The year is 1620, and the Pilgrims have just landed on Plymouth Rock after a long, arduous journey from England. They had their freedom, they had their prosperity, and 350 years later, one of their descendants would be revolutionizing the face of pornography as the world knew it.
Hugh Hefner was born in Chicago on April 9, 1926(16 years after Abe Drexler, the inventor of another Chicago classic), and was purportedly a distant descendant of Plymouth colonist William Bradford. After a 2-year stint in the army writing for a military newspaper, he acquired a degree from the University of Illinois in Creative Writing. After graduation, Hefner served as a copywriter for Esquire magazine. In January 1952, he was denied a $5 raise. This action prompted him to leave the company. The next year he assembled $8,000 from 45 investors to start a new venture called Playboy(which was originally going to be called Stag Party). The first issue hit shelves in December of 1953 and featured nude photos of Marilyn Monroe taken for a 1949 calendar shoot. The issue sold 50,000 copies and was Playboy's coming out party(even though the two never did meet, Hefner later bought the burial plot next to Monroe's).
In 1955, Hefner published the sci-fi short story "The Crooked Man", which postulated an alternate reality in which homosexuality was the norm ans straight people were persecuted. Needless to say, the piece was HIGHLY controversial(in fact, the piece had previously been turned down by Esquire). When he faced the inevitable firestorm of controversy, Hefner stood by his decision. In 1963, Hefner faced legal trouble when he was booked on obscenity charges upon the publication of nude pictures of Jayne Mansfield. The jury was unable to reach a verdict, and Hefner beat the rap.
The 1960s was also the time when Hefner truly began to live the Playboy lifestyle that his magazine advocated. His man about town lifestyle was displayed in two short-lived television shows, his all-night ragers at the Playboy Mansion, and oh yeah, his side habit of sleeping with eleven out of twelve playmates in several years there in his heyday(which he freely admitted to.) After suffering a stroke in 1985, he decided to tone down his lifestyle a bit, cutting out the all-night debauchery and handing over day-to-day operations of the Playboy Empire to his daughter(but he was still fit enough to carry on numerous sexual relationships at a time with women less than a third of his age)
Hefner has been quite philanthropic over the years, including in 2010 when he donated $900,000 to help fund a land purchase that put a stop to the development of the vista of the Hollywood Sign. Also in 2010, the then 84 year old Hefner announced his engagement to the then 24 year old Crystal Harris, whom he would wed 2 years later. In 2013, Hefner announced that his youngest son would be taking over operation of Playboy once he stepped down, to guide Playboy to the next 60 years of success.
Monday, May 27, 2013
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Day 143: The left-side Line
Even when Chicago was a mere hamlet of 4,000 people, there were already musings being made about establishing a rail connection with the city. To this end, the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad was established in 1836, with the promise of connecting the city with the rich mineral deposits in NW Illinois and SW Wisconsin. Ultimately economic factors stopped this effort dead in its tracks. By 1847, there was another movement taken up to erect the line, led by the William Ogden(who had been the first mayor of Chicago) and a real estate developer. Not only did they see promise in the line, but they also saw dollar signs, since their proposed site for the downtown depot sat on a parcel of land they owned(meaning they were in for a real payday when it was built).
Investors were hard to come by, so they decided to just start laying track and see how much money they could get. This approach worked. A prime example happened on November 20, 1848, when a locomotive made a publicity run out to Oak Park and back. Not only did this generate good press for the line, but a passenger buying wares from a farmer and then bringing them back to the city symbolized the first ever goods to come to Chicago by rail. The line continued to expand to the West, reaching Rockford by 1852(alas, the line never made it to Galena). The next year, a new depot was built downtown North of the River, finally fulfilling Ogden's vision.
A few years after that, a second track was built along the line, which has implications today still. The trains run on the left hand side rather than the right. This is so because originally the outlying depots were directly north of the tracks. When the new track was laid, they were put to the south of the existing tracks, so as not to have to move the depots. Since most inbound commuters board from the depots, and since having commuters cross the tracks to catch their train was undesirable, the inbound trains now run adjacent to the depots, on the left-hand side of the tracks.
In 1864, the railroad merged with several other lines to make the Chicago & North Western Railroad. In 1911, the lines collaborated to build a new station downtown(which we know of today as Ogilvie Transportation Center.) In the 70s, the C & NW became part of the RTA, and was later bought out by Union Pacific in 1995. The line continues to run today out of Ogilvie(along with its two counterparts, the North and Northwest Lines), 177 years since it was chartered.
Investors were hard to come by, so they decided to just start laying track and see how much money they could get. This approach worked. A prime example happened on November 20, 1848, when a locomotive made a publicity run out to Oak Park and back. Not only did this generate good press for the line, but a passenger buying wares from a farmer and then bringing them back to the city symbolized the first ever goods to come to Chicago by rail. The line continued to expand to the West, reaching Rockford by 1852(alas, the line never made it to Galena). The next year, a new depot was built downtown North of the River, finally fulfilling Ogden's vision.
A few years after that, a second track was built along the line, which has implications today still. The trains run on the left hand side rather than the right. This is so because originally the outlying depots were directly north of the tracks. When the new track was laid, they were put to the south of the existing tracks, so as not to have to move the depots. Since most inbound commuters board from the depots, and since having commuters cross the tracks to catch their train was undesirable, the inbound trains now run adjacent to the depots, on the left-hand side of the tracks.
In 1864, the railroad merged with several other lines to make the Chicago & North Western Railroad. In 1911, the lines collaborated to build a new station downtown(which we know of today as Ogilvie Transportation Center.) In the 70s, the C & NW became part of the RTA, and was later bought out by Union Pacific in 1995. The line continues to run today out of Ogilvie(along with its two counterparts, the North and Northwest Lines), 177 years since it was chartered.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Day 94: Gallery's Gift to Chicago
On June 6, 1944,
the Allies invaded France and triggered the downfall of the Nazi regime. But that's not the story I'm telling
here. 2 days earlier, the USS
Guadalcanal was leading Naval Task Group 22.3 off the coast of Africa. 22.3 was part of a program instituted by the
Navy to help combat the problem of U-Boats by finding and destroying them. Task Group 22.3 was commanded by Captain
Daniel V. Gallery, and had already experienced a measure of success, having
sunk 2 U-Boats in just over a month's time.
After the second successful attack, Gallery started to wonder if they
just might be able to capture a U-Boat instead of sending it to the bottom of
the ocean, since U-Boats contained invaluable intelligence, including code
books listing the current Enigma encryptions being used by the Nazis at that
time. Thus, Gallery assembled boarding
parties from the Group so that they might try to capture a sub upon their next
encounter.
After the war,
the Navy had no further use for the sub and strongly considered using it for
target practice. It was at this point
that Daniel Gallery, who was by this point an admiral(and was originally from
the Chicago area) told his brother of the planned scuttling. Gallery's brother spoke to Lenox Lohr, the
President of the Museum of Science and Industry(the same place that also
currently exhibits the Pioneer Zephyr).
The Museum had already planned a submarine exhibit, and the timing
couldn't have been better. The Navy
donated the sub to the Museum, and money was raised to find the transport,
which took place through the Great Lakes.
The boat was officially dedicated as a museum ship and war memorial at
the Museum on September 25, 1954. For
the next 50 years, the sub sat outside, facing all the elements that 50 years
of Chicago weather could throw at it.
Finally, MSI constructed a new underground exhibit hall that was fully
climate controlled. The new space opened
to the public on June 5, 2005, and remains as both a memorial to the gallantry
of Gallery and his men, as well as the only U-Boat that is displayed in the
United States of America.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Museum Focus Week: The Adler Planetarium
Author's Note: I'm trying something a bit different with this one and taking an entire week's worth of entries to look at a major player in the Chicago museum scene. I hope you enjoy it! :)
The year is 1923. Walther Bauersfeld is working as the scientific director for the Carl Zeiss firm in Jena, Germany, and he has just hit upon something big. Using light produced by a machine in the middle of a domed room, he discovered that it was possible to project images of stars and other celestial objects onto the ceiling. Five years later, the Sears and Roebuck Company is doing land-office business in Chicago, and Max Adler(one of the company's senior officers) wants to use some of his new found riches to build a facility that will benefit Chicagoans for generations to come. Somehow word reached Mr. Adler concerning the developments that had been reached by Bauersfeld, and Adler decided to personally venture over to Europe to check out what was being done with the invention. So, Adler took his wife and architect Ernest Grunsfeld with him to Germany, saw the new projector, and on the spot decided to donate money to erect the first modern planetarium in the Western Hemisphere, with Bauersfeld's invention as its centerpiece.
In 1930, the Adler Planetarium was opened to much fanfare, along with some words from Max Adler himself: "Chicago has been striving to create, and in large measure has succeeded in creating, facilities for its citizens of today to live a life richer and more full of meaning than was available for the citizens of yesterday. Toward the creation of such opportunities I have desired to contribute.". The true coming out party for the Planetarium was the 1933 World's Fair(yes, Chicago hosted two of them), which featured the Adler on the fairgrounds(as well as the Field Museum and the Shedd Aquarium). Max Adler died in 1952, but his son merely took over the reins of the institution, and guided the Planetarium directly into its next renaissance.
When the Russians sent up Sputnik in 1957, it marked the beginning of the Space Race, which also marked a new impetus for planetariums to get their act together with new, updated exhibits. The Planetarium did this by refurbishing their building, as well as replacing their original Zeiss projector with a newer, updated model. Also, Mayor Richard J. Daley recommended that the Museum's Board work with the Chicago Park District to better administrate the Planetarium. In 1973, the Adler opened up a new underground facility, and 3 years later, the Board assumed full control from the Park District. The underground area also became the main entrance, thus closing off the main entrance area for the next 25 or so years.
The 90s saw the expansion of programming within the institution, as well as the inauguration of an annual fundraising Ball in 1994. The 1996 edition of this Ball saw the announcement of a major expansion to the institution, to be constructed by the architectural firm Lohan & Associates. Ground was broken for the structure the following February, and it was completed on January 8, 1999. The renovation of the rest of the building was completed a couple of months later, at which point the main entrance of the museum opened for the first time since 1973. The Adler continues to put out new exhibits and inspire new generations, just like Max Adler first envisioned 85 years ago.
Actually stepping inside the Adler, the first thing one notices is the smallness of the entrance lobby. Of the members of the Museum Campus, the Adler absolutely has the smallest lobby area. Of course, when one takes into account that a really busy day for the Adler is represented by 3,000 guests, while Shedd's busiest days attract upwards of 15,000, Adler really doesn't need all that extra space. The first thing you walk through is a small exhibit on Jim Lovell, which opens up into a larger exhibit about NASA's moonshot attempts, which then go into another exhibit about the moon, then you go into the Sky Pavilion. This is where you can see scale models of the Sun and all the planets of the solar system, and learn about them.
This is also where you can see an interesting quirk of the renovations. When the museum was built, there were plaques depicting each of the signs of the zodiac displayed on each corner of the outside wall. The Sky Pavilion was built as a collar around the original exterior, which means that nowadays, half of the zodiac signs are actually displayed on the inside of the full structure. Going down further, the bottom level has an exhibit on the Universe, telescopes throughout the ages, and astronomy in culture. (that's the one where they have the medieval classroom where you can dress up in scholarly garb, in case you remember any childhood field trips there.) The biggest draw of the bottom level though HAS to be the Atwood Sphere, Chicago's first Planetarium. That's enough of a spoiler, we'll talk more about the Atwood in a later entry...
The area outside of the Planetarium where the underground entrance used to be has since been leveled and turned into a plaza containing a statue of Nicolaus Copernicus. Not only is this a tribute to an astronomical icon, its also yet another tip of the hat to the Polish culture of Chicago.
The year is 1923. Walther Bauersfeld is working as the scientific director for the Carl Zeiss firm in Jena, Germany, and he has just hit upon something big. Using light produced by a machine in the middle of a domed room, he discovered that it was possible to project images of stars and other celestial objects onto the ceiling. Five years later, the Sears and Roebuck Company is doing land-office business in Chicago, and Max Adler(one of the company's senior officers) wants to use some of his new found riches to build a facility that will benefit Chicagoans for generations to come. Somehow word reached Mr. Adler concerning the developments that had been reached by Bauersfeld, and Adler decided to personally venture over to Europe to check out what was being done with the invention. So, Adler took his wife and architect Ernest Grunsfeld with him to Germany, saw the new projector, and on the spot decided to donate money to erect the first modern planetarium in the Western Hemisphere, with Bauersfeld's invention as its centerpiece.
In 1930, the Adler Planetarium was opened to much fanfare, along with some words from Max Adler himself: "Chicago has been striving to create, and in large measure has succeeded in creating, facilities for its citizens of today to live a life richer and more full of meaning than was available for the citizens of yesterday. Toward the creation of such opportunities I have desired to contribute.". The true coming out party for the Planetarium was the 1933 World's Fair(yes, Chicago hosted two of them), which featured the Adler on the fairgrounds(as well as the Field Museum and the Shedd Aquarium). Max Adler died in 1952, but his son merely took over the reins of the institution, and guided the Planetarium directly into its next renaissance.
When the Russians sent up Sputnik in 1957, it marked the beginning of the Space Race, which also marked a new impetus for planetariums to get their act together with new, updated exhibits. The Planetarium did this by refurbishing their building, as well as replacing their original Zeiss projector with a newer, updated model. Also, Mayor Richard J. Daley recommended that the Museum's Board work with the Chicago Park District to better administrate the Planetarium. In 1973, the Adler opened up a new underground facility, and 3 years later, the Board assumed full control from the Park District. The underground area also became the main entrance, thus closing off the main entrance area for the next 25 or so years.
The 90s saw the expansion of programming within the institution, as well as the inauguration of an annual fundraising Ball in 1994. The 1996 edition of this Ball saw the announcement of a major expansion to the institution, to be constructed by the architectural firm Lohan & Associates. Ground was broken for the structure the following February, and it was completed on January 8, 1999. The renovation of the rest of the building was completed a couple of months later, at which point the main entrance of the museum opened for the first time since 1973. The Adler continues to put out new exhibits and inspire new generations, just like Max Adler first envisioned 85 years ago.
Actually stepping inside the Adler, the first thing one notices is the smallness of the entrance lobby. Of the members of the Museum Campus, the Adler absolutely has the smallest lobby area. Of course, when one takes into account that a really busy day for the Adler is represented by 3,000 guests, while Shedd's busiest days attract upwards of 15,000, Adler really doesn't need all that extra space. The first thing you walk through is a small exhibit on Jim Lovell, which opens up into a larger exhibit about NASA's moonshot attempts, which then go into another exhibit about the moon, then you go into the Sky Pavilion. This is where you can see scale models of the Sun and all the planets of the solar system, and learn about them.
This is also where you can see an interesting quirk of the renovations. When the museum was built, there were plaques depicting each of the signs of the zodiac displayed on each corner of the outside wall. The Sky Pavilion was built as a collar around the original exterior, which means that nowadays, half of the zodiac signs are actually displayed on the inside of the full structure. Going down further, the bottom level has an exhibit on the Universe, telescopes throughout the ages, and astronomy in culture. (that's the one where they have the medieval classroom where you can dress up in scholarly garb, in case you remember any childhood field trips there.) The biggest draw of the bottom level though HAS to be the Atwood Sphere, Chicago's first Planetarium. That's enough of a spoiler, we'll talk more about the Atwood in a later entry...
The area outside of the Planetarium where the underground entrance used to be has since been leveled and turned into a plaza containing a statue of Nicolaus Copernicus. Not only is this a tribute to an astronomical icon, its also yet another tip of the hat to the Polish culture of Chicago.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Day 140: A Chicago Paper for Chicagoans-The tale of the Tribune
In 1847, a newspaper was started that would over the next 165 years influence, report on, and affect events going on in its city, state, and even country. That paper is the Chicago Tribune. Early on in its life, the paper stuck to itself, and didn't really have any detectable biases either way. However, by 1853 it had adapted a very xenophobic, anti-Catholic, traditional stance that included a favoritism towards temperance, which explained the paper's support for Mayor Levi Boone(whose policies led to the 1855 Lager Beer Riots). In 1854, Joseph Medill was persuaded to join the staff of the paper. This is a move that would prove to have far-reaching repercussions, as Medill openly campaigned for Abraham Lincoln, who after winning, helped lead the Union through the Civil War. It was at this point that the paper first started to establish itself as the local voice of the Republican Party, toning down some of the more blatantly xenophobic biases(though the paper continued to print the occasional anti-Catholic and anti-Irish editorial).
The paper continued much the same until the turn of the 20th Century, when the grandson of Joe Medill came aboard, a man by the name of Robert McCormick. Under McCormick's guidance, the paper once again became much more biased and isolationist, rolling out the motto "An American Paper for Americans"(which, though now phased out, still lives on today in the placement of an American flag on the paper's masthead, a practice that was inaugurated along with the new motto). It was during this time that the company held a competition for the design of its new headquarters. The resulting design by the New York team of Howells and Hood is today known as Tribune Tower. When the Depression hit, the Tribune immediately denounced FDR's New Deal as socialist hogwash.
Once FDR was out of office, the paper was all set for its biggest snafu of all time, when in 1948 it incorrectly called the Presidential Election in favor of Thomas Dewey. The photograph of Harry Truman gleefully holding the incorrect headline above his head in St. Louis is one of the most iconic ever taken. Robert McCormick died in 1955, but by no means was that the end of the Tribune's glory days. In 1969, the leadership decided to retire the paper's famed right-wing bias. The Tribune still kept a Republican slant in editorial writing, but from then on the reporting was more fair and balanced.
The egalitarianism served the paper well when news broke about the Watergate scandal. When the Nixon White House begrudgingly released the Watergate tapes, the Tribune pulled off the Herculean effort of transcribing the entire 246,000 word record into a 44-page special edition, and doing it all within 24 hours of the tapes being released. Later on, the Tribune joined the growing chorus calling for Nixon's resignation. In 1986, the Tribune replaced Gene Siskel as their full-time movie critic, as his duties with Roger Ebert were getting too time-consuming.
The rest of the '80s and '90s went by without incident, except for one time in June of 1997, when the paper published an advice column titled "Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young", which was later remixed by the director Baz Luhrman into a video titled "Everybody's Free to Wear Sunscreen" The 2000s saw the paper go through several rounds of contraction in an attempt to stay viable. In 2009, the paper broke a story about an admissions scandal at the University of Illinois. Apparently several well-connected politicians were using their clout to get the children of their cronies accepted to the school. In the fallout, several key members of the University's leadership resigned, and an investigation was begun. Just recently, the paper has rolled out a digital presence, and is now trying to adapt to changing times in the industry, a tactic crucial to its very survival.
The paper continued much the same until the turn of the 20th Century, when the grandson of Joe Medill came aboard, a man by the name of Robert McCormick. Under McCormick's guidance, the paper once again became much more biased and isolationist, rolling out the motto "An American Paper for Americans"(which, though now phased out, still lives on today in the placement of an American flag on the paper's masthead, a practice that was inaugurated along with the new motto). It was during this time that the company held a competition for the design of its new headquarters. The resulting design by the New York team of Howells and Hood is today known as Tribune Tower. When the Depression hit, the Tribune immediately denounced FDR's New Deal as socialist hogwash.
Once FDR was out of office, the paper was all set for its biggest snafu of all time, when in 1948 it incorrectly called the Presidential Election in favor of Thomas Dewey. The photograph of Harry Truman gleefully holding the incorrect headline above his head in St. Louis is one of the most iconic ever taken. Robert McCormick died in 1955, but by no means was that the end of the Tribune's glory days. In 1969, the leadership decided to retire the paper's famed right-wing bias. The Tribune still kept a Republican slant in editorial writing, but from then on the reporting was more fair and balanced.
The egalitarianism served the paper well when news broke about the Watergate scandal. When the Nixon White House begrudgingly released the Watergate tapes, the Tribune pulled off the Herculean effort of transcribing the entire 246,000 word record into a 44-page special edition, and doing it all within 24 hours of the tapes being released. Later on, the Tribune joined the growing chorus calling for Nixon's resignation. In 1986, the Tribune replaced Gene Siskel as their full-time movie critic, as his duties with Roger Ebert were getting too time-consuming.
The rest of the '80s and '90s went by without incident, except for one time in June of 1997, when the paper published an advice column titled "Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young", which was later remixed by the director Baz Luhrman into a video titled "Everybody's Free to Wear Sunscreen" The 2000s saw the paper go through several rounds of contraction in an attempt to stay viable. In 2009, the paper broke a story about an admissions scandal at the University of Illinois. Apparently several well-connected politicians were using their clout to get the children of their cronies accepted to the school. In the fallout, several key members of the University's leadership resigned, and an investigation was begun. Just recently, the paper has rolled out a digital presence, and is now trying to adapt to changing times in the industry, a tactic crucial to its very survival.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Day 133: The Sole(ish) Survivor
In 1869, William Boyington built a water tower in downtown Chicago. Little did he know that in two short years, his work would be tested by the flames of hell, or that 144 years after its dedication, the tower would be looked upon as one of the symbols of Chicago. Of course, this building is today known as simply the Water Tower, more famously for its status as being one of only a few buildings to survive the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Contrary to popular belief, the tower was not the only structure to survive the fury of the flames, but it was the only public building to do so.
As previously stated, the building has become one of the city's most identifiable landmarks, but what has become of it nowadays? Well, given that the water needs of the city are a tad more complex now than they were in 1869, the tower is no longer used as a Water Tower. Instead, it is now used to house selected pieces from the city's art gallery. In addition to that, the tower was named an American Water Landmark in 1969. The tower itself is surrounded by a plaza with trees, and furthermore is in the middle of the Old Chicago Water Tower District, which includes the Pumping Station and a local Fire Station. The Water Tower is also located in the midst of the Magnificent Mile, and right next door to Water Tower Place, a 8-story mall.
As previously stated, the building has become one of the city's most identifiable landmarks, but what has become of it nowadays? Well, given that the water needs of the city are a tad more complex now than they were in 1869, the tower is no longer used as a Water Tower. Instead, it is now used to house selected pieces from the city's art gallery. In addition to that, the tower was named an American Water Landmark in 1969. The tower itself is surrounded by a plaza with trees, and furthermore is in the middle of the Old Chicago Water Tower District, which includes the Pumping Station and a local Fire Station. The Water Tower is also located in the midst of the Magnificent Mile, and right next door to Water Tower Place, a 8-story mall.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Day 132: The Running of the Cubs
In the Spring of 2006, the Chicago Cubs decided to pioneer a new fundraiser for their charitable programs. The Cubs Convention had just celebrated its 20th annual iteration, so the team decided to branch out a little bit. Suddenly, somebody brought up the idea of sponsoring a 5k run, and the Race to Wrigley was born. Participants would register, and their registration fee would both cover the costs of the race and go as a donation to the charity. Additionally, the runners would be invited to set up individual fundraising pages so as to enable their friends and family to easily donate monies to each specific runner's account. On top of that, there would also be prizes for the most committed fundraisers, varying from complimentary game tickets, to a race day breakfast in the bleachers, even the chance to take a victory lap along Wrigley's base paths.
But the heart of any race is the course that it's run on, and this one is no exception. The course winds through the heart of Wrigleyville, starting out at the corner of Clark and Addison before going straight down Addison for a while, then running parallel to some train tracks before going into another straightaway down Irving Park Road. Eventually the race runs through one of the most historic cemeteries in the city, Graceland Cemetary. After that, the course makes a turn onto Clark and speeds back into the heart of Wrigleyville for a grand finish. The runners turn onto Waveland quickly before running into Wrigley Field itself. After a quick run through the concourse, the runners emerge right under the iconic scoreboard before turning and making a furious dash for the finish line.
Once done, the runners decompress, recharge, and are presented with a wide variety of vendors giving out free samples of everything from Muscle Milk to kefir. The Race to Wrigley is as strong as ever, bringing together runners and the Chicago Cubs to achieve a common goal.
But the heart of any race is the course that it's run on, and this one is no exception. The course winds through the heart of Wrigleyville, starting out at the corner of Clark and Addison before going straight down Addison for a while, then running parallel to some train tracks before going into another straightaway down Irving Park Road. Eventually the race runs through one of the most historic cemeteries in the city, Graceland Cemetary. After that, the course makes a turn onto Clark and speeds back into the heart of Wrigleyville for a grand finish. The runners turn onto Waveland quickly before running into Wrigley Field itself. After a quick run through the concourse, the runners emerge right under the iconic scoreboard before turning and making a furious dash for the finish line.
Once done, the runners decompress, recharge, and are presented with a wide variety of vendors giving out free samples of everything from Muscle Milk to kefir. The Race to Wrigley is as strong as ever, bringing together runners and the Chicago Cubs to achieve a common goal.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Day 77: Work like a Commuter. Ride like a Magnate: The story of Car 553
Once upon a time, the heavy hitters in the business world of Chicago cast off the unwashed veneer of the city and settled in the northern suburbs, places like Winnetka, Lake Forest, Ravinia, Lake Bluff, North Chicago, Zion, etc... However, this came with one problem. Those rich folks still needed a way to get back and forth between the city and their new havens. And they weren't about to just sit in a regular old train car with commoners for the entire ride, oh no! So, they came up with an ingenious solution. Build your own private cars! One group of people commissioned a car in 1929 nicknamed "The Deerpath". This tradition of naming cars continued for a while, but then it ended, at which point the car became simply known as Car 553.
The current car was built in 1949. By 1961, the car had been removed from long-distance service, and was re-purposed to run the commuter route. In 1975, a private outfit bought the cars and proceeded to assume operation over them. Once Metra was formed, the cars remained the property of the private outfit, merely supplying Metra with the transit fares that are paid by the riders on board the car. As for what line it runs on, Car 553 is hooked up to the UP North line, which(in case you've forgotten) runs from Ogilvie Transportation Center to Kenosha. And never fear, you too can reserve your spot on board Car 553. Just be ready to fork over a $900/year membership fee. Oh yeah, that's IN ADDITION TO a monthly Metra ticket. Happy Travels!
The current car was built in 1949. By 1961, the car had been removed from long-distance service, and was re-purposed to run the commuter route. In 1975, a private outfit bought the cars and proceeded to assume operation over them. Once Metra was formed, the cars remained the property of the private outfit, merely supplying Metra with the transit fares that are paid by the riders on board the car. As for what line it runs on, Car 553 is hooked up to the UP North line, which(in case you've forgotten) runs from Ogilvie Transportation Center to Kenosha. And never fear, you too can reserve your spot on board Car 553. Just be ready to fork over a $900/year membership fee. Oh yeah, that's IN ADDITION TO a monthly Metra ticket. Happy Travels!
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Day 125: A Cultured Building
A couple of days ago, I wrote about the Harold Washington Library, and how it was erected in 1991 as the current anchor of the Chicago Public Library system. But before that, there was another main library of the system. This one was located across the street from what is now Millennium Park. The building itself was built in 1897, and served as the city's main library building for 94 years, until the Harold Washington Library was opened. After that, there was discussion about what should be done with the building. Finally, the decision was reached to turn it into what it is today: the Chicago Cultural Center.
The purpose of the Cultural Center is to act as a place for the citizens of the city to view cultural activities for free. But another purpose of it was to serve as an official welcome center for the city. Right inside of the front entrance is the official Choose Chicago office, where guests can come in and learn about the city from docents who are on staff, as well as pick up all kinds of literature. The walls are adorned with pictures and different images of the city. Moving up out of the welcome center, we find ourselves going up a stairway in the back of the building, which has some windows looking out onto a small garden in back. As you go up the stairs, you come to the next level up, and then you see two giant rooms in front of you. The first is the Grand Army of the Republic room. The next one, which is through the GAR room, is another large area with views out onto the downtown area that the building is situated at.
After that, you go up another level and you go into a special exhibit gallery. The exhibit that was going on at that time was called Industry of the Ordinary. But in reality, it was anything BUT ordinary. When you walk in the door, the first thing you see to your left is sitting in a refrigeration unit. It is a bust of President Obama--made entirely out of butter(on a semi-related note, this is the second time that Obama has popped up in this blog, the first being the very first place we looked at) Anyway, it merely gets weirder from here, as we then go to another room, where there are many things, but one of note: on a pedestal, there are several dozen LEGO minifigures all with shirts that say "I WANT TO BE ORDINARY" (once again, not ordinary) on our way out, we see several over-sized dollar bills. But wait a second, those aren't actually dollar bills, they just look to be in the shape of them. What they actually are are various texts (such as a bible, the 9/11 report, and a history of the Roman Empire) that have been pulped and reshaped to resemble a $1, $10, and $100, respectively(call me crazy, but I just don't get avant garde art). Anyway, after that I went back down to the entrance and went on my merry way.
Conclusion: the Cultural Center can be a pretty odd place, but it does do a good job at preserving the beauty of the city's original library building for generations to come.
The purpose of the Cultural Center is to act as a place for the citizens of the city to view cultural activities for free. But another purpose of it was to serve as an official welcome center for the city. Right inside of the front entrance is the official Choose Chicago office, where guests can come in and learn about the city from docents who are on staff, as well as pick up all kinds of literature. The walls are adorned with pictures and different images of the city. Moving up out of the welcome center, we find ourselves going up a stairway in the back of the building, which has some windows looking out onto a small garden in back. As you go up the stairs, you come to the next level up, and then you see two giant rooms in front of you. The first is the Grand Army of the Republic room. The next one, which is through the GAR room, is another large area with views out onto the downtown area that the building is situated at.
After that, you go up another level and you go into a special exhibit gallery. The exhibit that was going on at that time was called Industry of the Ordinary. But in reality, it was anything BUT ordinary. When you walk in the door, the first thing you see to your left is sitting in a refrigeration unit. It is a bust of President Obama--made entirely out of butter(on a semi-related note, this is the second time that Obama has popped up in this blog, the first being the very first place we looked at) Anyway, it merely gets weirder from here, as we then go to another room, where there are many things, but one of note: on a pedestal, there are several dozen LEGO minifigures all with shirts that say "I WANT TO BE ORDINARY" (once again, not ordinary) on our way out, we see several over-sized dollar bills. But wait a second, those aren't actually dollar bills, they just look to be in the shape of them. What they actually are are various texts (such as a bible, the 9/11 report, and a history of the Roman Empire) that have been pulped and reshaped to resemble a $1, $10, and $100, respectively(call me crazy, but I just don't get avant garde art). Anyway, after that I went back down to the entrance and went on my merry way.
Conclusion: the Cultural Center can be a pretty odd place, but it does do a good job at preserving the beauty of the city's original library building for generations to come.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Day 122: The End of the Line
Okay, so this week's CTA entry is going to be a little different. Whereas normally we talk about stations that are fully up and running, today I will be telling you about a stop that has not boarded a single passenger in almost 62 years. Regardless, it is a compelling story, so here we go.
In 1926, the Metropolitian Rail Division(one of the many transit outfits that existed in Chicago before the time of the CTA) extended service west of the Des Plaines terminal(which still stands today as Forest Park, the western terminus of the Blue Line) all the way out to 22nd Street and Mannheim Road, which is about 6 miles west of where the Blue Line terminates nowadays. The station itself was only ever intended to be a small stub, as only one track was ever laid. There was a small station house that served waiting passengers, as well as a small platform for commuters to wait on. However, time wore on, and the station got to be more and more deserted, to the point that the station house was eventually taken out. By 1951, the station had become so deserted that it was almost other-worldly, as can be seen here:
Yes, that is actually a CTA Station, hard as it may be to believe. The station house has been taken out, and the station is all but a deserted ruin. On December 8, 1951, the CTA made things official and pulled all service to Mannheim/22nd, and all stops west of Des Plaines. The true irony is that mere months after the service suspension, a massive post-war building boom came to Westchester. But alas, the boom was too late, and for the past 60 years, Westchester has only been served by buses.
In 1926, the Metropolitian Rail Division(one of the many transit outfits that existed in Chicago before the time of the CTA) extended service west of the Des Plaines terminal(which still stands today as Forest Park, the western terminus of the Blue Line) all the way out to 22nd Street and Mannheim Road, which is about 6 miles west of where the Blue Line terminates nowadays. The station itself was only ever intended to be a small stub, as only one track was ever laid. There was a small station house that served waiting passengers, as well as a small platform for commuters to wait on. However, time wore on, and the station got to be more and more deserted, to the point that the station house was eventually taken out. By 1951, the station had become so deserted that it was almost other-worldly, as can be seen here:
Yes, that is actually a CTA Station, hard as it may be to believe. The station house has been taken out, and the station is all but a deserted ruin. On December 8, 1951, the CTA made things official and pulled all service to Mannheim/22nd, and all stops west of Des Plaines. The true irony is that mere months after the service suspension, a massive post-war building boom came to Westchester. But alas, the boom was too late, and for the past 60 years, Westchester has only been served by buses.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Day 121: The Fair that changed Everything
In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue. At some point he hit land, which he thought was India, but was actually an island in the Caribbean instead(Normally fouling things up this badly would certainly get someone fired, but Columbus grabbed credit for discovering an entire continent. Go Figure). After subjugating, robbing, raping, and kidnapping the Indians(so named because Columbus still thought he was in India when he first saw them[thus inventing the colloquial name for Native Americans that is used to this day]), Columbus went on several more voyages before dying in 1506. Now sure, Columbus may have been mistakenly looked up to by generations of schoolchildren, but the point of this post is not to make Columbus into Chicago 365's historical whipping boy. The point of this post is to look at something that commemorated Columbus' journey, put Chicago back on the map, and influenced probably more things about this city than anything else in history. Yup, that's right, we're finally talking about the 1893 Columbian Exposition.
By 1890, there had been many lavish and extravagant World's Fairs held throughout the world in such exotic places as London, Philadelphia, and Paris. Around that same time, there was a notion to hold a Fair in America to commemorate the 400th Anniversary of Columbus "discovering" America. Almost immediately, New York, D.C., St. Louis, and Chicago all started chomping at the bit to host the Fair. The financial backing of several prominent Chicagoans provided the necessary momentum to give Chicago the fair. Plans immediately started to be laid for the grandness of the fair. Renowned architect Daniel Burnham was tasked with designing and constructing the beautiful fairgrounds, a task he undertook with the assistance of his associate, Frederick Law Olmstead. Preparations for the fair were not limited to the South Side, as State Street saw some changes as well. Upon hearing of the multitudes that would be visiting Chicago for the fair, plans were laid by the Marshall Field & Co. leadership to begin planning for their iconic State Street store.
After many months of planning, the fair opened up on May 1, 1893 to much fanfare and public attention. Guests strolled through the paradise that had been created out of Washington Park. They strolled through the Midway(which would go on to give the University of Chicago's football team its nickname), and they were awed by Jackson Park, which proudly featured the Palace of Fine Arts(which would go on to house the Field Museum, and then the Museum of Science and Industry, where one can today see the Pioneer Zephyr, the U-505, and the largest plane to ever land at Meigs Field) and the glorious Republic statue(which would meet a fiery end in 1896). But the true wonders of the Fair were in wait for the guests once they reached the center of the fair. At the center of the festivities, they must have been taken aback with awe and wonder. For this was the 1893 World's Fair. And this was the White City. Getting to this White City was accomplished through various means. One way was the newly opened South Side Rapid Transit Line(Chicago's first elevated line), which had just entered operations in June of 1892(one of the stops on this line included Roosevelt). Another option to get to the fair was the Illinois Central Railroad, whose trains traveled right through Hyde Park on their journey downtown. This really bolstered the reputation and the finances of the IC.
Once people actually got inside the fairgrounds, boy were they in for a surprise. One of the prized pieces that the fair had was the Ferris Wheel. With a capacity of over 3,000 riders at a time, this marvel was intended to rival even the Eiffel Tower (which had debuted at the 1889 Paris Fair). The wheel accomplished that goal, and has gone on to inspire smaller models that have become inextricably associated with small-town fairs the country over. Of course, where there are rides, there are food and drink, right? Well of course, which explains how the fair also featured the roots of the Chicago style hot dog. Some 40 years before 'Fluky' Drexler would put his enduring touch onto the food, there was a stand from that was run by two Jewish brothers that would eventually morph into the iconic Vienna Beef company. And of course, hipsters owe a debt of gratitude to the fair as well, for it was here that their iconic beer of choice earned its moniker(sort of). The Pabst Brewing Company had been brewing beer out of Milwaukee since 1844, and was exhibiting its main brew at the fair. Supposedly, a contest was held at the fair to crown "America's Best" beer, and Pabst's brew won that title(apparently the competition was somewhat weak). In fairness, this story doesn't come without its detractors, from those who say that there wasn't even a vote held at the fair, to those who assert that several beers were only given a bronze medal. Regardless of the veracity of its claim, the company soon renamed the winning beer Pabst Blue Ribbon, and actually went to the trouble of hand-tying blue ribbons around each and every bottle of PBR up until 1916. The rest is history.
Of course, there were other activities to see outside of just the physical plant. It was in a meeting of historians held at this fair that Frederick Jackson Turner introduced his Frontier Thesis, prognosticating the end of The West as the 19th Century knew it. Speaking of the West, Buffalo Bill Cody came to the organizers wishing to field an act for the fair. When organizers said no, he decided to hold his show anyway, setting up shop just outside of the fairgrounds. One more mid-19th Century relic that visited the fair was a redressed version of the infamous Libby Civil War Prison, which went on to be known as the Chicago Coliseum and was the first home of the Chicago Auto Show. One day at the fair, Katharine Lee Bates visited. She was so moved that she referenced "Alabaster Cites" in the song America the Beautiful in deference to the fair. However, the Fair had its seedier elements. A huge area of the city was converted into the Levee, which served as a giant red-light district. In a few years time, this area would become home to the Everleigh Club, but for now it was just a run-of-the-mill red-light area--that just so happened to be run by a Chicago Alderman and a Democratic Committeeman.
The darkest side of the fair is embodied by the way it ended. There had been a slight economic panic in the city earlier that year, so some people were out of work. Those people included Patrick Pendergrast, who had helped to elect Mayor Carter Harrison Sr. in exchange for work. Harrison won the election, but then mitigating factors kept him from giving Pendergrast a job. Pendergrast flew into a rage, and spent the next couple of months planning his revenge on Harrison. Finally, on October 28, 1893, Pendergrast struck. He entered Harrison's home, was admitted by the maid, and as Harrison was emerging from his bedchamber, Pendergrast shot him 3 times from point blank range. Harrison died soon afterwards, and this immediately cast a large shadow over the end of the fair. The fair was scheduled to end 2 days later, but the grand closing ceremony was ditched in favor of a public memorial service for Harrison. All things considered, the 1893 Columbian Exposition changed the face of Chicago forever, introduced countless innovations to the modern world, and will truly go down in history as the Fair that changed Everything.
By 1890, there had been many lavish and extravagant World's Fairs held throughout the world in such exotic places as London, Philadelphia, and Paris. Around that same time, there was a notion to hold a Fair in America to commemorate the 400th Anniversary of Columbus "discovering" America. Almost immediately, New York, D.C., St. Louis, and Chicago all started chomping at the bit to host the Fair. The financial backing of several prominent Chicagoans provided the necessary momentum to give Chicago the fair. Plans immediately started to be laid for the grandness of the fair. Renowned architect Daniel Burnham was tasked with designing and constructing the beautiful fairgrounds, a task he undertook with the assistance of his associate, Frederick Law Olmstead. Preparations for the fair were not limited to the South Side, as State Street saw some changes as well. Upon hearing of the multitudes that would be visiting Chicago for the fair, plans were laid by the Marshall Field & Co. leadership to begin planning for their iconic State Street store.
After many months of planning, the fair opened up on May 1, 1893 to much fanfare and public attention. Guests strolled through the paradise that had been created out of Washington Park. They strolled through the Midway(which would go on to give the University of Chicago's football team its nickname), and they were awed by Jackson Park, which proudly featured the Palace of Fine Arts(which would go on to house the Field Museum, and then the Museum of Science and Industry, where one can today see the Pioneer Zephyr, the U-505, and the largest plane to ever land at Meigs Field) and the glorious Republic statue(which would meet a fiery end in 1896). But the true wonders of the Fair were in wait for the guests once they reached the center of the fair. At the center of the festivities, they must have been taken aback with awe and wonder. For this was the 1893 World's Fair. And this was the White City. Getting to this White City was accomplished through various means. One way was the newly opened South Side Rapid Transit Line(Chicago's first elevated line), which had just entered operations in June of 1892(one of the stops on this line included Roosevelt). Another option to get to the fair was the Illinois Central Railroad, whose trains traveled right through Hyde Park on their journey downtown. This really bolstered the reputation and the finances of the IC.
Once people actually got inside the fairgrounds, boy were they in for a surprise. One of the prized pieces that the fair had was the Ferris Wheel. With a capacity of over 3,000 riders at a time, this marvel was intended to rival even the Eiffel Tower (which had debuted at the 1889 Paris Fair). The wheel accomplished that goal, and has gone on to inspire smaller models that have become inextricably associated with small-town fairs the country over. Of course, where there are rides, there are food and drink, right? Well of course, which explains how the fair also featured the roots of the Chicago style hot dog. Some 40 years before 'Fluky' Drexler would put his enduring touch onto the food, there was a stand from that was run by two Jewish brothers that would eventually morph into the iconic Vienna Beef company. And of course, hipsters owe a debt of gratitude to the fair as well, for it was here that their iconic beer of choice earned its moniker(sort of). The Pabst Brewing Company had been brewing beer out of Milwaukee since 1844, and was exhibiting its main brew at the fair. Supposedly, a contest was held at the fair to crown "America's Best" beer, and Pabst's brew won that title(apparently the competition was somewhat weak). In fairness, this story doesn't come without its detractors, from those who say that there wasn't even a vote held at the fair, to those who assert that several beers were only given a bronze medal. Regardless of the veracity of its claim, the company soon renamed the winning beer Pabst Blue Ribbon, and actually went to the trouble of hand-tying blue ribbons around each and every bottle of PBR up until 1916. The rest is history.
Of course, there were other activities to see outside of just the physical plant. It was in a meeting of historians held at this fair that Frederick Jackson Turner introduced his Frontier Thesis, prognosticating the end of The West as the 19th Century knew it. Speaking of the West, Buffalo Bill Cody came to the organizers wishing to field an act for the fair. When organizers said no, he decided to hold his show anyway, setting up shop just outside of the fairgrounds. One more mid-19th Century relic that visited the fair was a redressed version of the infamous Libby Civil War Prison, which went on to be known as the Chicago Coliseum and was the first home of the Chicago Auto Show. One day at the fair, Katharine Lee Bates visited. She was so moved that she referenced "Alabaster Cites" in the song America the Beautiful in deference to the fair. However, the Fair had its seedier elements. A huge area of the city was converted into the Levee, which served as a giant red-light district. In a few years time, this area would become home to the Everleigh Club, but for now it was just a run-of-the-mill red-light area--that just so happened to be run by a Chicago Alderman and a Democratic Committeeman.
The darkest side of the fair is embodied by the way it ended. There had been a slight economic panic in the city earlier that year, so some people were out of work. Those people included Patrick Pendergrast, who had helped to elect Mayor Carter Harrison Sr. in exchange for work. Harrison won the election, but then mitigating factors kept him from giving Pendergrast a job. Pendergrast flew into a rage, and spent the next couple of months planning his revenge on Harrison. Finally, on October 28, 1893, Pendergrast struck. He entered Harrison's home, was admitted by the maid, and as Harrison was emerging from his bedchamber, Pendergrast shot him 3 times from point blank range. Harrison died soon afterwards, and this immediately cast a large shadow over the end of the fair. The fair was scheduled to end 2 days later, but the grand closing ceremony was ditched in favor of a public memorial service for Harrison. All things considered, the 1893 Columbian Exposition changed the face of Chicago forever, introduced countless innovations to the modern world, and will truly go down in history as the Fair that changed Everything.
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