Some random views of Chicago.
Chicago – October 2019 – Scenes of the City
Tag: Illinois
Chicago – October 2019 – Time for Your Close Up
The chance to go up in some of the buildings in downtown Chicago + zoom lens = close ups of some of the classic old skyscrapers upper floors not normally visible!
Most were taken from the 26th floor of 333 North Michigan Avenue.
Chicago – October 2019 – A River Cruise
A beautiful late afternoon in October was the perfect time to take the Chicago Architectural Foundation’s River Tour. The highlights…
Elmhurst, Illinois – October 2019 – Mies at the Museum
The Elmhurst, Illinois Art Museum is located in on a small campus in suburban Chicago. In addition to a couple of galleries, they have a space that local artists continue to work.
We did not however make the trip out to the ‘burbs for the paintings. We were here to see one of the few houses that famed architect Mies Van Der Rohe designed. Designed in 1952, it was moved in the 1990s to the art museum campus.
It is considered one of the classics of mid century modern.
The museum has done their own interpretation of the furnishings and artwork throughout.
Metropolis, Illinois – May 2019 – Superman’s Hometown
The town of Metropolis, Illinois was founded in 1839, and for 100 years it was just another small town in the midwest. All that changed when the Superman comics hit the newstands in the 1930s, and called a fictional Metropolis his hometown.
Since there is only one Metropolis in America, this town in Illinois found it’s fame.
I was expecting it to look like Roswell, where everything in town has an alien them. Metropolis is not like that, there are a few indications of this connection, but most business look like anytown USA.
There is however an excellent Superman statue downtown, and an equally impressive museum across the street.
Superman superfan Jim Hambrick has over 100,000 items, and the museum houses many of them. The young lady at the counter said she was his daughter and that they moved from California to Metropolis to open the museum years ago.
Welcome to the ultimate Superman experience.
Chicago – February 2019 – Then and Now
The ‘Time Travel’ series continues in Chicago start with Van Buren Street Station in 1907 and now. Note the Art Museum in both photos for orientation of the view.
The Chicago River looking west in 1946 and now. Same bridges, but not much else (although the Merchandise Mart is still there, just hidden behind Marina City.
Buckingham Fountain from 1955 to now gives evidence to how many buildings have been built in the last 60s years.
Michigan Avenue north of the river from 330 N Michigan again shows all the new buildings, although the Wrigley Building and Tribune Tower still grace the riverfront itself.
Meanwhile down at street level looking across the same bridge in 1955. Of note is the mid 50s Ford making the right turn compared to the Honda Civic today. Both were one of the most popular cars of their day.
Also of note are examples of clothing as well as the change in street lighting.
This view of State Street in front of Marshall Fields/Macy’s has the change over from streetcars to buses. At some point they must have cleaned the exterior of Marshall Field’s as it is much brighter today.
While turning around looking south down State Street – in the 1950s it was large old Plymouths, Packards and Chevy’s. Today is a Prius parade while the traffic blocked the intersection.
Moving back over to Michigan Avenue in the late 1950s shows the recently completed Prudential Building (1955). Not only was it the tallest building around it was the only building on Randolph Street, east of Michigan.
The reason for this was they were just beginning to replace the freight rail yards with buildings. Clearly by 2019 all available space has been built up.
This view from 1960 shows the freight yards east of Michigan Avenue, right in the middle of Grant Park. While Columbus Avenue took part, the park is much better for the city than the rail lines.
The El crossing the river to the west loop (at a slightly different angle in 2019) shows the huge growth along the river from 1960 until today.
The skyline view from Adler Planetarium also shows the dramatic change. This skyline view is from 1965. (full disclosure the ‘current’ photo is from last July, not this last week – nobody was sitting along the stone step along the lake in Chicago in February).
Our final view is from 1970, and the recently completed John Hancock Tower – the first 1000′ tall building in Chicago. This view too is impressive in the changes seen in downtown Chicago in the last 50 years.
Chicago – February 2019 – Various Scenes
With our trip to Chicago complete some interesting photos did not make the various specific topic blog postings.
Starting with the long and thin – from commuter trains to 70 floor condo buildings.
Statuary on a South Michigan Avenue building.
Nearby the neighbors outdid them with this relief (only a portion of the entire sculpture).
The Carbide and Carbon Building’s gold top on a sunny morning.
Reflections.
O’Hare Airport is proposing to build a new terminal and is asking for the public’s opinion with a vote. It is Chicago – vote early, vote often.
It seems most of the newer hotel rooms in the city have photos that look like this – so I took my own abstract view of modern buildings.
If not modern, at least historic and modern combined.
Every time I go by this clock I look for a good angle to take a photo, but something always seems to be in the way. This angle is unobstructed, but doesn’t do it justice.
Wandering early one morning in the theater district I decided to focus on the signs.
Even the local McDonalds got into the act.
A snowy morning in Millennium Park.
Snow was gathering on ‘the bean’, and would come off in interesting ways.
It is an interesting view from underneath.
No concert at Pritzker Pavilion today!
Art in the snow behind Aon Tower.
The Chicago Cultural Center had a display on Jazz Music in the city.
The play Chicago was also featured – including some of the real life models for Roxie Hart – Beulah Annan and Belva Gaertner.
Both Beulah and Belva had been charged with murder in 1924, but were acquitted. Amazingly the first play was in 1927 and Belva attended the premier!
