helped confirm that we had the right building. Then I also found "J.P.I." carved in the cornerstone.

8. Site of the Origin of the Chicago Fire of 1871

This is the site of the infamous Mrs. O'Leary's barn where the Great Chicago Fire started on October 8, 1871. What's amazing is how far the site is from Fullerton Avenue, the northern most point that the fire spread. The area covered is huge.

Today the site is marked by a monument and is home to the Chicago Fire Academy.

9. Chicago & Alton Railway Bridge

This bridge wasn't easy to photograph. There wasn't any public access near the bridge, and since my dad worked for railroads his whole career I couldn't bring myself to trespass on railroad property. I have a number a railroad bridges to go on the landmarks list, so this problem will probably come up again.

10. Site of the Origins of the I&M Canal

We actually stumbled across this landmark in trying to find a good vantage point for photos of the bridge above. None of the Illinois & Michigan Canal still exists, but the design of this park is supposed to be an artistic interpretation of the canal. That's a bit of a stretch I think.

11. On Leong Merchants Association Building

The ornamentation on this building is really over the top, but given its location in the heart of Chinatown just beyond the Chinatown Gate, I think it works.

Trip 94: Saturday Afternoon Drive on the West Side

2011-03-05T07:34:00.001-08:00

Date: February 26, 2011
Trip: 94
Landmarks Visited: 6
Landmarks To-Date: 246
Landmarks Remaining: 107

On an overcast Saturday afternoon, Shawn and I took a drive to the west side to see a few landmarks. Shawn stayed in the car and slept most of the time--somehow I don't think he's as interested in landmarks as I am.

I used my GPS to find my way between the landmarks on this trip. It let me down for the first time. I think it has a few of the residential streets mis-marked on the west side. So I couldn't find one of the landmarks planned for this trip. Still, six out of seven isn't bad.

1. Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church

2. Lindeman & Hoverson Co. Showroom & Warehouse

The building looks like it is now used for residential condos.

3. King-Nash House

To me this house is very Chicago, so it's fitting that it is in part named after Chicago political boss Patrick Nash. He lived in the house from the 1920s to the 1940s.

4. Garfield Park Fieldhouse

I had visited this fieldhouse once before for an art opening at the Peace Museum, which at least used to be housed in the building. It's probably the most ornate fieldhouse, both inside and out, that I have ever seen. And it's been incredibly well maintained by the Chicago Park District.

5. Walser House

I had driven past this house before and correctly assumed that it was a Frank Lloyd Wright design. It would make sense that there would be some Wright designs in Chicago's Austin neighborhood because it is adjacent to Oak Park, where his home and workshop were located for much of his career.

What makes this house even more unique is that it is stuck between two very nondescript more contemporary buildings. You are not at all expecting to see a Wright house when you stumble upon it.

6. Third Unitarian Church

Trip 93: 63rd Street Bathing Pavilion

2011-03-05T07:05:00.000-08:00

Date: February 19, 2011
Trip: 93
Landmarks Visited: 1
Landmarks To-Date: 240
Landmarks Remaining: 113

On President's Day weekend I was headed to Toledo for a surprise visit to my parents. I left early Saturday morning and stopped by the 63rd Street Bathing Pavilion on the way. It was a cold, snowy morning so it wasn't too shocking that I was literally the only person on the beach. It was pretty unusual to be walking on frozen sand that crunched under my feet.

The pavilion is a big facility completely surrounded by a pretty tall wall. It looks almost like a small fortress on the beach. According to the signage there is a fountain inside the pavilion, but I wasn't able to find a vantage point where I could see it.

Trip 92: Lathrop House

2011-02-18T18:07:00.001-08:00

Date: February 16, 2011
Trip: 92
Landmarks Visited: 1
Landmarks To-Date: 239
Landmarks Remaining: 114

On Wednesday I used my lunch hour to join two friends to tour the Charnley House on Astor Street in the Gold Coast neighborhood. The Charnley House is a landmark (designed by Louis Sullivan) that I previously visited during the summer. But this time I got to see the interior--I definitely recommend the tour which is offered by the Society of Architectural Historians.

On my way to the Charnley House, I swung by the Lathrop House, which is also located in the Gold Coast. The house is now home to the Fortnightly of Chicago, a women's social organization. The Lathrop House is considered Georgian Revival, which I think is relatively unusual for Chicago. There are definitely a number of more typical Chicago greystones on the same street.

Trip 91: Sexton School

2011-02-15T16:52:00.000-08:00

Date: February 15, 2011
Trip: 91
Landmarks Visited: 1
Landmarks To-Date: 238
Landmarks Remaining: 115

On Monday afternoon I had a client meeting in Wicker Park. Luckily the days are already starting to get a little longer so I had enough daylight left to visit the Sexton School. According to the landmark plague it was one of the first high schools in Chicago and is one of the oldest surviving school buildings.

Trip 90: Valentine's Day on the South Side

2011-02-15T16:09:00.000-08:00

Date: February 14, 2011

Trip: 90

Landmarks Visited: 5

Landmarks To-Date: 237

Landmarks Remaining: 116

On a sunny Valentine's Day afternoon I drove to the south side to see four landmarks on Michigan Avenue and one on the campus of the Illinois Institute of Technology. The drive on South Michigan Avenue was a pleasant surprise because there are more of the original homes remaining than I expected. It wasn't always easy to look at a block and pick out the landmarked building.

1. Griffiths-Burroughs House

2. Eighth Church of Christ, Scientist

3. George Cleveland Hall Branch, Chicago Public Library

4. Pate-Comiskey House

This house is unique both because it combines elements of Prairie Style and traditional design, and because it was the home of a long time owner of the Chicago White Sox.

5. Main Building & Machinery Hall

I have seen these buildings a number of times from the Kennedy Expressway, but because the Illinois Institute of Technology is famous for its Modernist buildings, I wasn't sure if they were part of the campus. The first group of photos is of the Main Building. I'm pleased that I was able to get a shot of the stained glass windows through the front door of the building. I also tried to show the stripped stone that makes up the foundation of the building.

The second group of photos is of Machinery Hall, which is just across 33rd Street from the Main Building.

Machinery Hall

The following pics are of 'non-landmarked' buildings on the campus. I'm guessing that this building is named after the Armour family of meat packing fame.

These photos are of the new student union building. The most interesting aspect is that is was built directly under the L. A tube was built around the L tracks to reduce the noise in the building. The interior of the building utilizes a number of translucent walls. This had given me some ideas for my long-term renovation plan for my condo...

I'm guessing these buildings are dorms, but whatever their purpose, I like the design.

Trip 89: (Former) Engine Company 86

2011-02-15T16:00:00.001-08:00

Date: February 12, 2011
Trip: 89
Landmarks Visited: 1
Landmarks To-Date: 232
Landmarks Remaining: 121

On Saturday I drove to a friend's house for a pre-Valentine's Day martini. On the way I drove past the former Engine Company 86 building. The building looks to have been converted to a private home. But the most interesting feature is that it's a wooden structure.

This is the first wooden firehouse that I've seen in Chicago. It's located far enough north that it could pre-date the fire. Somehow I don't think any wooden firehouses were built in Chicago after the fire.

The large snow piles in the photos are the remnants of the Blizzard of 2011--better know as Snowmageddon.

Trip 88: A Quick Trip to the West Loop

2011-02-02T12:05:00.000-08:00

Date: January 23, 2011
Trip: 88
Landmarks Visited: 3
Landmarks To-Date: 231
Landmarks Remaining: 122

On a cold but sunny Sunday I took the Red Line down to the Loop to see one landmark, and then took a short ride on the Green Line to see two more in the West Loop. We had a snow storm the night before so there were not many people out and about.

1. Page Brothers Building

The interesting thing about this building is that it has different facades facing north (Lake Street) and west (State Street). The landmark plague explains that the State Street side was updated when it became a more important commercial street than Lake.

Walking to another landmark I took the photo below. It's of a diner that I think my dad would appreciate. The outdoor seating area includes a railroad crossing gate and railroad car wheels.

2. Site of Haymarket Tragedy

This monument marks the approximate location of the spot where a bomb was thrown during a labor demonstration in May of 1886. A number of police and civilians died from the bomb and the confusion that followed. Many people believe this event is the origin of May Day as an international day for labor.

I actually thought of current events in Egypt when I visited this monument. No one could have foreseen the outcome of events at Haymarket Square that day, just like no one could have predicted that one man's death in Tunisia would lead to demonstrations across the Middle East.

The following pic is of Claes Oldenburg's Batcolumn sculpture. I walked past it on my way to the next landmark. I know that the Ferris Wheel was Chicago's actual response to the Eiffel Tower, but I've always thought of this sculpture as Chicago's Eiffel Tower. The steel frame construction is very reminiscent (in my opinion) of the tower.

3. Engine Company 5, Truck 2

This building is still an active fire station.

On my walk back to the train, I happened to look up at the Willis (formerly Sears) Tower. I had heard about the new glass floor ledges on the observation floor, but had never actually seen them before. I definitely want to check it out in person at some point.

Look closely at the top few floors of the tower and you can see the glass areas that extended outward from the facade of the building.

Trip 87: Another Four North Side Houses

2011-01-22T15:31:00.001-08:00

Date: January 22, 2011
Trip: 87
Landmarks Visited: 4
Landmarks To-Date: 228
Landmarks Remaining: 125

On a very cold Saturday afternoon I drove to see four more houses on the north side. The biggest challenge of the day was very icy sidewalks. The streets were fine, but the sidewalks were dangerous.

1. Jackson-Thomas House

2. Charles N. Loucks House

This house is currently for sale. It would definitely make a unique home with a three story tower, a brick facade on the first floor with wood shingles above, and what looks to be the original garage.

3. John and Clara Merchant House

4. Dr. Philip Weintraub House

This house is definitely an example of the International Style. Given the lack of ornamentation and the flat roof, it's difficult to tell from the street whether it is a home or a commercial building. It also makes the building somewhat timeless--it's difficult to determine its age just from looking at the structure. (It was built in 1940-41.)

One feature that surprised me is the slightly whimsical porthole window near the main entrance.

Trip 86: Four North Side Houses

2011-01-15T13:08:00.000-08:00

Date: January 15, 2011
Trip: 86
Landmarks Visited: 4
Landmarks To-Date: 224
Landmarks Remaining: 129

It was a cold and overcast Saturday afternoon so I decided to drive to a few scattered landmarked homes on the north side.

1. Race House

This Italianate style house originally belonged to the founding Race family of Irving Park, now a neighborhood of Chicago.

2. Wingert House

This house in the Norwood Park neighborhood is one of the oldest surviving farmhouses in Chicago. Having been built in 1854, it is also pre-dates the fire.

3. Turzak House

I could find little info about this house except that it was built in 1938-39. It's definitely a very modern design for its era.

4. Henry V Peters House

Similarly I could not find any info on this house.

Trip 85: Hazelton-Mikota House

2011-01-15T06:38:00.001-08:00

Date: January 9, 2011
Trip: 85
Landmarks Visited: 1
Landmarks To-Date: 220
Landmarks Remaining: 133

On Sunday I put up with my continuing cold to visit the Forest Glen neighborhood. It's a quaint neighborhood of single-family homes adjacent to a forest preserve. The Hazelton-Mikota house is a wood frame, Queen Anne style farmhouse that is one of the oldest surviving homes in the neighborhood. It's currently painted plain white which makes me wonder what the original color palate might have been.

Trip 84: Engine Company 59, Truck 47

2011-01-09T08:50:00.001-08:00

Date: January 8, 2011
Trip: 84
Landmarks Visited: 1
Landmarks To-Date: 219
Landmarks Remaining: 134

On Saturday morning I braved 16 degree temperatures and a stubborn cold to try-out my new GPS (a Christmas gift from my parents) and to visit my first landmark of 2011. Engine Company 59 is located in a neighborhood on the north side. For a neighborhood firehouse it is relatively ornate with a tile roof, bronze encased dormer windows, two bronze City of Chicago emblems and significant white terra cotta decoration, including Chicago Fire Department logos above each door.

It's also relatively large and has adjacent parking. The building looks vacant. I'm surprised that a developer hadn't converted it to condos prior to the 2008 real estate crash. The building looks to be in very good condition, so perhaps the city still makes use of the second floor for offices of some type.

Trip 83: Rainy Saturday Morning Cut Short by Traffic

2010-12-11T14:21:00.000-08:00

Date: December 11, 2010
Trip: 83
Landmarks Visited: 2
Landmarks To-Date: 218
Landmarks Remaining: 135

I set out this morning to see six landmarks mostly on West Washington Boulevard. But an unexpected traffic jam caused me to give up after just two. It was kind of an ugly morning with cold rain so I wasn't too disappointed.

1. Lake-Franklin Group.

This is the oldest surviving building in the Loop. It's also a good example of post-fire architecture, including an iron facade and arched windows. It's also difficult to photograph because it's immediately adjacent to the L.

2. Groesbeck House

This house is famous both because it is one of the few buildings to survive the fire, and because Mary Todd Lincoln once lived here. It is still a residential building.

Trip 82: The First Snow Day

2010-12-04T17:39:00.001-08:00

Date: December 4, 2010
Trip: 82
Landmarks Visited: 4
Landmarks To-Date: 216
Landmarks Remaining: 137

This Saturday was my first outing on a snowy day. This made me admit that I won't meet my original goal of seeing all of the landmarks before winter. So I will extend my deadline to a full 12 months which gives me through March of 2011 to see the remaining 137. That's still a pretty tough goal given our short winter days.

1. Hull House

The Hull House Museum is now located on the campus of the University of Illinois at Chicago. It was originally founded by Jane Adams as a social service organization focused on immigrants.

2. St. Ignatius College Prep Building

This still functioning high school is also located adjacent to the UIC campus.

3. Jackson Boulevard District and Extension

This district is basically a one block area of original homes on the near west side.

4. First Baptist Congregational Church

This is a very large church built in 1869. It includes a side chapel with its own steeple that is itself as large as some churches.

I'm not sure if this house is part of First Baptist, but it's a beautiful house just behind the church. Maybe it was originally the minister's house.

Trip 81: Statue of the Republic

2010-12-03T08:41:00.001-08:00

Date: November 28, 2010
Trip: 81
Landmarks Visited: 1
Landmarks To-Date: 212
Landmarks Remaing: 141

Shawn and I drove his new Jeep to Toledo for Thanksgiving weekend. On the way back we swung through Jackson Park to see the Statue of the Republic. We arrvied right at dusk, so it was difficult to get good photos.

The statue is an approximately 1/3 scale replica of a statue from the 1893 world's fair. The original scuplture was destroyed, and this copy was built to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the fair and the centennial of the state of Illinois. The same sculptor, Daniel Chester French, created both versions of the statue.

The statue is impressive, and I don't think there is anything else quite like it in Chicago. I do think that it desverves a better location. It is located on the grounds of the 1893 fair, but it's in the center of an intersection on a relative small plot of ground. Relative to the statue plot, the streets are wide so there is no easy access for pedestrians. The streets are not busy enough for a large number of people to see it by car. And the trees of the park block any views from a distance.

Still it is one of my favorite landmarks to-date. I plan to go back and see it on a sunny day to really get the full effect of the statue's gilded surface. It really makes you wish that the original statue had been preserved.

Trip 80: Northwestern University Settlement House

2010-11-25T09:41:00.000-08:00

Date: November 24, 2010
Trip: 80
Landmarks Visited: 1
Landmarks To-Date: 211
Landmarks Remaining: 142

On Thanksgiving Eve I needed to run out and pick-up a ham for Thanksgiving dinner with our Chicago friends. On the way I swung by the Northwestern University Settlement House.

I think the building was probably landmarked more for its historical significance than for its architecture. The organization was one of the pioneers in developing programs to assist the urban poor. The group originally targeted Polish immigrants, but the neighborhood has become much more diverse over time.

Trip 79: Noble-Seymour-Crippen House

2010-11-23T14:55:00.000-08:00

Date: November 21, 2010
Trip: 79
Landmarks Visited: 1
Landmarks To-Date: 210
Landmarks Remaining: 143

On an unseasonably warm Sunday afternoon Shawn and I drove his new Jeep to the Norwood Park neighborhood to see this historic home. What makes it unique is that it's a farmhouse that survived the growth of the city. It now sits in a completely residential neighborhood near a major expressway.

The house is currently the home of the Norwood Park Historical Society. The house is also on the national historic register.