Aerial View of Uptown and Edgewater Chicago, 1955

Wowza! Although not in color, here is another terrific view of Uptown from the sky, with perhaps even more detail than the previous image we showed from 1928. You can clearly see the Edgewater Beach Hotel and Apartments, now cut off from the lake by the Lake Shore Drive extension. Other landmarks to look for are the Aragon Ballroom, the Uptown Theatre, and way to the north the Granada. (I can even catch a glimpse of the house that once stood near Argyle and Winthrop, where my condo is now.) Click on image, and then right-click "View Image" to get the full-size photo.

Source: CHM ICHi-37277

Aerial of Edgewater Looking Toward Uptown

Aw, this is after the poor Edgewater Beach Hotel was no longer on the lakefront, so this image was taken sometime after 1955. My own condo (rather, the previous house on the same location) has just barely been clipped out of the picture. I have yet to find an aerial image and closeup view clearly showing the blocks around Argyle. If you have one, I'd love to see it.

Jumping off the Edgewater Beach Hotel, 1922

I've had this image on my hard drive for a while, but I can't remember the original source. (If you recognize it, please let me know!) It shows a person making a low jump with a parachute off the roof of the Edgewater Beach Hotel. Hard to believe there was enough clearance for that!

Storming the Beaches of Uptown, with View of Edgewater Beach Hotel, Chicago, 1959

A great press photo from 1959 showing Marine maneuvers at Montrose, with the Edgewater Beach Hotel in the background. Original available at time of posting from here: Marines!

Edgewater Beach Hotel Dishes in Use

Okay, this isn't a terribly interesting picture, I know. The caption reads, "Chicago socialite Mrs. Berta Baurf adjusting her earring while talking with Everett Dirksen, candidate for U. S. Senator, at a luncheon in the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago, October 13, 1950."

But if you're like me, and collect old dishes and glassware from the Edgewater Beach Hotel, you can't help but notice what they're eating from. This is the only photo I've seen that has a close up of the dishes in use.

Edgewater Beach Hotel Under Construction

Edgewater Beach Hotel, Unit 2, Now Under Construction for occupancy in 1924:

The original card is available here (at least it was at time of posting): Edgewater Addition

Remember the Chicago Blizzard of 1967?

How Edgewater looked after the blizzard of 1967 dumped 23 inches of snow on Chicago. Drifts completely buried cars. In true Chicago weather style, it had been 65 degrees just two days before.

To see more pictures, visit the Tribune site.

Where were you when the blizzard brought the city to its knees?

Edgewater Postcard Showing Broadway Surface Lines, Elevated

Can you spot your house in this postcard? Note the elevated and surface lines are marked. This was created before the lakefront was filled in.

Original postcard available for purchase at time of writing from here: Edgewater Beach Hotel

Carson's Restaurant, 6162 N. Broadway, Edgewater, Chicago in 1957

Original image available at time of posting from here: Carson's in Edgewater

Chuckman's Chicago Nostalgia has an interior view:

"Proposed Development" for Edgewater Golf Course

This photo is currently listed on eBay with the following caption: "September 10, 1971 featuring an architect's drawing of proposed development for Edgewater Golf Club, showing condominium apartments and shopping center. Photo by Val Gelo. This photo originates from the archives of The Chicago Daily News."

Image available here: Proposed Edgewater Development

From the same seller:
Edgewater Golf Course

The accompanying article:

Eventually the Edgewater Golf Course became Warren Park.

Images of Edgewater, with a Cessna in the Foreground

Images of a Cessna that ran out of gas in Edgewater, 1959.

Original images available at time of posting from here: Edgewater Beach Hotel

Aerial View of Edgewater, Chicago, 1946

Original available at time of writing from here: Edgewater

I just realized the negative on this one is reversed; I'll try to fix that later.

Edgewater Beach Hotel, 1961

Photo showing where a woman had jumped to her death.

Catching Some Rays in Edgewater, Chicago, 1964

You can see the Edgewater Beach Hotel and Edgewater Beach Apartments in the background.

Original image available for purchase (at time of posting) from here: Edgewater 1964

Senn High School Teams, 1952

Photos from a blog reader...

The Senn Track Team in 1952 and also from 1952 the Senn Lettermen.

If you recognize yourself in one of the photos, point it out!

Rooftop View from the Edgewater Beach Hotel

Moonwatch Group at the Edgewater Beach Hotel, 1957. For larger view or to purchase image (available at time of posting) go here: Up on the Roof

What landmarks can you spot?

Edgewater Beach Hotel and Pool, 1959

This gorgeous view of the Edgewater is available for purchase (at time of posting) from here: Edgewater, 1959

6040 N. Sheridan Road, Edgewater, Chicago, 1949

At one time, much of Sheridan Road was lined with such mansions. Today, this particular location has a small apartment building.


Get the original image, available at time of posting, and see the enlarged version here: 6040 N. Sheridan Rd. Chicago

Member Badge of Edgewater Golf Club, Chicago

According to the park district site, Warren Park, 6601 N. Western Ave., is on the site of the former golf club grounds:

Warren Park was created in the 1970s, born of both conflict and cooperation. The controversy began in 1965 when real estate developers offered to purchase the 94-acre private Edgewater Golf Club for $7.6 million from its members. Soon after the community learned that the buyers wanted to build high-rise apartments and a large shopping center on the site, a coalition of local groups known as the Allied North Side Community Organizations launched a major campaign to save the land as open space. Despite the strong community objection, however, the City re-zoned the site in 1968 to allow development to move forward.

When the city failed to support the park scheme, the commuity groups solicited the support of the State Government. In 1969, Governor Ogilvie signed a bill to make the private golf course into a state park. The governor announced that this would be "the first major state park in Illinois created in an urban area. By bringing a park to the people, instead of requiring them to go to a distant park, we shall mark an historic turning point in the battle to preserve open lands."

Original badge available (at time of writing) here: Edgewater Golf Club

1933 Aeriel View of Edgewater, Chicago, with Edgewater Beach Apartments

And here is another stunning view, this one focusing on the Edgewater Beach Apartments. Note the mansions surrounding it. There used to be hundreds of such gorgeous homes along Sheridan.