Celebrating the Unique History and Culture of Chicago's Uptown Community
February 25, 2010
Carmen Near Broadway and Lawrence, Uptown, 1977 Chicago Motor Club
Roman Plotycia, 24, was injured and hospitilized after crashing into the chicago motor club on Carmen near Broadway and Lawrence in Uptown. Photographed by Robert Dobbey of the Daily Chicago Sun-Times 4/22/1977
Great history blog. Was the Chevrolet auto dealership just north of the AAA office shown in the crash photo? My memory of 1970s Uptown has faded. Thanks
I'm pretty sure that this photo was misidentified as being on Carmen. It should be Gunnison, and the building is at 4833 N Broadway.
If you look at the enlarged photo of the building on Google, it looks very similar to how it did in 1977, and you can even see the large bracket that used to hold the auto club sign over the doorway.
A reader of Uptown Update saw our post about the ghost sign on the back of the building and sent us your link to this story. That's what made me take a second look and notice the similarities.
1. I wonder if the driver was a AAA member? That would have been an interesting call for assistance....
2. Would that have been the aftermath of a Friday or Saturday night? As a kid in Chicago in the 70s, going over to the Granparents' place on a Saturday or Sunday morning would mean passing several cars wrapped around poles, or (more to my childish delight, obvious to the real consequences) half dangling over the edge of the Ogden overpass....
8 comments:
Hi -- I love your blog! I live on Kenmore and really enjoy the old photos.
Was wondering if you'd like to do a reciprocal link with my new Chicago History blog, I'd be happy to link to you.
thanks!
Glad your writing again, I love reading your blogs!!
Great history blog. Was the Chevrolet auto dealership just north of the AAA office shown in the crash photo? My memory of 1970s Uptown has faded.
Thanks
chicago_blogger--Sure, I'll add you to the links.
Anonymous--I think I have another photo around here showing the Chevy dealership; I'll try to get it scanned soon.
I'm pretty sure that this photo was misidentified as being on Carmen. It should be Gunnison, and the building is at 4833 N Broadway.
If you look at the enlarged photo of the building on Google, it looks very similar to how it did in 1977, and you can even see the large bracket that used to hold the auto club sign over the doorway.
A reader of Uptown Update saw our post about the ghost sign on the back of the building and sent us your link to this story. That's what made me take a second look and notice the similarities.
Could be. That's what the seller ID'd it as, so that's what I put; if I remember, it was either a Sun Times or a Trib photo.
1. I wonder if the driver was a AAA member? That would have been an interesting call for assistance....
2. Would that have been the aftermath of a Friday or Saturday night? As a kid in Chicago in the 70s, going over to the Granparents' place on a Saturday or Sunday morning would mean passing several cars wrapped around poles, or (more to my childish delight, obvious to the real consequences) half dangling over the edge of the Ogden overpass....
er, "Oblivious" not "obvious"
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