4500 Beacon at Sunnyside -- Residence of Former Chicago Mayor and Illinois Governor

Edward Fitzsimmons Dunne (October 12, 1853–May 24, 1937) was a Democrat who was the governor of Illinois from 1913 to 1917; he previously served as the 37th mayor of Chicago, from April 5, 1905 to 1907. In 1921 he helped found an organization called the "National Unity Council" to combat the Ku Klux Klan. He lived at 4500 Beacon Street (now an empty lot).

Grand Old Army of the Republic, Graceland Cemetery, 1905

Here is a great series of photos taken by the Chicago Daily News, and found in the American Memories Collection at the Library of Congress. They show members of the Grand Army of the Republic at Graceland Cemetery on Memorial Day, 1905. (Click on each image for an expanded view.)



The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army who had served in the American Civil War. The GAR was among the first organized interest groups in American politics. It was succeeded by the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW).

History

The GAR was founded by Benjamin F. Stephenson, M.D., on April 6, 1866, in Decatur, Illinois. Its organization was based partly on the traditions of Freemasonry, and partly on military tradition; it was divided into "Departments" at the state level and "Posts" at the community level, and military-style uniforms were worn by its members. There were posts in every state in the U.S., and several posts overseas.

The organization wielded considerable political clout nationwide. Between 1868 and 1908, no Republican was nominated to the presidency without a GAR endorsement. In 1868, General Order #11 of the GAR called for May 30 to be designated as a day of memorial for Union veterans; originally called "Decoration Day," this later evolved into the U.S. national Memorial Day holiday. The GAR was also active in pension legislation, establishing retirement homes for soldiers, and many other areas which concerned Union veterans. The influence of the GAR led to the creation of the Old Soldiers' Homes of the late 19th century, which evolved into the current United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

The GAR created the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) in 1881 to ensure the preservation of their own mission after Union war veterans had all died. The GAR also generated several auxiliary organizations such as the National Woman's Relief Corps, Ladies of the GAR, and Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, 1861-1865, many of which are still active. A comparable organization for Confederate veterans was the United Confederate Veterans.

There was some controversy over the fact that the membership badge of the GAR closely resembled the Army's version of the Medal of Honor, causing confusion and animosity among veterans. The issue was resolved with a re-design of the latter in 1896.

The GAR reached its largest enrollment in 1890, with 490,000 members. It held an annual "National Encampment" every year from 1866 to 1949. In 1956, after the death of the last member, Albert Woolson, the GAR was formally dissolved. Its records went to the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., and its badges, flags, and official seal went to the Smithsonian Institution.

Text Courtesy Wikipedia

Hmong in Uptown

Uptown Underground, 1918

Here's another image from the Library of Congress; I imagine the tunnel was part of the pumping station. The caption reads:

Image of a group of men standing on an elevated platform in a tunnel with several other men standing on the ground under and around the platform. They are at the West Wilson Avenue and North Clarendon Avenue tunnel opening in Chicago, Illinois. Several bright lights are shining in the background.

DN-0069960, Chicago Daily News negatives collection.

Christmas in Uptown, 1917

Image of men and women dropping packages into a large stocking for Christmas at the Y.M.C.A. branch located at 1725 West Wilson Avenue in the Uptown Community area in Chicago, Illinois. A woman sitting in a chair next to the stocking is knitting. DN-0069469, Chicago Daily News negatives collection, Chicago Historical Society.

Pumping Station, 1915

Portrait of Joseph Kostner, Mayor Carter H. Harrison, Jr. and city officials, wearing rain coats and hats, standing on the street at the Mayfair Water Pumping Station at West Wilson and North Clarendon Avenues in the Uptown community area of Chicago, Illinois. Officials include Commissioner McGowan.

DN-0064322, Chicago Daily News negatives collection, Chicago Historical Society.

Christmas Tree Ships, 1915

Top: Portrait of Elsie Schuenemann at the wheel of the Christmas Tree Ship, near the Clark Street Bridge on the Chicago River in the Loop community area of Chicago, Illinois. The boat carried Christmas trees to Chicago from Michigan. Her father, Captain H. Schuenemann, died when the Rouse Simmons, a ship carrying Christmas trees, sank in 1912. Middle: Captain H. Schuenemann (center), 1909.

I'm debating about whether or not to get a Christmas tree this year. My fiance and I rented out our condo and, along with my mother, purchased a brick two-flat. My possessions are currently scattered across the City and several suburbs, all of it slowly making its way to the new place. For the moment, we're all living like gypsies. The thought of decorating for Christmas is exhausting as we continue to pack and box up our stuff. And which house should we celebrate at? We won't be fully moved until next month. Maybe I'll just get one of those tree-shaped rosemary bushes I saw at Home Depot. They smell terrific and they're portable, too.

Anyway, while these images aren't Uptown specific, they do celebrate the old Chicago tradition of the Christmas Tree Ships. In the late 19th and early 2oth century, Christmas tree-laden ships would arrive each year from Michigan--a much anticipated event.

This bit comes from Wikipedia: The Rouse Simmons was a three-masted schooner famous for having disappeared in 1912 with a cargo of Christmas trees bound for Chicago. The ship was sailing on Lake Michigan in a violent storm when it sank off the coast of Two Rivers, Wisconsin, killing all on board. The legacy of the schooner lives on in the area, with frequent ghost sightings and tourist attractions whereby its final route is traced. It was known as "The Christmas Tree Ship" and was one of many schooners to transport Christmas trees across the lake. However, with railroads, highways, and tree farms proving much more economical, the tree-shipping industry was on a steep decline and they had stopped sailing by 1920."

Here are a few links for more information:

Christmas Tree Ships

Wilson Avenue Theatre, Wilson, Uptown Chicago

This is probably my favorite image in my collection. It is of the Wilson Avenue Theatre, now a TCF Bank, on Wilson near the northeast corner of Broadway. (You can see a bit of the Uptown/Wilson El Stop in the lower left corner).

The image below, captured from Google maps, shows the same stretch of Wilson. The theatre/bank is the only building left.

I have heard rumours--unconfirmed--that an entertainment company wants to buy the bank and renovate it as a small theatre space. Can anyone confirm this?

Historic Images of Uptown at Fat Cat

In recent weeks, Fat Cat Bar and Grill, just north of the Uptown Theatre on Broadway, has created a photo corner with approximately two dozen historic images from my collection and the collection of Compass Rose Cultural Crossroads. Reprints of these images are available for purchase at Compass Rose.

It's fun to sit near the photo wall at Fat Cat and listen to the comments of people walking past; most have no idea that our neighborhood is filled with such history. Be sure to check out the display!

Dover Street District Receives Landmark Status

Beacon Street North of Wilson

Excerpt from today's Chicago Sun-Times. Complete article can be found online.

The avalanche of landmarks approved by the Committee on Historical Landmark Preservation also included the Dover Street District, a "visually distinctive collection of suburban-style single-family homes and multi-family buildings" constructed between 1893 and 1927 in the Uptown community. The district "exemplifies the growth and development of the North Side neighborhood in the years following its annexation" by Chicago in 1889 - a growth made possible by mass transit to the Loop.

The district is predominantly located in the 4500, 4600 and 4700 blocks of North Dover and includes four properties on the 4700 block of North Beacon.

Of 88 property owners, 55 have agreed to the landmark designation. Several testified today and broke into applause after the vote.

"What has galvanized support is the threat of teardowns. We were mobilized into action because of that," said Joanne Gannett, who lives at 4723 N. Dover. "We're under a great deal of pressure now from developers. We need your help," said resident Barbara Litwin.

Landmark status affords certain protections to buildings. Those wanting to rip down or renovate a landmark structure, for instance, first must get approval from the city's Commission on Historical Landmarks.

Yacht Club, Edgewater Beach Hotel

The Edgewater Beach Yacht Club, "Most Distinctive Cocktail Room in America,"
Edgewater Beach Hotel, Chicago.

Here's another 1930s-era cocktail recipe to enjoy along with the postcard:

Deep Sea Cocktail

1 dash Absinthe
1 dash Orange Bitters
1/2 part French Vermouth
1/2 part Gin

Shake well and strain into a cocktail glass. Add 1 olive and squeeze lemon peel on top.

(If you don't have access to absinthe, try Pernod or the new Absente.)