Chicago History Today

The ads started to appear in February 1959. They were heard on radio, or spotted on billboards or in newspapers. Chicago was a great town. It had all sorts of wonders. But Chicago did not have a mountain. Now, somebody named Captain Folger was going to fix that. He was going to bring a mountain […]

1939–Congress Parkway @ Sangamon Street, view east 2025–the same location In 1939 this is a thickly-built, mixed-use Congress Parkway block just southwest of downtown. But already there’s talk about routing a “super-highway” through here. In 2025 Congress Parkway is now a parking lot for the University of Illinois Chicago. And just beyond that wall ...

1937–87th Street @ South Chicago Avenue, view east 2025–the same location South Chicago Avenue crosses 87th Street here at Yates Boulevard, 2400-east. The 1937 photo features an apartment building with ground-floor businesses on the far-southeast corner. Though most Chicagoans still travel by streetcar, a Texaco station is available on the near-southwest corner. The ...

When the United States entered World War I in 1917, anti-German feeling swept the nation. One example was name changing–German measles became European measles, sauerkraut became liberty cabbage, the dachshund was changed to the liberty pup In Chicago, Bismarck Elementary School had been standing on the northwest corner of Central Park and Armitage for twenty […]

1960–Cedar Street @ State Street, view east 2025–the same location Cedar Street is 1100-north. Here, just east of State Street, we are in the heart of the Gold Coast, By 1960, tall buildings were already displacing many of the old townhouses and walk-up apartments. Sixty-five years later, more high-rises have sprung up along Cedar Street, […]