Chicago History Today

1939–Lake Street @ Oakley Boulevard, view east 2026–the same location Our location is one block east of Western Avenue. This was a densely-settled working-class neighborhood in 1939. Lake Street is lined with various small businesses. Overhead, the two ‘L’ tracks are flanked by the platforms of the Oakley Boulevard station. In our time, after decades [...

Today the city decided that the Garrick Theater could be torn down.  Another obsolete building was being replaced with something more modern and more functional, in this case a parking garage. Not quite.  The Garrick was an official city landmark. Located at 64 West Randolph Street, the Garrick was a combination theater and office building, […]

Brunswick is a famous Chicago company.  They make bowling and billiards equipment.  In 1914 they came up with a new advertising stunt. They were going to send a bowling ball around the world. People didn’t travel much then—not even 50 miles, never mind around the world.  But there were YMCAs in all the British colonies.  […]

General John Logan Sits on a horse On top of a hill In Grant Park in Chicago. That once-popular nursery rhyme describes a statue. Pictures of the general-on-the-horse-on-the-hill were flashed around the world in 1968, when the Democratic National Convention was in town, and protesters found it a convenient rallying point. But who was General […]

1951–Indiana Avenue @ 51st Street, view north 2025–the same location This was the southern terminal of one of Indiana Avenue’s streetcar lines in 1951. One streetcar is parked on the southbound tracks, ready to swing over to the northbound tracks and start its journey toward downtown. Meanwhile, another streetcar waits for the southbound track to […]