January 31, 2009

Chicago Historic Buildings in Jeopardy

A worrisome bit of news:

Court strikes down city's landmarks law

(Crain’s) — An Illinois appellate court has struck down the city of Chicago’s landmarks ordinance, saying it is unconstitutionally vague, putting in jeopardy the city’s protection of more than 250 buildings and 50 historic districts...

Read more here.

January 29, 2009

Broadway, circa 1940


Thanks to Rick D. for sending this one in! Broadway Ave. in Uptown looking north toward Lawrence. You can see the Uptown National Bank in the background, as well as a row of buildings that existed where the bank's parking lot now stands.

Do you know the woman in the photo? Let us know!

January 28, 2009

January 18, 2009

Tweet / Big Chicks Featured in Tribune Article on Chicago's Art Deco Treasures

Tweet and Big Chicks, 5000 block of North Sheridan Road

Not all the Deco news is bad. There are angels out there such as Michelle Fire, proprietor of the Tweet restaurant and Big Chicks bar in Uptown.

For the past 23 years, she has been the guardian of this little gem, designed in 1937 by architect Charles Kristen. Its asymmetrical facade, clearly influenced by the 1933-34 Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago, features dazzling decoration, with yellow vertical piers on a backdrop of cobalt blue, as well as splashes of aqua.

Michelle Fire stripped off signs and ironwork that obscured the building's ornament and later prevented the "boogering" of the building's terra-cotta exterior, as she laughingly puts it.

For complete article, go here.

January 15, 2009

Shake, Rattle and Read / Book Box 43rd Anniversary Sale


Shake, Rattle & Read, a.k.a. The Book Box, is celebrating its 43rd anniversary in Uptown Chicago with a sale this weekend. Visit on Saturday, January 17 from noon until six for 43% on everything in stock.

Shake, Rattle, and Read is located at4812 N. Broadway, next to the Uptown Theatre.

January 13, 2009

Hotel Kenmore, 4618-4622 Kenmore (at Wilson) Uptown Chicago

The Hotel Kenmore stood on Kenmore near Wilson, where Winthrop Ave. curves around to meet it. The view today, courtesy of Google Maps (use your mouse to navigate the map):


View Larger Map

January 10, 2009

Pebbles from the Beach at Lincoln Park

This image is from a little further afield than what we usually post, but it made us chuckle.

In Memory: E. Donald Two-Rivers, Local Ojibwa Poet, Playwright

E. Donald Two-Rivers 1945-2008: Ojibwa poet, playwright
Native American author from Canada founded Chicago theater, was active in community

By Trevor Jensen | Tribune reporter
January 8, 2009

E. Donald Two-Rivers, an Ojibwa Indian who left Canada at 16 and settled in Chicago's then rough-and-tumble Uptown neighborhood, took up writing while behind bars for robbery.

He went on to win a national award for short stories, start a Native American theater group, write plays, a newspaper column and poems that he read in dramatic fashion at poetry slams in Chicago and across the country...

Read more here.

January 9, 2009

Troublemaking Donkey in Buena Park, Uptown, Chicago

Ya gotta wonder about the back story here. The original caption reads: Image of a donkey standing in Buena Park in Chicago, Illinois. Text on negative reads: Donkey at Buena Park, which causes trouble. Circa 1907.

Anyone care to speculate?

Source: DN-0051755, Chicago Daily News negatives collection,Library of Congress.

January 5, 2009

Petition to Create a Landmark District in Edgewater


The Edgewater Historical Society is sponsoring a petition to create a landmark district in Edgewater. The text reads, in part:


"One of the missions of the Edgewater Historical Society is to 'promote the preservation of landmarks and historic structures within Edgewater.'


"Since at least 1999, the primary thrust of our preservation mission has been to preserve the single family homes in J.L. Cochran’s first three subdivisions along Kenmore, Winthrop and Sheridan Road that survived the various waves of teardown and new construction. Many are excellent examples of architectural design and represent public works of art in addition to reflecting the original development of Edgewater.


"Unfortunately, we have not been very successful in our preservation efforts. Since 2003, 18 homes have been demolished, of which at least eight were significant. The threat to the existence of many homes continues. The reason for the teardowns has been the convergence of two factors:


"Earlier this year (2008), we learned that most of the important single family homes could be saved from demolition through the creation of a City of Chicago Landmark District. In response to Alderman Mary Ann Smith’s urging, the Landmark Commission staff reviewed the remaining single family homes north of Hollywood and submitted a list of 15 that could be included in a district. For more information, see LATEST NEWS..."

Go to

Edgewater Historical Society to learn more and to sign the petition.



Andersonville Chicago, Circa 1914, Foster and Clark

Original Caption: View of Summerdale Saving Bank, 5203 North Clark Street in the Edgewater community area of Chicago, Illinois. The bank lines the street along with several other businesses.

While the original building is still there, it looks like it's lost a lot of its finery--I would not have guessed it was the same building.


Source: DN-0067082, Chicago Daily News negatives collection, Library of Congress American Memories Collection; Google Street Views.

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