Broadway North of Montrose, 1926 — Arcadia Ballroom, McJunkin Building

Here is a fantastic scene of Broadway just north of Montrose. You can see the exquisite blue and white terracotta building, torn down a few years ago, a rare view of the Arcadia Ballroom with Wilson Yards behind, the McJunkin building at Wilson just up the way, and far off in the distance the rooftop marquee of the recently completed Uptown Theatre. Thanks to reader Mike M. for sharing this one!

Sheridan and Montrose, Uptown Chicago, 1910

Sheridan and Montrose, 1910. The original 100-year-old postcard is currently available on eBay: http://bit.ly/1d3zxVQ

Hazel and Montrose, 1973

Scenes of a broken water main at Hazel and Montrose in 1973. eBay item 251052879430.

Sneaking Drinks from the Hide-a-Way on Montrose

Editor's Note: Bill Matteson's story about bootlegging brought back some memories for this reader. We saw his story in the comments, and felt it deserved its own post. Thanks for a great story, Al!

When I was about 17 or 18 years old some friends and I were going to head up north to Ardmore Beach for a party and thought we'd pick up some booze first and in order to do that we had to find someone to buy it for us, which usually meant finding a bum to do the purchasing.

We decided the best tavern to stand out in front of was this basement dive called the Hide-a-Way on the south side of Montrose, just east of Hazel. After about ten minutes, this guy comes stumbling out and the first thing he says when he sees us is "stay away from me, cuz I ain't got no money and I'm dangerous." I told the guy we didn't want to roll him, all we wanted was for him to buy us some stuff and we'd be willing to buy him a bottle for himself. That he said would be no problem since we were buying. We gave him our money and order which we kept simple considering his condition.

It was the usual stuff teenagers got at the time: Boonesfarm, Ritchards, Wild Irish Rose, and some half pints. So he went back inside and we waited and waited, it took him about a half an hour to come back out with our stuff. We asked him what took so long, and he said the guy wouldn't sell it to him because he knew it was for those kids outside and it took him that long to talk him into it. We knew he was giving a line and figured he got a couple of shots on our money and there was nothing we could about it, so we went on our way.

When we got to Ardmore and passed the stuff out, I could'nt believe what I saw and realized why it took so long to get our stuff. He had opened up and drank just a little bit from each bottle.

Its over 40 years since that happened and I'm still friends with those guys. Whenever we get together and if we are talking about the Uptown days it seems like only yesterday that we were eating burgers at Jake's Pup in the Ruff before going to a Cubs game or the Uptown Theater.

Al

More from Montrose and Sheridan, 1936

Detail: I still mourn the loss of this gorgeous terra cotta building; even then, I had no idea of how beautiful it orginally was.

From the IDOT collection.

Source: Illinois Department of Transportation Chicago Traffic photographs
Collection: IDOT Chicago Traffic Photographs (University of Illinois at Chicago)
Repository: Special Collections and University Archives, University of Illinois at Chicago Library

Montrose and Sheridan, 1936

From the IDOT collection.

Source: Illinois Department of Transportation Chicago Traffic photographs
Collection: IDOT Chicago Traffic Photographs (University of Illinois at Chicago)
Repository: Special Collections and University Archives, University of Illinois at Chicago Library

Sheridan and Montrose, 1938

Thanks to Uptown Update for bringing this image to our attention; it was sent in by one of their readers.

It's one of the best photos I've seen of this area, and I did a little bit of sleuthing to find out where it came from with the hopes that there'd be more. I wasn't disappointed. The image is originally from the IDOT Collection of photos at the University of Illinois. (Gotta love Google.)

Definitely check out the collection for even greater resolution; there are a number of terrific street scenes. We'll be posting the Uptown related ones this evening.

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!

Montrose Urban Progress Center Opens, Uptown Chicago, 1965

Original caption reads: Urban Progress Center Opens with picketers on Montrose calling themselves Community Union of Poor People in Uptown, Feb 12, 1965.

Image available at time of posting from: Montrose Urban Progress Center Opening

Montrose Avenue Street Car Chicago

A view of the street car that used to run down Montrose Avenue. Currently available from this seller: Montrose Avenue Street Car

Cricket Field Becomes Cricket Hill, Uptown Chicago

From reader Bill Matteson:

CRICKET HILL

Some time in the late forties there was a big field we called Cricket Field. How it got that name was always a mystery. There were no crickets and no one played cricket, but Cricket was just as good a name as any name, so it was Cricket Field. In the middle of that field was a jungle of sumac and trees of heaven and a lot of bushes. Also along the streets on each side of the viaducts the "jungles" went for a half block or a full block. They were the "summer homes" for all the bums and perverts in the ares. We never went into the jungle alone. Their nests were all around. A bed of newspaper and empty wine bottles were the tell tale signs.

The perverts would hang outside the jungle near the street and try to entice a kid in. But we were streetwise little punks and when this happened we could always find a cop, tell him what happened. He was there in an instant, arrested the perv, or sometimes just beat him with his nightstick. We never had to make a report or go to the station, all we had to do was point.

Then a few days later the perv or pervs were right back doing the same thing.

One day, me, Jimmy Thomas, and Norman Sobiesk were coming home from the lake and decided to play War. We found empty wine bottles [alongside the jungles], which became hand grenades and we were throwing them around when Jimmy threw one way up and it came down on my head. Knocked me out. When I woke up, they were carrying me down Lawrence Ave with my shirt covering my head and I was real bloody. They got me home and Mom shaved the back of my head and butterflyed it up. I still have a four-inch scar across the back of my head. Mom felt real sorry for me and Dad made me stay in for a few days for being stupid.

The Park District decided to do away with all the jungles and the big jungle in Cricket Field was cut down. They dug a big, deep hole where the jungle was. I think they needed land fill somewhere and a place to put some garbage, so they filled in the hole over the next few years and kept piling on the dirt. Cricket Field was gone forever.

Hello Cricket Hill.

Cricket Hill is between Montrose and Wilson Ave [east of Lake Shore Drive].

The Equator Restaurant, 1729 Montrose, Chicago, 1965

We featured the exterior of the Equator Restaurant back in September. Here is a vintage shot of the interior, circa 1965. The original is available to purchase (at time of writing) here: The Equator Restaurant

Sheridan and Montrose, 1913

Here's a delightful discovery--one of the oldest images we've found of Sheridan and Montrose, from 1913. You can see a street car off to the left. I honestly can't say what perspective this is; the scene looks nothing like this today. My first guess is that Sheridan is the one with the streetcar, and we're looking east down Montrose. Thoughts?

It is available for purchase here: Sheridan and Montrose, Uptown, Chicago

Closeup of McJunkin Building, 1956

Closeup of the McJunkin Building from 1956. What is particularly distinctive is the decorative cast iron trim the building once sported. Purchase the original and see the full-size version here: McJunkin 1956

Blessing of Cuneo Hospital, 750 Montrose at Clarendon, Chicago

This image is of particular interest to me, because I was born at Cuneo Hospital. Although we moved out to the suburbs when I was a wee toddler, I was born an Uptown Girl.

From ChicagoHospitals.info:

Beginnings

The first reference in the Chicago Tribune's Historical Index to this hospital appears on July 7, 1944. It notes a benefit by the ladies' auxiliary for the Frank Cuneo Memorial Hospital. It notes the hospital at Montrose and Clarendon Streets was endowed by the late Frank Cuneo

A Chicago Tribune article on July 23, 1944 notes a substantial addition to the hospital has been made by John F Cuneo, who donated an apartment building on the northwest corner of Montrose and Clarendon. This gave the hospital a block long frontage on Clarendon, between Montrose and Agatite

Part of the block of flats will be used for living quarters for the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred heart. Nurses, interns and the hospital chaplain will also live there.

The other wing of the apartment building will be utilized as a children's hospital. This would be the first Catholic children's hospital in the city of Chicago.

At closure

100 beds

closed 1988

Purchase image here: Cuneo Hospital

Marines Training at Montrose Beach, 1959

Military training or synchronized swimming? You decide.

You can spot the Edgewater Beach Hotel and Apartments at the upper left.

Purchase the original image here: Marines

1729 Montrose, at Hermitage in 1965

The Equator Restaurant, 1729 W. Montrose, as it looked in 1965. Check out the detail on the corner of the building. I can't tell if it's tile or painted on. In any case, it's no longer visible on the building today.

The vintage photo is available from Hermitage and Montrose. Modern image from Google street views.

Father Son Fishing at Montrose Harbor, 1954

Seller's description: "Like father Like Son" 1954 Tiny Ricky Werderitch keeps getting all the bites on his bamboo pole line, while daddy has had nothing but quiet! Montrose Ave Harbor, July 11, 1954.

Purchase original image here: Father-Son Fishing Trip

Uptown History Article Featured in Chicago Now

Montrose and Broadway, 1928

"People from all over Chicago came to Uptown for entertainment. The action centered around the Broadway-Lawrence intersection. The major movie palaces included the Riviera and the 4,000-seat Uptown, the city's largest. For dancing there was the Aragon ballroom. The Green Mill was the place to go for hot jazz, and over on Clark Street, the Rainbo Gardens complex offered assorted cabaret shows. After a busy Saturday night, there were churches available. All Saints Episcopal and Our Lady of the Lake Catholic were architectural treasures. The biggest congregation gathered at the People's Church, where flamboyant Unitarian pastor Preston Bradley held forth. Summer Sundays might also include a visit to Lake Michigan, for fishing off the Horseshoe or swimming at Montrose Beach. And when you died, you could still find what you needed in Uptown. Graceland Cemetery, the city's most fashionable burying ground, was located in the community..."

Read the rest of the article and see dozens more photos of Uptown here: Uptown in Chicago Now.

Operation Inland Sea at Montrose Harbor, 1959.

What a crowd! You can spot the Edgewater Beach Hotel at the far right.

Original image, as well as high-quality reprints available from here: Montrose Harbor, 1959

From the seller's description: Operation Inland Sea Montrose 1959. Huge crowds turn out to watch the Inland Sea Opening Ceremonies. Operation Inland Seas (or Sea) was a United States Navy operation to celebrate the completion of the Saint Lawrence Seaway in 1959. Task Force 47 (TF 47), a 28-ship detachment of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet under the command of Rear Admiral Edmund B. Taylor, sailed up the Saint Lawrence River to participate in the official opening of the Seaway by Queen Elizabeth II of Canada and U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower on June 26, 1959. Thereafter, the ships visited ports throughout the Great Lakes, sometimes escorting Queen Elizabeth aboard HMY Britannia. June 26, 1959