On May 16, 1908, a Northwestern Elevated train pulled into a station on Howard Avenue, marking the first entry into northern Chicago/Evanston by the city's rapid transit. This was made possible by an agreement with the Chicago, Milwaukee, & St. Paul railway for the trains to use the railroad's tracks. Of course, thanks to some delays the station itself did not open up until August 23, 1908. In 1919(while the city was reeling from the race riots that had been aided and abetted by Big Bill Thompson), the station first assumed a duty that it is still renowned for to this day: that of a major transfer station. In that year, the Chicago Elevated Railways changed up routes so that the North-South Route(which counted Bronzeville/35th as a station) ended its route at Howard instead of Evanston, forcing northbound passengers to change trains at Howard. Six years later, the Skokie line was inaugurated, and the Howard station added another tenant(as the Skokie line trains almost always terminated at Howard). At around this same time, the lines were finally elevated, and so an entirely new station was built at Howard in 1921. This station featured elegant columns, as well as waiting areas for passengers on the North Shore Line(which also used the Howard station.
This situation of different transit outfits using the same station would rear its ugly head in a whole new way in 1947, when the Chicago Transit Authority was formed to oversee and consolidate all of the city's elevated transit lines into one organization. The problem was that there were essentially three different fare structures. One for those just traveling within the city, one for those traveling up north, and then another one for those traveling from the city to the north. Since Howard was a northern transfer point in and out of the city, it had to deal with all three types of fares in one single station, which at times made for some interesting platform configurations. At one point in the 1950s, the station had one track fully devoted to CTA fares and boarding, half of another allocated to the CTA, the other half of that one devoted to the North Shore Line, and a third platform split into three different segments and partitioned for another line.
Eventually this problem was abated, and today all the lines that use the station are under the auspices of the CTA, thus avoiding all fare confusion. The legacy of Howard as a transfer point continues to this day, as the station is the main hub between the Red, Yellow, and Purple Lines.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Day 135: Fly Me Away on the CTA (Part 2)
In the early 1980s, the CTA decided to extend service on its West-Northwest route, adding 3 new stations north of Jefferson Park. Those new stations were to be placed at Cumberland Avenue, River Road in Rosemont, and as a new connection into O'Hare International Airport. The first two additional stations were completed first, and then after a wait of more than a year, the new station at O'Hare was completed. As part of the ceremony on Labor Day 1984, a number of dignitaries rode a ceremonial train into the station(similar to how the Skokie station had been dedicated 59 years before). Once the train pulled into the terminal, famous jazzman Dizzy Gillespie joined with his band and played "Take the A Train" upon arrival at the new terminal.
Interestingly, there had been original plans to make the station able to handle a future thru expansion. However, Jane Byrne ordered construction rushed so that the station would be ready before the 1983 election. Alas, the station was not finished in time, Byrne lost the election, and the ribbon was cut on the station by Harold Washington. But as an effect, the station was converted to a dead-end stop to hurry things up. The station is unique in that the main track area is completely wide open, with no support columns getting in the way of things. This feat was accomplished by devising a mechanism that transfers the load of the parking garage(located above the station) to the side walls. This level of ingenuity won the architectural firm of Murphy/Jahn 2 design awards in 1987 and 1988. By the way, if the name Jahn sounds familiar, that's because it should. Helmut Jahn designed the Thompson Center, as well as an IIT dorm located right next to the Green Line's 35th St. station.
In 2002, the CTA inaugurated the Active Transit Station Signs(ATSS) project at O'Hare, Midway, and 2 other stations in the city. The point of this project was to put information in each station about the time until the next train, traffic conditions, service disruptions, among other things(in an interesting aside, these ATSS signs can be seen as an ancestor to the CTA's Train Tracker signs, which just achieved full coverage in every single station as of this past Monday, according to the Redeye).
In early 2005, the CTA went in and made a few minor changes to the station. First, they moved around the TransitCard Machines, as they were still in the same temporary position that they were in when they were rolled out in 1997. They also outfitted the station with special Visitor Pass Machines, which allow tourists to come in and purchase farecards with a credit card. This was actually the first time that people were able to use credit cards to purchase CTA cards. On the eve of its 30th birthday, the O'Hare station is still performing well, and should keep doing so for many years to come.
Interestingly, there had been original plans to make the station able to handle a future thru expansion. However, Jane Byrne ordered construction rushed so that the station would be ready before the 1983 election. Alas, the station was not finished in time, Byrne lost the election, and the ribbon was cut on the station by Harold Washington. But as an effect, the station was converted to a dead-end stop to hurry things up. The station is unique in that the main track area is completely wide open, with no support columns getting in the way of things. This feat was accomplished by devising a mechanism that transfers the load of the parking garage(located above the station) to the side walls. This level of ingenuity won the architectural firm of Murphy/Jahn 2 design awards in 1987 and 1988. By the way, if the name Jahn sounds familiar, that's because it should. Helmut Jahn designed the Thompson Center, as well as an IIT dorm located right next to the Green Line's 35th St. station.
In 2002, the CTA inaugurated the Active Transit Station Signs(ATSS) project at O'Hare, Midway, and 2 other stations in the city. The point of this project was to put information in each station about the time until the next train, traffic conditions, service disruptions, among other things(in an interesting aside, these ATSS signs can be seen as an ancestor to the CTA's Train Tracker signs, which just achieved full coverage in every single station as of this past Monday, according to the Redeye).
In early 2005, the CTA went in and made a few minor changes to the station. First, they moved around the TransitCard Machines, as they were still in the same temporary position that they were in when they were rolled out in 1997. They also outfitted the station with special Visitor Pass Machines, which allow tourists to come in and purchase farecards with a credit card. This was actually the first time that people were able to use credit cards to purchase CTA cards. On the eve of its 30th birthday, the O'Hare station is still performing well, and should keep doing so for many years to come.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Day 240: Chaos in the Park
In 1968, the Democrats decided to hold their national convention in the great city of Chicago, Illinois. At the same time, the Vietnam War was quickly escalating out of control, the country was still reeling from the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy, and emotions were in general running VERY high and VERY tense. In addition to this, a young man by the name of Abbie Hoffman started the Young International Party(aka: the Yippies) to advocate for social change in the United States. All of these different forces were converging upon Chicago to air their grievances, have their voices heard, and to demonstrate. Finally, the second to the last day of the convention arrived. The day started out...
Wait a second. I could sit here and write all kinds of narrative about what happened, be it Richard J. Daley talking about cops preserving disorder, or a police riot, or even the relative qualities of the Chicago Seven. But instead of doing that, how about I just let an eyewitness account speak for itself? In the summer of 1968, Jan Maday was 2 years removed from graduating Hinsdale Central High School. She spent summers helping on her family's farm in Oak Brook(yes, there used to be farms in Oak Brook). And on Wednesday, August 28, 1968, her boyfriend took her to Grant Park to see Sly and the Family Stone. I'll just let Jan tell the rest of the story from here:
"[I was a] typical 20 yr old...all about fun, and not much about politics. It was the hippie generation...if I recall Sly and the Family Stone were scheduled to play in Grant Park. My then boyfriend (now husband) who was much more city savvy than I (me from Oak Brook boonies at the time) said "let's go"...we had done the Rush Street/2nd City Scene on many occasions and were always up for an adventure. As a country bumpkin I was very very naive, and had no clue that I might be in harm's way. We arrived at Grant Park to a maze of people...solid walls of hippies as far as you could see. When the scheduled bands were late (or didn't show)...the crowd started getting 'lively'. Chanting, pushing, pot smoking, alcohol, power fisting, you name it.
Chicago's finest (Mayor Daley's Police)...took an excessively firm stand...they were launching tear gas at the crowds to try to disperse us. Water canons, night sticks hitting hard for no more apparent reason than gathering. The crowd got incensed at the sight of the hostile police and started chanting PIGS, PIGS, PIGS...which likely enraged the police more. Everyone was running in every direction...my boyfriend and I escaped w/nothing more than injured egos; feeling very fortunate to not have been put in a paddy wagon or bloodied (as many others were). Meanwhile...my folks had no idea Dan had taken me to that scene...and when we arrived home later than evening, and the folks had viewed the coverage on the news, and they learned we had been in the fray...the folks were quite pissed. We lived on a 'farm' of 2.5 acres in OakBrook...dad grew all kinds of fruits and veggies (that I sold during summer, and put me thru college). Mom and Dad made us do 'penance' by picking corn and apples and promising never to rabble rouse again. How many times [has] Grant Park cross[ed] my mind since? Maybe a handful [of times]...when [my family] shares pics, when my daughter stays at Palmer House on business trips and says she LOVES jogging in Grant Park while there...seeing the rewinds on the PBS documentary "Remembering Chicago". Having friends remark how much they enjoyed Chicago and Navy Pier while on vacations...every once in a while...But oh boy, were my folks ever mad!!"
So when yoiu're out and about today, go down to Grant Park. Maybe you'll see Buckingham Fountain, maybe you'll see the site of this year's Blackhawks rally, but while you're doing all that just stop for a second, and think about what happend 45 years ago to the day on the VERY spot you're standing on. I gurantee it'll be somethng else.
Wait a second. I could sit here and write all kinds of narrative about what happened, be it Richard J. Daley talking about cops preserving disorder, or a police riot, or even the relative qualities of the Chicago Seven. But instead of doing that, how about I just let an eyewitness account speak for itself? In the summer of 1968, Jan Maday was 2 years removed from graduating Hinsdale Central High School. She spent summers helping on her family's farm in Oak Brook(yes, there used to be farms in Oak Brook). And on Wednesday, August 28, 1968, her boyfriend took her to Grant Park to see Sly and the Family Stone. I'll just let Jan tell the rest of the story from here:
"[I was a] typical 20 yr old...all about fun, and not much about politics. It was the hippie generation...if I recall Sly and the Family Stone were scheduled to play in Grant Park. My then boyfriend (now husband) who was much more city savvy than I (me from Oak Brook boonies at the time) said "let's go"...we had done the Rush Street/2nd City Scene on many occasions and were always up for an adventure. As a country bumpkin I was very very naive, and had no clue that I might be in harm's way. We arrived at Grant Park to a maze of people...solid walls of hippies as far as you could see. When the scheduled bands were late (or didn't show)...the crowd started getting 'lively'. Chanting, pushing, pot smoking, alcohol, power fisting, you name it.
Chicago's finest (Mayor Daley's Police)...took an excessively firm stand...they were launching tear gas at the crowds to try to disperse us. Water canons, night sticks hitting hard for no more apparent reason than gathering. The crowd got incensed at the sight of the hostile police and started chanting PIGS, PIGS, PIGS...which likely enraged the police more. Everyone was running in every direction...my boyfriend and I escaped w/nothing more than injured egos; feeling very fortunate to not have been put in a paddy wagon or bloodied (as many others were). Meanwhile...my folks had no idea Dan had taken me to that scene...and when we arrived home later than evening, and the folks had viewed the coverage on the news, and they learned we had been in the fray...the folks were quite pissed. We lived on a 'farm' of 2.5 acres in OakBrook...dad grew all kinds of fruits and veggies (that I sold during summer, and put me thru college). Mom and Dad made us do 'penance' by picking corn and apples and promising never to rabble rouse again. How many times [has] Grant Park cross[ed] my mind since? Maybe a handful [of times]...when [my family] shares pics, when my daughter stays at Palmer House on business trips and says she LOVES jogging in Grant Park while there...seeing the rewinds on the PBS documentary "Remembering Chicago". Having friends remark how much they enjoyed Chicago and Navy Pier while on vacations...every once in a while...But oh boy, were my folks ever mad!!"
So when yoiu're out and about today, go down to Grant Park. Maybe you'll see Buckingham Fountain, maybe you'll see the site of this year's Blackhawks rally, but while you're doing all that just stop for a second, and think about what happend 45 years ago to the day on the VERY spot you're standing on. I gurantee it'll be somethng else.
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Day 128: The [Station] House that would not die.
In 1925, a new station was opened up in Skokie to serve the Chicago Rapid Transit Company and the North Shore Railroad. The station house was erected in a Prairie School style, and originally served as a baggage depot and a waiting area for the North Shore Line(of course, the station did feature other amenities as well, such as a lunch counter and a smoking lounge.) The station officially opened its doors on March 28, 1925 in a ceremony that was attended by numerous dignitaries. At the conclusion of the speeches, a couple of special trains carried them to the new station, and there was even an air show to inaugurate the new facility. While CRT Service commenced immediately after the opening, the North Shore Line didn't come through until June 5, 1926.
However, the CRT never really took off, and the service to Skokie was suspended by the newly-formed Chicago Transit Authority on March 27, 1948. The North Shore Line eventually followed suit and had completely vacated the station by January 1963. However, this was not the end for the station, as the CTA made a return to the station in April 1964 as part of the Skokie Swift pilot program, which was intended to determine if commuter service could be used to link an urban area to a post-war suburb(such as Skokie). The experiment worked flawlessly, and the Skokie Swift continues to this day as the CTA Yellow Line.
When the trial period had begun, the 1925 station was not used, owing to the temporary nature of the project. Eventually, the old station was converted into retail space, and would remain that same way for the next 30 years. In 1994, a new permanent station was built for the Dempster-Skokie stop, and this threatened the existence of the original station. Originally, the CTA evicted all the retail tenants from the old station building on September 30, 1992 to ready the demolition. This spurred on activists, and the station was saved for the time being. The structure was nominated for the National Register of Historic Places in 1995, and was granted such status in February of 1996.
However, the station continued to languish for four more years, until the Village of Skokie once again voted for demolition in July 2000. Eventually, the station was bought, moved, and renovated, and so a historic structure was saved. Finally, the newly renovated station/retail space was rededicated on November 24, 2003, featuring much of the same pomp and circumstance seen in March of 1925. To this day, the Dempster-Skokie station serves as both a valuable link to the Chicago Transit system and as an important link to the past.
However, the CRT never really took off, and the service to Skokie was suspended by the newly-formed Chicago Transit Authority on March 27, 1948. The North Shore Line eventually followed suit and had completely vacated the station by January 1963. However, this was not the end for the station, as the CTA made a return to the station in April 1964 as part of the Skokie Swift pilot program, which was intended to determine if commuter service could be used to link an urban area to a post-war suburb(such as Skokie). The experiment worked flawlessly, and the Skokie Swift continues to this day as the CTA Yellow Line.
When the trial period had begun, the 1925 station was not used, owing to the temporary nature of the project. Eventually, the old station was converted into retail space, and would remain that same way for the next 30 years. In 1994, a new permanent station was built for the Dempster-Skokie stop, and this threatened the existence of the original station. Originally, the CTA evicted all the retail tenants from the old station building on September 30, 1992 to ready the demolition. This spurred on activists, and the station was saved for the time being. The structure was nominated for the National Register of Historic Places in 1995, and was granted such status in February of 1996.
However, the station continued to languish for four more years, until the Village of Skokie once again voted for demolition in July 2000. Eventually, the station was bought, moved, and renovated, and so a historic structure was saved. Finally, the newly renovated station/retail space was rededicated on November 24, 2003, featuring much of the same pomp and circumstance seen in March of 1925. To this day, the Dempster-Skokie station serves as both a valuable link to the Chicago Transit system and as an important link to the past.
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Day 236: A Museum like no other
In my last post, I mentioned that the touchstone of the Navy Pier Harry Caray's is the Chicago Sports Museum. Located inside the restaurant, this space offers exhibits of all kinds related to Chicago sports(mostly baseball). This is the place where you can see such treasures as:
- The home plate from Kerry Wood's final game before retiring(signed by Woody himself, of course)
- The blasted smithereens of what used to be a baseball used in a certain baseball game on October 14, 2003(there will be more on this later, oh boy will there be more on this later...)
- Several pieces of memorabilia from the actor James Denton(who used to bus tables at the establishment when he was a struggling young actor)
- Richard Dent's 1985 Super Bowl trophy
- The bat used to make the final out of the 2005 World Series
- several old newspaper clippings reporting on classic moments in Chicago Sports History
- And of course, the are many other priceless collectibles.
Friday, August 23, 2013
Day 235: Harry's Places
We have already talked about how Harry Caray is synonymous with Chicago baseball and the most highly regarded Cubs announcer since Jack Brickhouse, if not of all time. Of course, much of Harry's legend status was enjoyed by him while he was still alive, and boy did he enjoy it! In addition to being the life of the party, he also started a Restaurant venture in 1987(the year before lights came to Wrigley) called Harry Caray's Tavern. The first location was right next door to Caray's stomping grounds, Wrigley Field. After Harry passed away in 1998, the venture continued on without him. In fact, the first Toast to Harry Caray was held in 1999 at Harry Caray's. Over the years, the restaurant group expanded, to include several Italian steakhouses, a seafood joint, and other extensions of the Harry Caray's brand.
However, it wasn't until 2009 that the franchise took its biggest step forward with the opening of their new flagship location on Navy Pier. It isn't just a sports bar, it isn't even just a restaurant. In fact, it is so much more than that. What makes Harry Caray's on Navy Pier truly one of a kind is the Chicago Sports Museum(which will be talked about in a later entry). As Navy Pier was now the main location, the location in Wrigleyville ended up closing in 2010 as the result of a dispute with the owner of the property. Also in 2010, the Harry Caray's location in Rosemont became the opening salvo in the Blackhawks' post-Cup celebration/bar crawl. In 2013, the same situation transpired once again. Since it opened, the Navy Pier location has become the new Worldwide HQ for the Toast to Harry, where it can continue to honor Harry's partying ways for years to come.
However, it wasn't until 2009 that the franchise took its biggest step forward with the opening of their new flagship location on Navy Pier. It isn't just a sports bar, it isn't even just a restaurant. In fact, it is so much more than that. What makes Harry Caray's on Navy Pier truly one of a kind is the Chicago Sports Museum(which will be talked about in a later entry). As Navy Pier was now the main location, the location in Wrigleyville ended up closing in 2010 as the result of a dispute with the owner of the property. Also in 2010, the Harry Caray's location in Rosemont became the opening salvo in the Blackhawks' post-Cup celebration/bar crawl. In 2013, the same situation transpired once again. Since it opened, the Navy Pier location has become the new Worldwide HQ for the Toast to Harry, where it can continue to honor Harry's partying ways for years to come.
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Day 234: The Shark Invasion
In 2003, multitudes of curious guests and members of the media alike descended upon Shedd Aquarium rapt with questions, awe, and wonder over a new exhibition being unveiled at the museum. No, I'm not talking about the Man With Fish statue, in reality, it was something even more amazing. For on April 15, 2003, Shedd Aquarium took the wraps off of an exhibit that hat been in some stage of planning ever since 1995.
Wild Reef: Sharks at Shedd transported the public from the bustling heart of Chicago all the way to a faithful recreation of a village on Apo Island, which is located in the Philippines. Whether it is the hand-crafted coral, the native animals swimming about in the water, or even just the 17.5 tons of sand that were shipped in to make the animals feel even more at home, this exhibit has it all. When I say that it has it all, it has it all. Including a giant floor-to-ceiling acrylic shark tank. The tank walls seem to envelop fully half of the center room, letting you stare into the maw of a truly giant shark exhibit.
Two of the largest animals in there are the guitarfish(named Lucille) and the sawfish(named Ginsu). But wait! There's more! The exhibit also contains a recreation of a Filipino village, as well as a coral nursery at the end of it where the Shedd is attempting to grow coral polyps. There was even a degree of collaboration with Chicago's Filipino community to ensure that the crafters of the exhibit got things just right. Just within the past few weeks, the exhibit has become home to an exhibition of a series of photographs that were taken in the Philippine region documenting the natural wonder of that area of the world. Ten years onward, guests are still being wowed and amazed by the animals that inhabit Shedd's Wild Reef.
Wild Reef: Sharks at Shedd transported the public from the bustling heart of Chicago all the way to a faithful recreation of a village on Apo Island, which is located in the Philippines. Whether it is the hand-crafted coral, the native animals swimming about in the water, or even just the 17.5 tons of sand that were shipped in to make the animals feel even more at home, this exhibit has it all. When I say that it has it all, it has it all. Including a giant floor-to-ceiling acrylic shark tank. The tank walls seem to envelop fully half of the center room, letting you stare into the maw of a truly giant shark exhibit.
Two of the largest animals in there are the guitarfish(named Lucille) and the sawfish(named Ginsu). But wait! There's more! The exhibit also contains a recreation of a Filipino village, as well as a coral nursery at the end of it where the Shedd is attempting to grow coral polyps. There was even a degree of collaboration with Chicago's Filipino community to ensure that the crafters of the exhibit got things just right. Just within the past few weeks, the exhibit has become home to an exhibition of a series of photographs that were taken in the Philippine region documenting the natural wonder of that area of the world. Ten years onward, guests are still being wowed and amazed by the animals that inhabit Shedd's Wild Reef.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Day 233: The Statues in the Forest
In 1885, the Chicago Board of Trade was building a new building in the financial district, pretty much at the corner of LaSalle and Van Buren. Now this building was to be ornately done up, very beautiful, and all in all a very classic design. Adorning the main entrance into the exchange were two statues, one depicting Industry, and the other depicting agriculture, both to symbolize the driving forces of the American economy. The building was built, and the twin statures faithfully stood guard above the doors for the next 44 years. In 1929, the building was torn down to make way for the Board of Trade's current building.
This is where the story gets interesting. When the dust had settled, the statues were nowhere to be found, and everybody was under the impression that they had been lost in the shuffle and were gone forever. 50 years later, officials at the Hidden Lake Forest Preserve in Downers Grove were wandering the grounds one day when they came upon two 5 and a half ton statues in the middle of the greenery. After a little bit of detective work, it was discovered that these were indeed the two missing statues. How they wound up there is still mostly a mystery, though there is one clue. In the early 1900s, one of the Trustees of the Board of Trade owned an estate on the land that would become Hidden Lake. Regardless, the statues were eventually returned to the Board of Trade, and were rededicated as part of a plaza outside of the building on June 5, 2005, where they can continue to serve as a testament to both late 19th Century architecture and the spirit of good old American Capitalism.
This is where the story gets interesting. When the dust had settled, the statues were nowhere to be found, and everybody was under the impression that they had been lost in the shuffle and were gone forever. 50 years later, officials at the Hidden Lake Forest Preserve in Downers Grove were wandering the grounds one day when they came upon two 5 and a half ton statues in the middle of the greenery. After a little bit of detective work, it was discovered that these were indeed the two missing statues. How they wound up there is still mostly a mystery, though there is one clue. In the early 1900s, one of the Trustees of the Board of Trade owned an estate on the land that would become Hidden Lake. Regardless, the statues were eventually returned to the Board of Trade, and were rededicated as part of a plaza outside of the building on June 5, 2005, where they can continue to serve as a testament to both late 19th Century architecture and the spirit of good old American Capitalism.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Day 232: The Girl and The Train
The timetables for Metra's UP West line are tinged in a specific shade of pink known as "Kate Shelley Rose". But who is Kate Shelley? And why does she have a color on a train schedule named after her? The answer is a story with intrigue and heroism that will be told here, starting now.
In 1865, Kate Shelley was born to a pair of tenant farmers toiling away in Ireland. Soon after her birth, the family emigrated to America. Eventually the family settled on a 160-acre plot of land in Boone County, Iowa. Michael Shelley(her father) set about tending the farm and working on a crew for the Chicago & North Western. This arrangement carried on until 1878, when Mike died. At this point, Kate was left to care for her family, as her mother was sickly. In 1881, Shelley was 16 years old and still doing her thing.
On July 6 of that year, a freak storm hit Moingona(where Shelley lived.) All of a sudden, the storms sparked a flash flood that washed out the supports of a railroad bridge spanning the Des Moines River. At that very same moment, a survey locomotive was chugging towards the bridge. Not able to stop in time, the train plunged over the gap. Immediately, Shelley sprang into action, working to rescue the trainmen. The problem soon became much more dire when Shelley remembered that a passenger train(which was affiliated with the Chicago & North Western Railroad) carrying 200 people was soon due to make the very same crossing. So Shelley took off down the track, first having to cross the damaged bridge. After a short while, her lantern failed, and she was forced to make the rest of the half-mile trek with only the lightning for illumination. She soon reached the next depot down the line, at which point she was able to sound the alarm and stop the train in Ogden, short of the failed bridge.
Shelley was soon after hailed as a hero, and given various accolades, including a gold medal, a collection of money from the passengers she saved, and a lifetime pass from the C & NW. The railroad rebuilt the failed span with a steel bridge in 1900, and named it after Shelley, thus making it the first bridge to be named for a woman(and the only one in the country so named until the erection of Philly's Betsy Ross Bridge in 1976.) Nowadays, Metra's UP lines are the descendent of the once mighty Chicago & North Western system, and to pay homage to Ms. Shelley's selfless act, the color on the schedules of the UP West line was changed to a shade of pink dubbed "Kate Shelley Rose"
In 1865, Kate Shelley was born to a pair of tenant farmers toiling away in Ireland. Soon after her birth, the family emigrated to America. Eventually the family settled on a 160-acre plot of land in Boone County, Iowa. Michael Shelley(her father) set about tending the farm and working on a crew for the Chicago & North Western. This arrangement carried on until 1878, when Mike died. At this point, Kate was left to care for her family, as her mother was sickly. In 1881, Shelley was 16 years old and still doing her thing.
On July 6 of that year, a freak storm hit Moingona(where Shelley lived.) All of a sudden, the storms sparked a flash flood that washed out the supports of a railroad bridge spanning the Des Moines River. At that very same moment, a survey locomotive was chugging towards the bridge. Not able to stop in time, the train plunged over the gap. Immediately, Shelley sprang into action, working to rescue the trainmen. The problem soon became much more dire when Shelley remembered that a passenger train(which was affiliated with the Chicago & North Western Railroad) carrying 200 people was soon due to make the very same crossing. So Shelley took off down the track, first having to cross the damaged bridge. After a short while, her lantern failed, and she was forced to make the rest of the half-mile trek with only the lightning for illumination. She soon reached the next depot down the line, at which point she was able to sound the alarm and stop the train in Ogden, short of the failed bridge.
Shelley was soon after hailed as a hero, and given various accolades, including a gold medal, a collection of money from the passengers she saved, and a lifetime pass from the C & NW. The railroad rebuilt the failed span with a steel bridge in 1900, and named it after Shelley, thus making it the first bridge to be named for a woman(and the only one in the country so named until the erection of Philly's Betsy Ross Bridge in 1976.) Nowadays, Metra's UP lines are the descendent of the once mighty Chicago & North Western system, and to pay homage to Ms. Shelley's selfless act, the color on the schedules of the UP West line was changed to a shade of pink dubbed "Kate Shelley Rose"
Monday, August 19, 2013
Day 231: Send in the Marines!
July 4, 1956 dawned on the city like any other Independence Day had in years past, and everything was shaping up to be another day filled with parades, grilling, and Americana. But then a battalion of 1,500 Marines swarmed the beachhead at Montrose Avenue, making their way onshore while facing no resistance.
But rest assured, this was no hostile invasion. It was instead a military demonstration which had been thrown together to serve as part of the celebration commemorating the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway(a celebration that would culminate two days later with a visit from Queen Elizabeth II to the city.) This marked the first Navy units to sail on the Great Lakes in 142 years, an occasion that was made possible by Canada and the U.S. waiving relevant portions of an 1817 treaty on the matter. The preparations started a few days earlier, when the Marines rolled into town the night before and experienced some good old fashioned Chicago-style hospitality.
Then, on the actual day of the landing exercise, hundreds of thousands of people crowded all of the city's beaches in order to catch a glimpse of the impending military activity. During the actual invasion, the forces sailed up to the beach head, and then released numerous different volleys of attacks upon the city. Ultimately, Chicago suffered no ill affects other than the bruised ear drums of citizens who might not have been ready for the booming of artillery until the ships came into town.
Author's Note: the big similarity between this story and the tale of Sylvester Washington comes from the other story being carried by the Chicago Tribune, which is a great resource for Chicago news.
But rest assured, this was no hostile invasion. It was instead a military demonstration which had been thrown together to serve as part of the celebration commemorating the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway(a celebration that would culminate two days later with a visit from Queen Elizabeth II to the city.) This marked the first Navy units to sail on the Great Lakes in 142 years, an occasion that was made possible by Canada and the U.S. waiving relevant portions of an 1817 treaty on the matter. The preparations started a few days earlier, when the Marines rolled into town the night before and experienced some good old fashioned Chicago-style hospitality.
Then, on the actual day of the landing exercise, hundreds of thousands of people crowded all of the city's beaches in order to catch a glimpse of the impending military activity. During the actual invasion, the forces sailed up to the beach head, and then released numerous different volleys of attacks upon the city. Ultimately, Chicago suffered no ill affects other than the bruised ear drums of citizens who might not have been ready for the booming of artillery until the ships came into town.
Author's Note: the big similarity between this story and the tale of Sylvester Washington comes from the other story being carried by the Chicago Tribune, which is a great resource for Chicago news.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Day 225: Filth, Corruption, Obscenity, Idiocy, and Bankruptcy
Chicago(and to a greater extent the state of Illinois) has a very rich history of being one of the most corrupt places in this great nation. However, when looking over the decades upon decades of Chicago-style politics, who seems like the worst offender to you? Is it George Ryan, hands bloodied by the deaths of 6 children? Is it Rod Blagojevich, who tried to sell an "f*&%ing golden" Senate seat? Is it Richard J. Daley, who advocated the police as a means of preserving disorder? Actually, it is none of the above. The epitome of Chicago's corrupt past did his dirty work long before any of the aforementioned men were around.
William Hale Thompson was born in Boston in 1869. When he was only 9 days old, his family moved to Chicago. Fast-forward through nomadic cross-country moves, a trip to Europe for self-discovery, and the death of his father, and we come up for air in 1900, when he started off his career in politics by narrowly winning election as the 2nd Ward Alderman. A decade and a half later he is elected the 41st Mayor of Chicago. Once mayor, he instituted a surcharge on city workers in order to amass a war chest for a future Presidential run. One of the biggest events that happened in his first term was the Race Riot of 1919, which witnessed Thompson's initial refusal to accept National Guard troops into the city merely to spite the Governor. (In an interesting side note, Richard J. Daley was a member of an ethnic Irish 'gang' at the time of the riot. Furthermore, Daley never completely denied rumors that he had been party to the bullying of the city's blacks in that incident.) He stepped down in 1923, though he stayed in the public eye through a phony scientific expedition.
Thompson ran once again amidst a gang war in 1927, an election that saw him pull such stunts as debating two live rats and threatening to punch the King of England in the nose. Additionally, he openly courted the support of Al Capone, even going so far as to accept a $250,000 donation from the man. This brand of gangland politics continued after Thompson was elected, as shown by the Pineapple Primary(a sideshow unto itself which featured rampant violence before and after the Primary) which ushered even more of Thompson's men into power. Also, the St. Valentine's Day Massacre happened on Thompson's watch. He failed in his quest to secure the GOP's nomination for the 1928 Presidential race, which he then blamed on the sister-in-law of the publisher of the Chicago Tribune.
In 1931, Anton Cermak ran against Thompson for the Mayorship, and Thompson proceeded to run a campaign that probably was one of the most racist ones ever run. To give you an idea, one of his campaign ditties had him saying that Cermak's name was too ethnic for it to work as a Mayor's last name. Fed up with his tomfoolery, the citizens of Chicago unceremoniously dumped Thompson in favor of Cermak. In one final twist, two safe deposit boxes were found upon Thompson's death that contained close to $1.5 Million in cash. One more thing: the title for this entry comes from an editorial that ran in the Tribune after Thompson's defeat.
William Hale Thompson was born in Boston in 1869. When he was only 9 days old, his family moved to Chicago. Fast-forward through nomadic cross-country moves, a trip to Europe for self-discovery, and the death of his father, and we come up for air in 1900, when he started off his career in politics by narrowly winning election as the 2nd Ward Alderman. A decade and a half later he is elected the 41st Mayor of Chicago. Once mayor, he instituted a surcharge on city workers in order to amass a war chest for a future Presidential run. One of the biggest events that happened in his first term was the Race Riot of 1919, which witnessed Thompson's initial refusal to accept National Guard troops into the city merely to spite the Governor. (In an interesting side note, Richard J. Daley was a member of an ethnic Irish 'gang' at the time of the riot. Furthermore, Daley never completely denied rumors that he had been party to the bullying of the city's blacks in that incident.) He stepped down in 1923, though he stayed in the public eye through a phony scientific expedition.
Thompson ran once again amidst a gang war in 1927, an election that saw him pull such stunts as debating two live rats and threatening to punch the King of England in the nose. Additionally, he openly courted the support of Al Capone, even going so far as to accept a $250,000 donation from the man. This brand of gangland politics continued after Thompson was elected, as shown by the Pineapple Primary(a sideshow unto itself which featured rampant violence before and after the Primary) which ushered even more of Thompson's men into power. Also, the St. Valentine's Day Massacre happened on Thompson's watch. He failed in his quest to secure the GOP's nomination for the 1928 Presidential race, which he then blamed on the sister-in-law of the publisher of the Chicago Tribune.
In 1931, Anton Cermak ran against Thompson for the Mayorship, and Thompson proceeded to run a campaign that probably was one of the most racist ones ever run. To give you an idea, one of his campaign ditties had him saying that Cermak's name was too ethnic for it to work as a Mayor's last name. Fed up with his tomfoolery, the citizens of Chicago unceremoniously dumped Thompson in favor of Cermak. In one final twist, two safe deposit boxes were found upon Thompson's death that contained close to $1.5 Million in cash. One more thing: the title for this entry comes from an editorial that ran in the Tribune after Thompson's defeat.
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Day 220: Let there be lights!
Harry Grossman had seen a lot in his 91 years on the planet. In the very year of his birth, Carter Harrison Jr. ascended to the mayorship of Chicago. When he was but a babe of 4 years old, the White Sox came to town(and the Chicago Auto Show started up). At the age of 11 he saw the Cubs win it all for the second time in a row. He had just blown out the candles on his 18th birthday cake when the Eastland sent 800 souls to the bottom of the Chicago River. He was 22 years old as the city went through the race riots of 1919(which of course were partially fueled by Bill Thompson himself). At the age of 36, he might have swung by the Century of Progress fair(which saw the opening up of the Adler Planetarium) and perhaps he attended the first ever All-Star Game. At 44, he may have read in the Tribune about how Fermi had just done something underneath Stagg Field. At the age of 58, he may have voted for Richard J. Daley, not knowing the political dynasty that was imminent. When he was 82, he might have read about some young kid named Steve Dahl blowing up a bunch of records down on the South Side. But it was at the ripe old age of 91 that Mr. Grossman really made his mark.
The Date: August 8, 1988. The place: Wrigley Field. What seemed like half of the city (and all of the media) was out in force. For once, the eyes of the baseball world focused on the Cubs in the midst of another forgettable season. For tonight, the lights were to go on at Wrigley. After 40 years of delay, massive neighborhood resistance, and a threat by MLB to move playoff games to Busch Stadium if lights weren't installed, the team had finally spent much of that year putting light towers atop the field. The night of the big reveal was here, and no expense was spared. The CSO stood behind home plate and played "Also Sprach Zarathustra". All kinds of dignitaries were present, and Harry Caray was decked out in a tux for the occasion. At the appointed time, the crowd was let in a countdown, which led up to the now 91 year old Harry Grossman flipping the switch and finally bringing nighttime baseball to the Friendly Confines.
If you think that the intrigue stopped here, then clearly you don't know the idea of the "Cubbie Occurrence". After Rick Sutcliffe was nearly blinded by exploding flashbulbs, a few innings went by without incident. Then the skies opened up. For more than 3 hours, the crowds waited and waited ad nauseum, hoping for the downpours to cease. The reason for the long delay? Well, WGN held the broadcast rights to the game on the 8th, but NBC held the rights for the next day's game. While WGN was stalling, the players got tired of all the waiting and decided to have some fun. Ryne Sandberg immediately roped up some of the players, including a young pitcher named Greg Maddux, and then promptly started using the giant tarp protecting the infield as a giant slip-n-slide. Although the action provided a bevy of laughs to the attendees at the game, ultimately the crowd went home disappointed, as the game was cancelled. NBC ended up televising the first OFFICIAL night game the next night on the 9th. But that game on the 8th goes down in History as the first game ever played, replete with all the ceremony and ritual.
The Date: August 8, 1988. The place: Wrigley Field. What seemed like half of the city (and all of the media) was out in force. For once, the eyes of the baseball world focused on the Cubs in the midst of another forgettable season. For tonight, the lights were to go on at Wrigley. After 40 years of delay, massive neighborhood resistance, and a threat by MLB to move playoff games to Busch Stadium if lights weren't installed, the team had finally spent much of that year putting light towers atop the field. The night of the big reveal was here, and no expense was spared. The CSO stood behind home plate and played "Also Sprach Zarathustra". All kinds of dignitaries were present, and Harry Caray was decked out in a tux for the occasion. At the appointed time, the crowd was let in a countdown, which led up to the now 91 year old Harry Grossman flipping the switch and finally bringing nighttime baseball to the Friendly Confines.
If you think that the intrigue stopped here, then clearly you don't know the idea of the "Cubbie Occurrence". After Rick Sutcliffe was nearly blinded by exploding flashbulbs, a few innings went by without incident. Then the skies opened up. For more than 3 hours, the crowds waited and waited ad nauseum, hoping for the downpours to cease. The reason for the long delay? Well, WGN held the broadcast rights to the game on the 8th, but NBC held the rights for the next day's game. While WGN was stalling, the players got tired of all the waiting and decided to have some fun. Ryne Sandberg immediately roped up some of the players, including a young pitcher named Greg Maddux, and then promptly started using the giant tarp protecting the infield as a giant slip-n-slide. Although the action provided a bevy of laughs to the attendees at the game, ultimately the crowd went home disappointed, as the game was cancelled. NBC ended up televising the first OFFICIAL night game the next night on the 9th. But that game on the 8th goes down in History as the first game ever played, replete with all the ceremony and ritual.
Monday, August 5, 2013
Day 217: A Taste of Chicago's [food] action.
On July 4, 1980, Michigan Avenue was closed off all day for a small start-up food festival. The festival itself attracted 250,000 people and raked in $300,000. And from that auspicious start, the Taste of Chicago was born. That 1980 festival was actually a repurposing of an earlier music festival called ChicagoFest that had been established in 1978 by Michael Bilandic(when he wasn't busy making asinine comments about snow-removal efforts). Over the next several years, the festival continued to grow, and the affair ended up attracting well over 3 million people during the 10-day duration of the festival each year. By 2006, a record 3.6 Million people showed up to enjoy the food and the fun. However, one important legacy of ChicagoFest that has managed to hold on all these years at the taste has been the inclusion of musical performances. Just this past year for instance, the Taste included such acts on the schedule as fun, Robin Thicke, and Neon Trees. In years past, performers have included such acts as:
- Chaka Khan
- Jennifer Hudson
- Rob Thomas
- The Steve Miller Band,
- Salt N' Pepa
- Buddy Guy
- Ne-Yo
- John Mayer
- Glen Campbell
- Train
- LL Cool J
- Lynyrd Skynyrd
- Creedence Clearwater Revival
- Cheryl Crow
- Elvis Costello
- George Clinton
- Waylon Jennings
- Patti LaBelle
- Al Green
- Earth Wind & Fire
- and many, many more legendary acts over the years.
Day 190: Chicago's Money People: Allen M. Turner
Over the course of this blog, we've already talked about two families, the Pritzkers and the Rices. The next one of these philanthropists that we're talking about is a gentleman by the name of Allen Turner. Allen M. Turner is the past chairman of Columbia College's Board of Trustees, but he first got his start in 1965 when he joined The Pritzker Organization, where he was eventually made partner.
With all of that success, Mr. Turner has been quite active in the world of philanthropy, with some of the highlights of his generosity being as follows: chairing the executive committee of Hyatt International Corporation, being the Chairman of the Board of the Chicago Mill & Lumber Company, as well as being the Chairman of the Board of McCall's Magazine. By the 1970s, his philanthropic interests had turned to the theater world. and he was the first chairman of the Victory Gardens Theatre, playing an instrumental role in steering the theatre towards financial stability. Later on, he served some time on the board of the Goodman Theatre.
But Turner's true area of expertise is in the area of the arts. He became the Chairman of the Board of the Museum of Contemporary Art in 1991. His term saw the museum construct its current building, as well as a Capital Campaign that saw the museum grow from a small storefront operation to the renowned institution that it is today. But his philanthropic efforts haven't been limited to just the MCA. Turner has also served on an art committee at the University of Chicago, as well as on the boards of the Art Institute, Pritzker Architecture Prize, and the Newberry Library, amongst others.
His generosity has been recognized by bodies around the world, garnering him honors such as the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the Republic of France, being made an honorary Knight of Malta, being named to the Official Seat of The Hague, and many more honors. The city of Chicago recognized him for his efforts as well by designating a stretch of East Pearson Street with the honorific Allen M. Turner Place.
With all of that success, Mr. Turner has been quite active in the world of philanthropy, with some of the highlights of his generosity being as follows: chairing the executive committee of Hyatt International Corporation, being the Chairman of the Board of the Chicago Mill & Lumber Company, as well as being the Chairman of the Board of McCall's Magazine. By the 1970s, his philanthropic interests had turned to the theater world. and he was the first chairman of the Victory Gardens Theatre, playing an instrumental role in steering the theatre towards financial stability. Later on, he served some time on the board of the Goodman Theatre.
But Turner's true area of expertise is in the area of the arts. He became the Chairman of the Board of the Museum of Contemporary Art in 1991. His term saw the museum construct its current building, as well as a Capital Campaign that saw the museum grow from a small storefront operation to the renowned institution that it is today. But his philanthropic efforts haven't been limited to just the MCA. Turner has also served on an art committee at the University of Chicago, as well as on the boards of the Art Institute, Pritzker Architecture Prize, and the Newberry Library, amongst others.
His generosity has been recognized by bodies around the world, garnering him honors such as the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the Republic of France, being made an honorary Knight of Malta, being named to the Official Seat of The Hague, and many more honors. The city of Chicago recognized him for his efforts as well by designating a stretch of East Pearson Street with the honorific Allen M. Turner Place.
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