After the great fire of 1871

As Chicago rebounded from the great fire of 1871, two things happened. First, commercial businesses moved downtown and residences retreated. Second, Chicago built up as well as out, making it the skyscraper capital of the world. Many rich businessmen sought out Prairie Avenue between 16th and 22nd street to build mansions, Marshall Field, George M. Pullman, William Kimball, to name a few. This was important because they set a precedent which gained many followers as those who wanted to be part of the "sunny street that held the sifted few."

There was an interesting article in Preservation Magazine this month about Chicago's Historic African American neighborhoods. The author, Jennifer Farwell, tied her hope for the existing blighted areas to the historic election of Barack Obama. Written with an upbeat sense of optimism, she points out the importance of preservation and telling stories about history through the scant surviving buildings that remain in Chicago. One of the pictures in the article was of the Chicago Defender building at 3435 S. Indiana Avenue. The picture of the door, also in the article, is at 24th and Michigan (the newspaper was once located in this building.) I know because while taking pictures of Motor Row I came across the building and snapped a picture of the door. It's detail, although shabby and in need of repair, reflected the opulent times of that era.

Home of Taste of Chicago, Grant Park is comprised of 220 acres and beautiful lakefront views of Chicago and Lake Michigan. Some yearly activities hosted at the James C. Petrillo Music Shell are the Chicago Blues Festival, Chicago Jazz Festival and the Chicago Gospel Festival. Free music concerts at the James C. Petrillo Music Shell debuted in 1935 due to the efforts of James Petrillo who wanted to offer classical music available for all Chicagoans and their guests, and to secure employment for union musicians. Buckingham Fountain, seen below, sits in the center of Grant Park, overlooking all the activity. This fountain was a gift to the city from Kate Buckingham in honor of her brother Clarence. Its 150 foot plume of water is eye-stopping from May until mid-October. At night it is lit with 780 colored lights. Along this stretch of Lake Michigan you will see sailboats, yachts, bicyclists, runners, volleyball and softball games and plenty of sightseers.

Prairie Avenue Today

Members of Chicago's elitist society have always been sought out by people who want to know how the "rich and famous" lived. Chicago had two distinct areas in which the prominent people lived, the north side and the south side. Prairie Avenue, in South Loop, was home to many prosperous Chicagoans such as Marshall Field, George M. Pullman, Philip Armour, and Fernando Jones. The picture on the right shows what Prairie Avenue looks like today. The avenue experienced a rebirth when builders took an interest in this area. Building began in earnest in early 2000 and continues to flourish today. A handful of original homes from 1870-1890 still remain. Preservation is important in Chicago. Many dedicated individuals and groups work diligently to preserve what remains of Chicago's history.

Although I am totally immersed in Chicago each time I visit I saw but never fully recognized the impact of the building going on around me. The cranes dotting the city skyline just sort of blended in with my surroundings. Every new trip showcased a new townhouse, condo, or restaurant. The new additions to McCormick Place which began as a slow sprawl have now taken over a good portion of South Loop, its impact huge on the economy in that area. Sometimes we get so lost in our daily routines that we fail to see the bigger picture taking place around us. Chicago has always been the leader of great architectural wonders and for the last decade or so has produced a rash of new construction throughout the city especially in South Loop. We are second city to none. We are Chicago.

Upon returning home from my trip to Chicago I found an invitation from Preservation Chicago (I am a member) inviting me to attend the 2008 Preservation Celebration on September 26 at The Marmon Grand located in the Motor Row Historic District. There will be live blues, a silent auction, and Motor Row mini tours. This Spanish revival style building by architect Alfred Alschuler was built in 1922 and has recently been restored and reconstructed. Motor row is the nation's largest early automobile row and was added to Chicago's Landmark District in December 2000. This area of South Loop is slowly being revitalized. It's wonderful to see restoration of buildings that still exist.

I spent the weekend of August 23 and 24 in Chicago at my daughter's townhouse on Calumet Parkway, the street behind historic Prairie Avenue. After reading an article a couple of months ago, I have become obsessed with old water tanks so I decided to take digital photos of any I could find in South Loop. My trek took me to Cermac and the Motor Row Historic District. As I walked around the area, water tanks seemed to appear everywhere, somehow missed in my earlier jaunts around that part of the city. I snapped quite a few pictures and have been researching further about these iconic structures that are slowly being lost to urban sprawl modernization.

National Historic Perservation Act

Since I post mostly all historic information on my blog I thought it would be a good idea to explain about how historic preservation came about. The National Historic Preservation Act was created in 1966. It made the Federal Government a leader and partner in historic preservation. The Federal Government sets policies and practices and provides leadership for preservation. Within the National Historic Preservation is an Advisory Council that gives property National Register of Historic Places status which brings attention and recognition to that valued property. But it cannot protect the property from being demolished, in the case of a property dwelling, or built upon. Local officials, by way of a review board or commission, not the federal or state governments, maintain the historical significance of the properties through zoning laws and guidelines. Generally, a property must be more than 50 years old to be considered for the National Register of Historic Houses. To read more about zoning read The Politics of Place: A History of Zoning in Chicago by Joseph P. Schwieterman and Dana M. Caspall. You can also read my review of the book on ReaderViews.