Trip 5; Wicker Park District

Yesterday I walked to the historic district in Wicker Park. It's a neighborhood of impressive brick and stone homes (and mansions) from probably the turn of the last century. The homes are more urban than those on Hawthorne Place that I visited just a couple of days ago. To me Wicker Park is more representative of Chicago. I think of 2 or 3 story grey stones as typical of Chicago-style. Wicker Park has many of these.

I remember reading somewhere that Wicker Park was home to the original beer barons in Chicago. Beer apparently paid for a lot back in the day.

Chris

Trip 4; Hawthorne Place District

After work yesterday I walked from home with Shawn to the 500 block of Hawthorne Place. It's only a few blocks from our place in Lakeview. It's one of the few areas in the neighborhood with single-family homes. The houses on this block are also unusual for Chicago because they look more like country homes than city houses.

I've also heard a rumor that the actress Joan Cusak does or did live on Hawthorne. But that might just be an urban legend.

There is one ugly apartment building on the block that looks like it was built in the 1970's. And there is what is probably a very expensive private day school.

Trip 3, An Engine House in Bucktown

On March 11th I walked from my office to the former Engine Company 35, Truck 28 building on North Damen. The building is now occupied by a Potbelly sandwich shop and a high-end women's boutique called Nanette Lepore.

2nd Trip, 2 Neighborhood Landmarks

Yesterday I walked to two landmarks in my neighborhood; Wrigley Field and Engine Company #78 on Waveland Avenue. The engine company is still in use, but is not very architecturally impressive.

Wrigley Field is directly across Waveland from the firehouse. If you've only seen Wrigley Field by watching a Cubs game, you might think that the outside looks like a classic ballpark. But actually the facade is covered with prefab concrete slabs and chain-link fencing. There are even temporary office trailers parked out front. From the outside it looks more like a cross between a storage facility and a minimum security prison.

Hopefully, my photography skills will improve as this project goes on...

Only 350 landmarks left!

Chris

Project Plan

I recently learned that the City of Chicago maintains it's own list of landmarks. There are 353 landmarks within the city.

So I decided to set a goal of seeing all 353 before the winter of 2010. Since I've lived in the city for over seven years, I have seen some of them already. But I plan to see every single one again and take a photo for this blog.

I think it will be a good way to learn parts of the city that I don't know well. And since I plan to walk or bike to as many as possible, it will be a way to get out and enjoy spring/ summer/ fall.

I saw the first landmark today; the Cortland Street Drawbridge. Only 352 left to go!

Chris