Gifts for Curious People: Gift Cards Now Available
Our blog is primarily for giving our dear readers new insights into Chicago architecture, history and culture. But every once in a while we will indeed use it to toot our own horn. Consider this some tooting. We now have gift cards for people you love who love Chicago! You can buy these gift cards […]
Exploring a Downtown Chicago Religious Buildings
Earlier this summer, I had the joy of being guided around the Chicago Temple by our director Amanda Scotese. Those of you who have joined us for the Loop Interior Architecture Walking Tour have caught just a glimpse of what this marvelous skyscraper affords in history and architectural gems. Now we’re getting ready for our […]
A Hidden Piece of Mies in Chicago
Many of us are familiar with at least the name of Mies van der Rohe. His iconic modernist buildings in Chicago include IIT’s campus, including the sublime Crown Hall, 860-880 Lake Shore Drive, and the Federal Center. (For a brief, but excellent overview of Mies, see Geoffrey Baer’s summary or join us for a custom private […]
Biking In Chicago: A Long History of a Strong Community
I’ve been a proud to be biking in Chicago for almost two years now. Biking, to me, conjures feelings of childhood bliss. Memories of summers riding my purple Huffy, bedecked with psychedelic flowers. I’d ride it in a continuous loop in my parents’ driveway and, if I was daring, a neighbor’s sidewalk. Unfortunately, suburban sprawl […]
Chicago Tourism Industry Improvements at O’Hare
At the Choose Chicago Annual Meeting in April, Chairman of the Board Bruce Rauner encouraged feedback on our ideas for promoting Chicago tourism. We all want the city to be a top destination for business and leisure travelers. Here is one person’s two cents on how to make it happen. Promote Chicago Tourism Through Marketing […]
Chicago Blues Festival – Special Tour
This Saturday, June 9th, 10:30am we are having a rare offering of our “Jazz, Blues & Beyond” tour by bus, typically only available for private groups. Featured on WGN evening news, the two-and-a-half-hour special interactive event includes a local musician and visits to both iconic and lesser known highlights of Chicago’s rich music history. The […]
Chicago’s Forgotten Underground Freight Tunnels
Beneath the skyscrapers of Chicago there is an unseen world that many Chicagoans are unaware of. Hidden deep below the skyscrapers of Chicago’s Loop are underground freight tunnels. I always assumed them to be a myth, but they are quite important to the history of the city of Chicago. The extent of these tunnels might […]
Chicago’s Freight Tunnels: the Forgotten Underground
Beneath the skyscrapers of Chicago there is an unseen world that many Chicagoans are unaware of. Hidden deep below the skyscrapers of Chicago are underground freight tunnels. I always assumed them to be a myth, but they are quite important to the history of the city of Chicago. The extent of these tunnels is something […]
The Historic South Side Pullman Neighborhood
Pullman – the man, the train car, and the neighborhood – holds a powerful place in Chicago history. George Pullman crafted a live/work community entirely according to his own personal specifications. I first began researching the role ethnicity played in the town and company of Pullman during a History of Immigration and U.S. Ethnic Identity […]
Chicago’s Flag: More than Stars and Stripes
Walking throughout Chicago’s Loop you see the Chicago flag flying high upon flagpoles, hanging from buildings, printed on t-shirts and stamped as arm tattoos on hipsters. The city of Chicago however did not always have a municipal flag. In 1917 the Chicago Flag Commission hosted a contest for the best design for a municipal flag […]