November 26, 2011
Lakewood Balmoral, 1978
The Lakewood Balmoral Historic District, for those who may not know, is a historic district in the Edgewater community area of Chicago and once part of Uptown. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 12, 1999. Its boundaries are Magnolia Avenue to the east, Wayne Avenue to the west, Foster Avenue to the south, and Bryn Mawr Avenue to the north.
Image currently on eBay, item 250937912010
Edgewater Beach Hotel, 1964
This image was taken just a few years before the hotel was torn down. Image sent in by Sarah Shawn.
November 11, 2011
Serial Killer Roams Uptown
Bill Matteson
Uptown Chicago History Correspondent
It was a hot summer evening, 1945. We were sitting on the back porches in order to seek a little relief from the heat. My mom was the first to notice a ruckus coming from the next building to the North, that would be 4741 Kenmore.
Now, as kids we were all schooled in the scam of the "boiler inspector." There was always a child molester in the area, and as kids we were taught how to avoid them and never allow ourselves to be in close proximity to them. One of the ruses was the "boiler inspector," in order to get some unsuspecting kid to show them where the boiler was.
Mr. Nelson, the building owner, had caught a young guy trying to entice his 10-year-old daughter to go into the basement with him.
This "boiler inspector" was in good shape and very athletic, looking to be about 20 years old . Mr Nelson had him on the ground by the throat and hollered up to us to call the police.
Now in these days very few people had phones, and there certainly was no 911, so if a call was made to the police it would be at least 30 minutes before they arrived. Dad was already on his way down from the second floor when the "boiler inspector" jumped up and pushed or hit Mr. Nelson at the same time, screaming that he didn't want his daughter anyway, he wanted the little blond girl next door (that would be my seven-year-old sister), at which time Mom was hollering from the porch, "Kill the SOB!" Dad was moving faster than I ever seen him move. Thats when the BI jumped over the fence into our backyard and was gone before Dad could get to him.
I don't remember if the police were ever called or not. This became the topic of conversation in the neighborhood for a few days and was forgotten about, until sometime during the winter, a 6-year-old girl, Susan Degnan, was missing from her home in the 5900 block of Kenmore. Her dismembered body was found sometime later, and the following June, William Heirens was arrested for her murder. As soon as we saw his picture in the paper, both Mom and Mr. Nelson said he was the "Boiler Inspector." According to the newspapers, Heirens' first murder took place at 4108 Kenmore in June 1945, the second one was at 3941 Pine Grove in the winter of 1945.
Was William Heirens really our "boiler inspector"?
Uptown Chicago History Correspondent
It was a hot summer evening, 1945. We were sitting on the back porches in order to seek a little relief from the heat. My mom was the first to notice a ruckus coming from the next building to the North, that would be 4741 Kenmore.
Now, as kids we were all schooled in the scam of the "boiler inspector." There was always a child molester in the area, and as kids we were taught how to avoid them and never allow ourselves to be in close proximity to them. One of the ruses was the "boiler inspector," in order to get some unsuspecting kid to show them where the boiler was.
Mr. Nelson, the building owner, had caught a young guy trying to entice his 10-year-old daughter to go into the basement with him.
This "boiler inspector" was in good shape and very athletic, looking to be about 20 years old . Mr Nelson had him on the ground by the throat and hollered up to us to call the police.
Now in these days very few people had phones, and there certainly was no 911, so if a call was made to the police it would be at least 30 minutes before they arrived. Dad was already on his way down from the second floor when the "boiler inspector" jumped up and pushed or hit Mr. Nelson at the same time, screaming that he didn't want his daughter anyway, he wanted the little blond girl next door (that would be my seven-year-old sister), at which time Mom was hollering from the porch, "Kill the SOB!" Dad was moving faster than I ever seen him move. Thats when the BI jumped over the fence into our backyard and was gone before Dad could get to him.
I don't remember if the police were ever called or not. This became the topic of conversation in the neighborhood for a few days and was forgotten about, until sometime during the winter, a 6-year-old girl, Susan Degnan, was missing from her home in the 5900 block of Kenmore. Her dismembered body was found sometime later, and the following June, William Heirens was arrested for her murder. As soon as we saw his picture in the paper, both Mom and Mr. Nelson said he was the "Boiler Inspector." According to the newspapers, Heirens' first murder took place at 4108 Kenmore in June 1945, the second one was at 3941 Pine Grove in the winter of 1945.
Was William Heirens really our "boiler inspector"?
November 5, 2011
Uptown Friday Night — Dressing for a Night at the Uptown Theatre
Bill Matteson
Uptown Chicago History Correspondent
We couldn't wait for Friday night to roll around. The Uptown Theater was the place for picking up girls, the balcony and the mezzanine. Some times we would dress up for the occasion. The clothes we wore all had special names: One button roll, Drapes, Pegs, Slim Jim, Drop Loops, Outer Seams, Mr. B. and Box Cars. This was in the early 50's and reminiscent of the Zoot suits of the 40's.
The suit jacket, one button roll was a longer jacket; it came down close to the knees and had only one button that buttoned just below the belt. Prior to that all suits were either double breasted or single breasted with three buttons.
The pants, called drapes or pegs, had the cuffs way narrower than normal, allowing them to blouse out over the shoes, sort of a reverse bell bottom.
Drop loops were the belt loops and were two inches down from the waist edge of the pants, the outer seam had about a half inch flap of material running down the side.
The shirt Mr B was named for Billy Eckstine, a singer. The collar on the shirt flared out like butterfly wings.
Slim Jims were the narrow tie and belt we wore, the belt being about a half inch wide and the tie being about one inch wide.
Box cars were the square-toed shoes that looked like they belonged in a Frankenstein movie.
We bought the shoes from Flagg Bros on Broadway. My one-button powder blue suit came from Leland and Sheridan. Now I am all dressed up with only one place to go: the Uptown mezzazine.
Now I don't care how dressed up you were, if your wardrobe didn't contain an article from "Smokey Joes," you just weren't dressed properly. Smokey Joes was on Halsted just north of Maxwell .
Uptown Chicago History Correspondent
We couldn't wait for Friday night to roll around. The Uptown Theater was the place for picking up girls, the balcony and the mezzanine. Some times we would dress up for the occasion. The clothes we wore all had special names: One button roll, Drapes, Pegs, Slim Jim, Drop Loops, Outer Seams, Mr. B. and Box Cars. This was in the early 50's and reminiscent of the Zoot suits of the 40's.
The suit jacket, one button roll was a longer jacket; it came down close to the knees and had only one button that buttoned just below the belt. Prior to that all suits were either double breasted or single breasted with three buttons.
The pants, called drapes or pegs, had the cuffs way narrower than normal, allowing them to blouse out over the shoes, sort of a reverse bell bottom.
Drop loops were the belt loops and were two inches down from the waist edge of the pants, the outer seam had about a half inch flap of material running down the side.
The shirt Mr B was named for Billy Eckstine, a singer. The collar on the shirt flared out like butterfly wings.
Slim Jims were the narrow tie and belt we wore, the belt being about a half inch wide and the tie being about one inch wide.
Box cars were the square-toed shoes that looked like they belonged in a Frankenstein movie.
We bought the shoes from Flagg Bros on Broadway. My one-button powder blue suit came from Leland and Sheridan. Now I am all dressed up with only one place to go: the Uptown mezzazine.
Now I don't care how dressed up you were, if your wardrobe didn't contain an article from "Smokey Joes," you just weren't dressed properly. Smokey Joes was on Halsted just north of Maxwell .
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