Jumpin' at the Green Mill, The Mighty Blue Kings

I found this great jazz tune called Jumpin' at the Green Mill by The Mighty Blue Kings. It's available as an mp3.

Let's go on out and have a party tonight
Ride your wick *
Put on your fancy clothes
We'll go to that place that everybody knows
We'll be jumping, having ourselves a time!
We'll be jumpin' at the Green Mill...

*I think they're saying "Wick," I can't quite tell!

Tunnels of Uptown Video Tour with Fox News Chicago

Fox News Chicago visited the tunnels below Uptown Chicago in 2006. Dave Jemilo, owner of the Green Mill Jazz Club, and Brian Durack, building engineer of the Aragon Ballroom, are featured.

To play video, click on arrow in the center of the image.

Tunnels of Uptown Video Tour by Ric Addy

A series of tunnels can be found below the streets of the Uptown Entertainment District at Lawrence and Broadway. Ric Addy, owner of Shake Rattle and Read / The Book Box, takes the viewer on a tour of Uptown’s underside.

To play video, click on arrow in the center of the image.

Weird and Haunted Chicago: The Green Mill

I'm a sucker for Chicago walking and bus tours, but one group I haven't toured with yet is Weird and Haunted Chicago, which has an interesting story on the history of the Green Mill on their Web site.

I'm pretty busy this month, so I don't think I'll have time to hop on the bus and see some ghosts, but if any of you get the chance, I'd love to hear about it. A number of their tours are still available.

Green Mill Destroyed by Fire

From The Chicago Daily Tribune, April 27, 1933:

Acts to Rebuild Green Mill, Lost in $100,000 Fire
Six Firemen and Woman Spectator Injured

Plans were made yesterday to rebuild the Green Mill building, Broadway and Lawrence Avenue, which was destroyed in an early morning fire with an estimated damage of $100,000. Tom Chamales, owner of the two-story structure, announced that he planned to replace the building with one of similar proportions.

Six firemen were injured, one of them severely, and one woman was overcome with smoke in the blaze that started in a Walgreen Drug Store at 4800 Broadway. The fireman most seriously injured is Lt. James W. O'Malley of Engine 128, 5908 Leonard Street. His back was crushed and he suffered internal injuries.

Other Firemen Injured
The other firemen hurt are Oscar Stewart of Engine 128, 6124 Melrose Street; Fred Kinsler of Engine 128, 3007 Cullerton Street; Frank J. Kubik of Rescue Squad 4, 2508 North Menard Avenue, Lt. William Shay of Squad 4, 3230 Eastwood Avenue; Capt. Raymond J. Howe of Engine 70, 6419 North Albany Avenue.

Mrs. Ella Winters, 39 years old, 1001 Sunnyside Avenue, a spectator, was overcome by smoke and motor gas fumes and taken to the Lakeside Hospital for treatment.

Lt. O'Malley was injured when he went to the rescue of Fireman Kinsler, who was trapped beneath a pile of falling debris in the Green Mill Restaurant at 4806 Broadway. Lt. O'Malley was pinned to the floor as part of the roof gave way. Both men were carried to the street by rescue squads.

Half Dozen Shops Destroyed
The fire was discovered by workers in the drug store at 7 o'clock in the morning. It spread northward through the half block long structure, which extends to 4810 Broadway, and also damaged a Fannie May candy shop at 4812 Broadway. The Wolff Jewelry Shop, the Stop and Eat restaurant, the Excell Photo studio, and the Green Mill ballroom, all quartered in the building, were destroyed in the blaze. The fire was prevented from spreading to the Uptown Theatre, 4814 Broadway, firemen said, by the fire walls of the structure.

Green Mill Cocktail Plate

This looks like a later plate from what is now the Green Mill Jazz Club then the one previously posted, as they dropped the "gardens" from the logo. It's very small, just under four inches across, and was probably used for lemon slices for cocktails or something like that.