Forgotten Chicago Message Board - General Discussion

More Vintage Ogden Ave...1965 (6 replies)

captain54 — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 21:44:45 -0700

I know much has been discussed concerning Ogden Avenue here, but I couldn't pass up posting this pix I discovered in my book collection. It continually amazes how dramatically the dismantling of Ogden Ave changed the landscape of the near north side. This is the intersection of Weed St and Ogden in 1965...the CTA brown line is overhead. The current site of this photo is a youth baseball field.

weed and ogden 1965, Chicago

The caption below this photo reads.."They help cool gang violence...1965..street workers take their message to gangs. Turf wars had lessened by the mid 60's"

Riverview Fireworks on the 4th (no replies)

fleurblue — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 20:19:01 -0700

When Riverview Park was still in operation a nice fireworks display was featured on the 4th.

This was a big deal in those days because it was before there were any Chicago displays or, I think, suburban displays.

My folks didn't take us to the park but we got a great view from our second story back porch. Until the trees grew taller and blocked the view. Then a bunch of the kids on the block would head for Roscoe St. where a great view was still to be had. I don't remember if the Kennedy Expressway was there at the time or not.

I can stll remember standing in the middle of Roscoe St., no traffic in sight, feeling the warmth of the day's sun coming up from the pavement.

Just thought of this over the holiday weekend.

Baskin Robbins Shop on Belmont east of Harlem (7 replies)

fleurblue — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 10:45:39 -0700

Did anyone frequent this Baskins? I used to ride my bike down the side streets adjacent to Belmont from the Avondale area on summer nights to get a cone at this shop. It was bare-bones; just a few plastic chairs. And the owners always seemed peeved at the customers. But the ice cream was better than that served today in those mini-Baskins.

I can't remember there being any other Baskins in the area at that time.

The thing that stands out is the giant black and white photos wallpapering the area behind the counter. These were photos of big spotted dairy cows. That was the only bit of decor in the shop.

Mossley Hill Apple Orchard (1 reply)

liz — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 20:31:37 -0700

Does anyone remember the apple orchard .I remember in the 60s my mother took us there to pick your own apples.there was also a shop there where you could buy the apples and caramel apples.don't remember where it was located. any information on it.

DID YOU KNOW? (no replies)

Richard Stachowski — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 17:31:46 -0700

Did you know the the Midlothian turnpike crossed over 143rd st, past Bachleor's grove Cemetary over a bridge over a revine and all the way to ridgeland avenue? The traces are on historic ariels.

Paradise Ball room. (1 reply)

Richard Stachowski — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 16:39:48 -0700

Anybody remember the Paradise ballroom on the 5100 block of Damen avenue?

3200-3400 W. Bryn Mawr business district circa 1960s (5 replies)

FranCarmen — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 13:47:35 -0700

I've been researching my childhood neighborhood and have this list of stores, business and institutions that were located on Bryn Mawr between Kedzie and Bryn mawr. It spans late 1950s through the end of the 1970s. There are couple that go back earlier, and two are still operating at the same location.

Nearly all have Bryn Mawr addresses but some have Kedzie or Kimball right off Bryn Mawr. I'm still working on the addresses. Anyone have additional information about these businesses? Or any I've missed? Thanks.

Al Lipman's Kosher Butcher Shop
Al Slae (clothing store)
Anthony and Justin's (beauty shop on west side of Kedzie across from Lerner's Hot Dogs)
Batiste Coiffures, 3251 W. Bryn Mawr
Beck's Book Store, 3405 W. Bryn Mawr
Ben's Fruit Stand
Biltmore Dry Cleaners, 3216 W. Bryn Mawr
Bon-Shar Dress Shop (Sadowsky family)
Bryn Mawr Hardware, 3309 W. Bryn Mawr (owner: Maury Munson)
Certified Grocery Store (owned by Morrie Gerskowitz, formerly Jewel Foods)
Chicago Public Library branch (at Spaulding and Bryn Mawr)
C.V.'s Snack Shop, 3401 W. Bryn Mawr (formerly a DeMar's)
Dance Art Studios, 3344 W. Bryn Mawr (Miss Carol's)
David's Men Store
Davis Imperial Dry Cleaners, 3325 W. Bryn Mawr
Dong's Chinese Laundry (Jimmy Dong's family)
Dutch Mill Candies
Factor Shoes (Birnbaums)
Fan Fisheries
Follett's northside Bookstore, 3417 W. Bryn Mawr
Hamilton's School Supply Shop (same location as Hollywood Card Shop)
Henry's Bar (Hagberg family)
Hollywood Bowl (owners: Helen and Joe, later sold to Jessie and Joe Shear)
Hollywood Photo and Card Shop, 3315 W. Bryn Mawr
Hollywood Deli Restaurant (Weingarden family)
Hollywood Park Fellowship Club
Hollywood Fisheries (Greene family)
Hollywood Hardware Store, 3241 W. Bryn Mawr
Hollywood Liquors (aka Little Henry's)
Hollywood Realty (owned by Max Michnick and Paul Ackerman)
Hollywood Toys and Hobbies
Imperial Blue Print, 3250 W. Bryn Mawr
Irene's Dress Shop
Irv's Barber Shop
Jerry's Beauty Salon (west of Plotkin's)
Joseph's Interiors, 3320 W. Bryn Mawr
Kay Brothers Grocerland
Bernie's Jewelery (Bernie Klein)
Irv's Barber Shop (on Kimball, Irv Olsen)
Lazaar's Kosher Butcher (on Kedzie)
The Lee, 3336 W. Bryn Mawr (Chinese restaurant operated by Bill Tong's family 1947-1956)
Lerner's Hot Dogs
Levin TV Repair
Lev Someach Synagogue
Lex's Bike, 3242 W. Bryn Mawr (Karbin family)
Lichtman's Bakery (was this also called Pie Pantry?)
Martin's Restaurant (Bryn Mawr and Spaulding)
Marty's Slot Car Racing
Melin's Cleaners
Milt and Morry Shell Gas Station (Arlene Silverman Andresen's uncle)
Nick's Newstand, Kedzie and Bryn Mawr (related to current owners of Arcadia Drugstore, 3201 W. Bryn Mawr??)
Newstand, Kimball and Bryn Mawr (Doris and Sam's)
New York Appetizer Store, 3251 1/2 W. Bryn Mawr
Mary Gage Peterson Elementary School, 5510 N. Christiana
Plotkin Pharmacy, Bryn Mawr and Christiana (Irv and Bea Plotkin)
Sabin's Coiffures, 3416 W. Bryn Mawr
Sandler's Pharmacy, Bryn Mawr and Spaulding
Schafer's Florists, Bryn Mawr at Kimball
Sherri's 3407 W. Bryn Mawr (Friedman family)
Texaco Gas Station
Tong's Tea Garden, 3411 W. Bryn Mawr (founded by Bill Tong's grandfather in 1954)
Tower of Pizza (Pisa?)
Uncle Dan's Army Navy Surplus Store (Brent and Mark Weiss)
Whirly's Hot Dogs, 5607 N. Kimball (owned by Frank)
Zaretsky's Fishstore

"M-Squad"...filmed in Chicago, 1957-1960 (5 replies)

captain54 — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 09:01:25 -0700

groundbreaking cop/detective TV filmed on location, mostly in Chicago in the late 50's..lot's of views of vintage Chicago

here's the intro (1957)...Lee Marvin (Dt. Frank Ballinger)..ends up on Lower Wacker with a view looking up at the Mich Ave bridge and the Wrigley Building. Supposedly, Mayor Daley was miffed at a episode that referred to "crooked cops", and may be one of the reasons why Chicago didn't see much film activity here until after elder Daley passed in 76'

another intro with the original theme music and Pall Mall (cigarette sponsor) featured predominantly. Ballinger heads south on Michigan from Wacker and ends up on lower Wacker.

[www.tobaccovideos.com]

HAPPY FATHERS DAY EVERYONE (no replies)

Artista — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 06:41:04 -0700

Enjoy the day and if possible spend it with the kids.

Supermarkets Now Gone (29 replies)

fleurblue — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 12:59:26 -0700

I got to thinking about the many supermarkets that have come and gone which offered a nice choice of grocery shopping year ago. One site here mentioned the passing of Elliots on Montrose.

I remember Mayflower on Elston and briefly on Addison and Central. Is Butera still in business? Of course A&P and National Tea have been gone for years and were the Jewel and Dominicks of the day, although on a much smaller scale.

Thompson's was a popular full-service store in Park Ridge. I loved shopping there even when it meant driving a bit. A friend said she drove from Oak Park to shop at Thompson's. They had a large bakery and their own ice cream brand.

Many of these stores were one of a kind, and privately owned; not part of a chain. That seemed to enhance their appeal.

I remember a store called Lilac Farms at Devon and Milwaukee in the '60s. It was a convenient place to buy pop and other picnic supplies before heading to Caldwell Woods across the street.

Another store I remember but can't place is Estelle's. Maybe on Peterson?

Stop and Shop was popular downtown on Washington St. west of State and also Hillmans in the basement of the six-corners Sears. What a great store--my grandfather ordered Easter hams there for the whole family. Are the Treasure Island stores all gone?

Happy Foods is a small (Centrella, I think) store still operating in Edgebrook and Edison Park. A nice sized store to get in and get out of when you are in a hurry.

And there was Farmer's Market on Elston for produce and garden supplies. Still there?

My aunt used to shop at a place called Hoog's on Montrose. A neighbor owned Belmont Foods on Belmont and Monticello.

These long gone supermarkets didn't stock everything, but they had enough. And you often knew the butcher, the stock handlers, and the cashiers.

The newer European delis and fruit markets now replace these stores; Wally's, Caputo's, etc.

Do you remember other favorite stores from the past?

Sunday 6/13 Avondale walk (2 replies)

daveg — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 11:20:09 -0700

I registered for the Avondale walk on Sunday 6/13. So far (Saturday noonish) I don't know where the starting point is for the walk.

Wondered if anyone here might know.

I did receive an e-mail confirmation for the registration earlier this week.

Laramie State Bank (5 replies)

Artista — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 22:05:06 -0700

I recently drove past this beautiful building of old. I haven't done any research on it but it has all the markings of the Art Deco period (which i have always loved). Any thoughts or comments, old photos? [www.flickr.com]

More Woodlawn trivia....Paul Boytons Chicago Water Chutes Company (no replies)

captain54 — Tue, 25 May 2010 13:06:28 -0700

Paul Boyton was an Irishman who was fascinated with water stunts. He opened a water chute park in yet undeveloped Woodlawn around the turn of the century. Later, his chutes were featured at Coney Island, in Brooklyn.

Interesting how this amusement lives today, with the popularity of the water parks, which seem to be about everywhere these days.

"Chicago's first Chutes Park was located at Drexel Boulevard and 61st Street in the as yet relatively undeveloped Woodlawn neighborhood. It opened in 1894 and featured a large water chute ride as its main attraction. Many of its patrons were visitors to the nearby World's Columbian Exposition, which was held that same year. In 1896, the original Chutes Park was purchased and relocated to Chicago's West Side. Located at Jackson Boulevard and Kedzie Avenue"

McKinley Park presentation 5/8/10 (no replies)

daveg — Mon, 10 May 2010 08:03:55 -0700

For those of us who couldn't make it, can we get a summary of what went on at the McKinley Park presentation last Saturday.

Thanks.

40th Ward WW2 Chicago Victory Gardens... AGAIN! (14 replies)

GrowingRetro — Thu, 13 May 2010 16:22:21 -0700

Hi. I'm new to Forgotten Chicago but thought you might be interested in this subject... I've been doing research/speaking on WW2 Chicago Victory Gardens over the winter/spring and I'm quite enamored of the topic. Found out that an empty lot in my hood (peterson/campbell) was once part of an original WW2 VG.

I have been working with my Alderman (O'Connor - 40th) and the property owners for permission to start a community vegetable garden there. We kicked it off yesterday! If you're interested in learning more www.petersongarden.org or we are on FB at Peterson Garden or Twitter @GrowingRetro

We are doing a drive to find vegetable gardeners who want to take part in this revival garden for the 2010 season. Know anyone?

Another cool thing... in my searching I found some suggested seed lists from the 1940's. I did research to find out which varieties are still available... about 67% are still around but I wouldn't say readily available. Anyway, I bought the ones I could find and we'll be growing them in the Peterson Garden! I like to think of it as "history re-eating itself"...

You can read more about WW2 Chicago Victory Gardens on my "other" blog - www.theyarden.com or listen to the story on Chicago Public Radio [ht.ly]

Not trying to be too self promoting here but I LOVE the topic... I'm an avid gardener and my husband and I joke that now I'm not only obsessed with our own garden but with garden's that don't even exist anymore!

LMK if you're interested in gardening in our retro VG or if you have any other questions on Chicago Victory Gardens. If YOU had any pix you could share, that would really rock. I've had a hard time finding any. I talked to a very sweet 92 year old lady about that fact and she said "Honey, nobody had cameras." That was my duh moment (for that day).

Coffee Houses (3 replies)

fleurblue — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 12:30:13 -0700

Does anyone remember the name of the coffee houses that proliferated in the '70s? I remember there was one near Loyola U. and one on north Harlem Ave.

They served non-alcoholic beverages and snacks and you sat on pillows on the floor. It seemed that they had great bookings too.

I think I saw Steve Goodman perform one time.

New Book On Chicago's Little Village Lawndale-Crawford Released! (31 replies)

Berwyn Frank — Sat, 29 May 2010 08:34:03 -0700

Well, for some reason Mike will not resurrect the thread we had going on Little Village and my new book Chicago's Little Village Lawndale-Crawford (perhaps he is a busy man?), so I will just start a new one!

Chicago's Little Village Lawndale-Crawford

The books official release date was yesterday, but as of this afternoon it was not at Borders in Oak Park yet. I give it a day or so before we see it in stores. I got my advance copy a couple of weeks ago and I am very happy with the finished product. I hope some of you buy it and bombard me with questions and feedback (positive of negative) so I can answer away. I guarantee you will learn something about the neighborhood. I have been researching Little Village for years and have a long family history within the community. Majority of the images come from my extensive personal collection and many have never before been seen. I feel that I have accurately told the story of the neighborhood from its beginnings after the Chicago Fire till modern times. It's all there, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

RE: RIP Bob Hill (1 reply)

b.a.hoarder — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 15:03:35 -0700

Robert M. Hill passed away the other day and while I'm sure many here had never heard of him he was truly the personification of the term local historian. Bob wrote and self published a book on the neighborhood he was raised in and loved, Clearing. Printed in 1983 "A Little Known History of A Land Called Clearing" tells the story of an area in the city as far south and west as you can go. His dedication to local history extended to the I & M Canal Heritage Corridor and the Caboose on the Sante Fe Prairie, located on the last remaining virgin prairie near the city.

Chicago Lakefront (2 replies)

elite12 — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 22:48:16 -0700

Hello

I am not from Chicago.
I am looking for photos of Chicago Lakefront.
Can you plz suggest me where to look for it?
I need it for my website collection.

[x-dizajn.net]

North Lawndale (59 replies)

Berwyn Frank — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 06:35:16 -0700

I don't know if there is much interest here in North Lawndale, but I find the area to be historically and architecturally fascinating. I particularly find the area between Roosevelt Rd to 16th & Pulaski to Kostner extra fascinating. Many do not know this, but that particular area was once a Bohemian settlement known as Merigold (named after the original developer W. A. Merigold) or Novy Tabor (New Camp). Merigold is the quintessential 1890s-1910 era working class immigrant west side neighborhood. It is filled with a mix of frame cottages and brick two flats. There is also the usual sampling of graystone buildings that North Lawndale is know for but not as many as other parts of the North Lawndale area. The area also has/had an unusually high number of corner stores and "middle of the block" small stores which I really find interesting.

Ethnically, North Lawndale as a whole started out in the 1890s as Bohemian and Irish. By World War One, the neighborhood was on its way to becoming the largest Jewish neighborhood in Chicago. A sizable number of Italians started to move in in the 1940s and 50s. In the 1950s African Americans started to move into the neighborhood, many of which were transplants from the southern United States, and by 1960 the neighborhood lost 90% of its white residents.

Unfortunately the entire North Lawndale neighborhood is EXTREMELY impoverished and basically in ruins. Many of the structures are no longer standing, having been lost to urban decay, fires, and the ravages of the whole 1950s-60s "contract selling" phenomenon that laid waste to many African American neighborhoods on Chicago's west and south sides. I have driven there to explore the area but it is VERY dicey. I am not one to be afraid of tough neighborhoods but this one is among Chicago's most crime ridden and dangerous. In the new millennium the neighborhood started to experience somewhat of a turn around with the building of new housing on the many vacant lots in the neighborhood, many of which are modern CHA low rise subsidized housing. The real estate collapse of the last couple of years has been devastating to the neighborhood and has set back any progress by many years. The area is plagued with high foreclosures and even more tear downs as a result. I drove through the area a couple of weeks ago and the area has an almost eerie feeling to it, kind of has a "post apocalyptic" atmosphere. There are MANY boarded up, burned out, and severely deteriorated buildings which are a result of what is going on in the economy and real estate market of 2010. The area is also one of the most dirty I have ever seen and seems to lack many of the basic city services that even the most poor Chicago neighborhoods receive.

On a more positive note there are still some known and unknown architectural jewels that survive. I will use this thread to highlight some of them.

The first is one of my absolute favorites. Located at 1525 S. Kedvale is the Czech freethinkers school Frantisek Palacky. This building was built in 1909 and was at sometime converted to a private residence with the ethnic change to the neighborhood. I have never seen any refrence to this building in any modern publications, history websites like this, flickr, photo bucket, etc. It has basically been lost to history. Its location has not helped much. For some reason, even many Czech organizations and historians in Chicago don't even know about it. Every time I mention the area or this building I usually get a blank stare.

Here is an image from a Czech publication in my collection dating to 1930. Notice that the modern photos show a front entrance has been added.

wQRno.jpg

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rKj7r.jpg

YV2Tm.jpg

1958 Contest Winner.."Chicago in 100 years" (no replies)

captain54 — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 16:10:28 -0700

In 1958, Carson Pirie Scott sponsored a contest for the most imaginative plan for Chicago in 100 years. The winner of "Chicago 2058" won $20,000.

from "Chicago-A pictorial history (Herman Kogan and Lloyd Wendt, 1958)"

"the main feature of their layouts is the concept of maintaining the Loop's concentration of economic, social, and civic life with fewer large buildings and larger areas for parks and malls"

2058 Chicago...1958 Contest Winners

View looking west from Lake Michigan..same approximate area

Chicago view west from lake

'ELLIOTS DAIRY' CLOSING (4 replies)

Artista — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:25:44 -0700

I had just stopped by this market at Gunnison and Nagle to pick up a few things only to find that they went out of business! How sad is that? I went there a few times last year. It was always enjoyable because it was very retro, like time had hardly touched it.

Madonna High School Class of 1972 (3 replies)

sevinuv9 — Wed, 19 May 2010 21:27:31 -0700

I'm a person who likes to look forward in life, but that doesn't mean forgetting the people I've known in the past. We shared four years of experiences as "Madonnians." Why not have some fun sharing memories? And, who knows? Maybe some old friendships will be renewed, or even some new ones formed! Oh, I was Rita McDonough back then.

Recent Security and Malware warnings on Forgotten Chicago (11 replies)

appleuzer — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 11:36:21 -0700

Hello all!

We finally figured out what was going on that was causing that Google malware warning popup on our forum. Our adserver, OpenX, had it's ad serving javascript hijacked, which directed traffic to that bad site, which might've caused some of your virus/malware detectors to go off.

We have contacted OpenX and patched the security issue. Based on our testing, we are no longer getting our ads hijacked, but as always, let us know if anything looks weird from the user's end.

You might still see Google malware warnings, it takes a bit to get Google to remove them.

Thanks again and we certainly apologize for any inconveniences that this has caused, and we truly appreciate your readership!

Expressway Parks (no replies)

bowler — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 13:00:21 -0700

I noticed this was one of the "Expressway Parks" and wasn't sure if you knew about it, Periwinkle Play Lot. The address listed is not accurate. You can see it on Google Maps at 6600 S. Perry:

[www.chicagoparkdistrict.com]

Looking for a Chicago area perfect for a company picnic in August (1 reply)

Artista — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 13:01:06 -0700

The company is Lincolnwood based and so we would like to find grounds in in the northern county areas. I had recently visited the Skokie Lagoons in Glencoe and would consider that place as well. What does all think or suggest? Anything in Evanston, northern Chicago? We are open to any ideas and would appreciate any help in this matter..Thanks!!

Bohemians/Czech's in Willow Springs 100 years ago? (14 replies)

Berwyn Frank — Mon, 24 May 2010 17:49:04 -0700

I was bidding on this real photo postcard on e-bay this weekend but it went for $70.00 which was to much for me for an area that I really do not collect. The reason I was bidding on it was because of the painted advertising on the side of the building which was advertising Novak & Sebek Men's clothing store which was located in the heart of the Czech California Bohemian neighborhood at 22nd St (Cermak Rd.) & Cor. of Troy St. as it says on the bottom of the sign. I know the sign was painted before 1910 because of the old address numbering that is used.

Was there a Czech population in Willow Springs? I have not researched John Zenk yet but I wonder why a Chicago business in 1908-09 was advertising in a far away suburb way out in the sticks. Perhaps Zenk was related to one of the owners of the store? Do you Willow Springs guys know anything about Bohemians in Willow Springs way back then?

s1wxH.jpg

John Wentworth Farmhouse (11 replies)

adgorn — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 15:16:22 -0700

I think I remember someone interested in the Wentworth farmhouse at Archer & Harlem in the Summit area from prior posts (that were zapped.) I just happened to find this link so I though I would post it if interested:

[memory.loc.gov]::

Alan

Comments on NW Chicago Historical Mtg - Oriole Park (7 replies)

daveg — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 06:59:33 -0700

I attended the NW Chicago Historical Society meeting last night at Oriole Park.

Forgottenchicago was mentioned a few times and I think I shook hands with some of the people responsible for this site.

Several interesting stories were shared, especially by Ralph who runs a canoe shop at 4019 N. Naragansett.

The Society has a great web site at: nwchicagohistory.org

I learned a lot. Thanks and look forward to future events.

Golf Mill Shopping Center Professional Building (2 replies)

cricket — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 19:31:49 -0700

Does anyone know who were the architects of the Golf Mill Professional Building (otherwise known as the "golf ball") at Golf Mill Shopping Center in Niles?