General Discussion Forgotten Chicago Forum
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Wow, Great site!
Posted by:
Berwyn Frank
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: April 14, 2009 01:45AM
I am new to the board and have been reading for a few days now. Great site! I am from Berwyn and have been concentrating on Berwyn and Cicero history for a few years now. I have done much work researching those areas and collecting memorabilia from them. I have also worked on numerous historical projects relating to Berwyn & Cicero history for the community and other authors. The past couple of years I have really gotten into the west side of Chicago and have an EXTENSIVE collection of images from the west side. My primary area of focus is the Czech neighborhoods of Chicago, Pilsen & Little Village. I have signed a contract with Arcadia Publishing and am writing a book on Chicago's Little Village: Lawndale-Crawford. The book is in full swing and will be done by August. It will be released in early 2010. I really look foreword to contributing to this forum!
Re: Wow, Great site!
Posted by:
Bruce
(---.dsl.chcgil.sbcglobal.net)
Date: April 15, 2009 07:14PM
Cicero? Oh Good.
This image is late 1930's Is this taken in Cicero?
Arcadia already has a book called "Cicero Revisited" or something to that effect. Your's will be different then? What do you have on Mestach and his plane crash in Cicero Field?
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/2009 07:18PM by Bruce.
This image is late 1930's Is this taken in Cicero?
Arcadia already has a book called "Cicero Revisited" or something to that effect. Your's will be different then? What do you have on Mestach and his plane crash in Cicero Field?
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/2009 07:18PM by Bruce.
Re: Wow, Great site!
Posted by:
WayOutWardell
(63.226.79.---)
Date: April 15, 2009 08:16PM
Wow, Klas' hasn't changed much at all!
Re: Wow, Great site!
Posted by:
TARKUS512
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: April 17, 2009 12:53AM
I couldn.t aggree more. It's a long story on how I wound up here but I'm glad I did. The subject that led me to cross the threshold of this forum spacificly was lost and forgotten airfields of the Chicago area but it started with a whole slurry of subjects from (funny enough) the mid-continental divide that runs North and South just East of where I live now, the Chigago Portage, histroy of the townships near me, IE Proviso, lyons, Rverside, ect, ect, ect. I found some real cool stuff. My first love is cars and racing that lead me to Meadowdale Racway that was in Carpenterville, and portions of it still exist in part of a forest preserve. Next I found out about Chicagoland Speedway (a two mile boardtrack) in Maywood cerca 1915 where Hines Hospital now stands. That then lead me to the East side of First Avenue, Miller Meadow that also in the early 1900s was Cheackerboard Field, where some of the first Airmail sevice started. That lead too Stinson field, Harlem Field, Ashburn Field, well you get the idea, you pull a thread and the next thing you know the whole sweater is unraveld LOL. I have alot to say and learn about these subjects. Sorry to ramble on but "I gotta go ta bed and get up at 3:30AM. I'll be back. P.S. How come I don't get an Avatar? LOL Goodnight Gracy!
Re: Wow, Great site!
Posted by:
Berwyn Frank
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: April 17, 2009 01:50AM
Hi Bruce, yes that image is on Klas Bohemian Restaurant on Cermak Rd. The location was significantly enlarged by the 1950s. Aldof Klas was a Bohemian Jew which was pretty rare in Czech Chicago. He owned it till the 1960s or 1970s I believe. There was another owner after that and now another owner. The place is an absolute time capsule and I recommend everybody to go and take a look at it. It is the oldest continiously running Czech Restaurant in the United States. The food though has become smaller portions and is quite expensive, which goes against EVERYTHING that Bohemian food stands for.
My friend Doug Deuchler is the author of Arcadia's Cicero Revisited. I am a major contributor to the book and I believe the first person mentioned in the acknowledgements. The book I am doing is NOT about Cicero but Chicago's Little Village, (Lawndale-Crawford) neighborhood. Basically the area along 26th St. from Kostner to Western Ave.
There is a postcard image in Cicero Revisited of Mestach's plane crash at Cicero Flying Field in 1912 that came from my collection. It is a pretty rare card. I also have a couple more images of the Cicero Flying Field circa 1912. I really recommend you get the book.
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/17/2009 02:02AM by Berwyn Frank.
My friend Doug Deuchler is the author of Arcadia's Cicero Revisited. I am a major contributor to the book and I believe the first person mentioned in the acknowledgements. The book I am doing is NOT about Cicero but Chicago's Little Village, (Lawndale-Crawford) neighborhood. Basically the area along 26th St. from Kostner to Western Ave.
There is a postcard image in Cicero Revisited of Mestach's plane crash at Cicero Flying Field in 1912 that came from my collection. It is a pretty rare card. I also have a couple more images of the Cicero Flying Field circa 1912. I really recommend you get the book.
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/17/2009 02:02AM by Berwyn Frank.
Re: Wow, Great site!
Posted by:
Berwyn Frank
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: April 17, 2009 01:53AM
Here is an image of Klas ca. 1960s.
[image]http://www.flickr.com/photos/24677517@N04/3449481988/[/image]
Edited 8 time(s). Last edit at 04/17/2009 02:52AM by Berwyn Frank.
[image]http://www.flickr.com/photos/24677517@N04/3449481988/[/image]
Edited 8 time(s). Last edit at 04/17/2009 02:52AM by Berwyn Frank.
Re: Wow, Great site!
Posted by:
Bruce
(---.dsl.chcgil.sbcglobal.net)
Date: April 17, 2009 02:04AM
Thanks for the photo and confirmation. I do seem to recall that place now that I see the whole thing. I look forward to your book. I did not read the whole Arcadia Cicero book. I did however call Craig Mestach who is the relative of the flyer and he stated that though his great uncle was a member of the Cicero flying club, the accident happened in Grant Park. Does that sound right to you? He has that postcard and a few others, as well as images of the plane. Mestach went on to teach flying at the airfield in Clearing later to become Municiple Field. Apparentley one of the big museums called Craig to get some of his pictures for a restoration or something or another of a similar plane. I don't remeber now.
Bruce
Bruce
Re: Wow, Great site!
Posted by:
Berwyn Frank
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: April 17, 2009 02:19AM
Bruce,
Do you see a photo that I posted? I can't see any. I tried but it is not showing for me.
As far as Mestach's crash, the postcard I have from 1912 states on the printed caption "Howard Gill and Geo. Mestach in Collision at Cicero Flying field Sept. 14th 1912." Doug Deuchler also stated in his book that I believe one of them died in the crash after breaking his back.
Do you see a photo that I posted? I can't see any. I tried but it is not showing for me.
As far as Mestach's crash, the postcard I have from 1912 states on the printed caption "Howard Gill and Geo. Mestach in Collision at Cicero Flying field Sept. 14th 1912." Doug Deuchler also stated in his book that I believe one of them died in the crash after breaking his back.
Re: Wow, Great site!
Posted by:
Bruce
(---.dsl.chcgil.sbcglobal.net)
Date: April 17, 2009 02:32AM
Your right, Craig is wrong. I looked it up. I'll send him the Tribune article on the incident along with the images.
You posted the image wrong somehow. Thjough it looks right. I cut and pasted the URL and put it in my browser to get it. I don't know why it didn't work. I use Photobucket.
Bruce
You posted the image wrong somehow. Thjough it looks right. I cut and pasted the URL and put it in my browser to get it. I don't know why it didn't work. I use Photobucket.
Bruce
Re: Wow, Great site!
Posted by:
Berwyn Frank
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: April 17, 2009 03:00AM
Bruce, here is the image caption from Doug's book.
"This 1912 postcard shows the tragic crash of aviator Howard Gill at the Cicero Flying Field. George Mestach collided into Gill's machine as thousands of onlookers watched in horor. Gill's back was broken; he died in route to the hospital. Mestach crash-landed but escaped injury."
"This 1912 postcard shows the tragic crash of aviator Howard Gill at the Cicero Flying Field. George Mestach collided into Gill's machine as thousands of onlookers watched in horor. Gill's back was broken; he died in route to the hospital. Mestach crash-landed but escaped injury."
Re: Wow, Great site!
Posted by:
Bruce
(---.dsl.emhril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: April 17, 2009 04:17AM
Yea that is correct to what the Tribune stated. Actually the Cicero book is a friend of mine's, and I'll get to read it when I get through the rest of my stuff. My grandparents lived in Cicero - worked at Western Electric etc... My grandfather worked at one time for the public works in the mid 30's.
Right now I want to find out what happened to the swallows at Swallow Cliff.
Bruce
Right now I want to find out what happened to the swallows at Swallow Cliff.
Bruce
Re: Wow, Great site!
Posted by:
mikbasile
(---.lightspeed.cicril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: January 02, 2016 08:50PM
Good Stuff, back before spam.
Re: Wow, Great site!
Posted by:
Anonymous User
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Date: January 03, 2016 02:57PM
mikbasile Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Good Stuff, back before spam.
Back before alot of things.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Good Stuff, back before spam.
Back before alot of things.
Re: Wow, Great site!
Posted by:
Jeff_Weiner
(---.sub-70-194-100.myvzw.com)
Date: January 30, 2016 04:01AM
BTT!
