Midway Area


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Midway Area
Posted by: Bruce (---.dsl.chcgil.sbcglobal.net)
Date: July 10, 2009 08:00PM

I see the forum owners cleaned out many of the topics I was following including the very popular one on the "Midway Area".

In any case, I found out where the "Lost Subdivision" came from in Clearing. I advised Bob Hill, and will perhaps expound on it here if anyone is interested.

Bruce

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Re: Midway Area
Posted by: Lazer (198.147.38.---)
Date: July 10, 2009 08:03PM

Interested! Please expound, Bruce. :)

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Re: Midway Area
Posted by: querencia (---.dsl.chcgil.sbcglobal.net)
Date: September 28, 2009 11:52PM

Speaking of the Midway, does anyone remember the prefabs at the University of Chicago in the 1950's? These were Army surplus housing used for married students as many veterans returned from World War II to finish their education---and brought wives. The prefabs were little gray plywood hovels with a two-burner hotplate to cook on. They were heated by a space heater; there was an oil tank outside by the front door that the University filled once or twice a week. The splintery floor was about a foot off the ground. They rented for $44 a month including utilities. I can't believe that we lived that way. If students were offered such housing now they would probably sue the University. There were a lot of prefabs on E 60th, thus right on the Midway, scattered in bunches between Drexel and University, and others elsewhere in Hyde Park.

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Re: Midway Area
Posted by: Bruce (---.dsl.chcgil.sbcglobal.net)
Date: September 29, 2009 02:09AM

Do you have any images of these places?


Bruce

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Re: Midway Area
Posted by: Bruce (---.dsl.emhril.ameritech.net)
Date: October 17, 2009 05:09AM

As for the Lost Subdivision, I have now found in a Trib Article from the mid 1870's, that a suburban subdivision boom was happening in anticipation of Belt lines being put in around the city. That surely is where the lost subdivision came from and it was probably "Hull's" Addition as I see he had other subdivision in the area.

Bruce

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Re: Midway Area
Posted by: bowler (---.chipublib.org)
Date: October 19, 2009 04:26PM

Hey Bruce, I've been working with an aquaintance of yours, Paul, on some history of the Garfield Ridge area. I don't know if you've seen this map before (University Chicago map site).

http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/su/maps/chi1900/G4104-C6A1-1903-M5-5of8.html

If you zoom in on the "Lost Subdivision" area you will see it says "Hall's addition" not Hull's. I'm aware of the map in the Summit book where it looks like it says Hull's, so I'm not sure which is correct.

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Re: Midway Area
Posted by: Bruce (---.dsl.emhril.ameritech.net)
Date: October 19, 2009 05:36PM

That's right, I got it wrong. There is another plat that shows Huld's, but I think it is Hall's. In the end, this guy is some real estate speculator that drew up a subdivision in the middle of nowhere with the anticipation of belt lines coming through. As I found, it was heavily discussed and probably carried out to some extent, it just did not reach this guy's tract until Stickney came about.

Bruce

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Re: Midway Area
Posted by: Bruce (---.dsl.emhril.ameritech.net)
Date: October 26, 2009 03:35AM

I came across these images as an aside from the "Photo Identification" thread I started. I think these are easily enough identified, except for the business buildings in a more specific manner. As usual, I am all ears.

Bruce











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Re: Midway Area
Posted by: bowler (---.chipublib.org)
Date: October 26, 2009 04:49PM

Well starting with photo 6-1 (the lady in front of the VFW post) there is no VFW post 394 but there is a post 3940 which is located at 3743 W. 63rd Street:

http://emem.vfw.org/findpost.aspx

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Re: Midway Area
Posted by: Bruce (---.dsl.emhril.ameritech.net)
Date: October 26, 2009 05:28PM

Thanks, I checked the map and what is there now is certainly not the original building. In any case, I have the neighborhood.

Bruce

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Re: Midway Area
Posted by: bwalsh (---.dsl.chcgil.sbcglobal.net)
Date: October 26, 2009 09:21PM

Post 3940 is the John E. Connolly - Victory Post. That's the first post my dad joined when he was just out of the Navy after WW II.

The first 2 pics look like the houses in Chrysler Village. In fact the one address can clearly be seen - 6420.

The building with the Austenal name could be the plant that is located at 5101 S Keeler. It is a dental supply company.

TWA did in fact fly out of Midway Airport, so I would guess that those are pictures taken on the field at Midway.

My best guesses!

Beth

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Re: Midway Area
Posted by: WayOutWardell (63.226.79.---)
Date: October 26, 2009 09:39PM

That airplane is a Lockheed Constellation L-049, which TWA started flying in 1946. I can't tell due to the glare on the fuselage in photo 7-1, but if it's painted with the word "AIRLINE" (not plural), then the photo is pre-1950, when the company changed its name from Trans World Airline to Trans-World Airlines. The CAB phased out two-letter aircraft registration markings (in this case, NC90814 would now be N90814) in 1948, but there's no telling how long of a period owners had to remark their aircraft.

Call me crazy, but I think I see a '55 or '56 Buick in the Austenal parking lot.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/27/2009 01:15PM by WayOutWardell.

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Re: Midway Area
Posted by: Richard Stachowski (---.dsl.chcgil.sbcglobal.net)
Date: October 27, 2009 12:56AM

5101 S. Keeler is now New Life Community Church.

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Re: Midway Area
Posted by: bwalsh (---.dsl.chcgil.sbcglobal.net)
Date: October 27, 2009 02:39AM

Hmmmm.... when I went into newschicago.org and plugged in 5101 S Keeler, it came back to Austenal, Inc. They did have a few plants located around the Chicagoland area though, so this may not be the one that is pictured. Now I'm curious - can't really get a chance to take a ride over there now until Friday, as it will be dark by the time I get out of work and won't be able to see the whole building as well.

That building in the picture that shows the Connolly Post does not look like it is the one that may have been on 63rd St. near Pulaski. I remember seeing that post many times and it was a one story storefront built in probably the late 40s, early 50s. It was an all brick facade. I am pretty sure they had moved from another location to the 63rd St site. I believe they were originally located in Back of the Yards or in that general vicinity. Now I will need to drive past that location too to satisfy myself!

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Re: Midway Area
Posted by: Richard Stachowski (---.dsl.chcgil.sbcglobal.net)
Date: October 27, 2009 04:26PM

I rechecked and that address and picture is New Life Community Church. They have been there for several years. I know the people there for many years so it has been New Life for a long time now.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/27/2009 04:30PM by Richard Stachowski.

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Hall's Addition
Posted by: Bruce (---.dsl.chcgil.sbcglobal.net)
Date: October 31, 2009 12:23AM

Just to update on the "Lost Subdivision" of Clearing. I found the taxes from 1881, and each of those lots owed 64 cents for the year. The subdivision was officially titled "Hall's Addition to Chicago being a subdivision of the E 1/2 of the SE 1/2 of Sec 18, T38, R13. The lots were owned by W S Hall, P E Stanley and G A Archibald.

Bruce

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Re: Midway Area
Posted by: tlee169 (---.satx.res.rr.com)
Date: November 03, 2009 12:31PM

Untitled 12 is 6420 South Lockwood in Chrysler Village. North end of a four townhouse building. The little girl would be Peggy Riley who grew up to be a fox. The houses on the west side of this street were built without bath tubs (showers only) while the houses across the street had tubs. Note the wooden downspouts, they lasted for many years. Built in 1943 and the photo must be from not too long after circa mid 40's. Empty milk bottles on the porch.

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Re: Midway Area
Posted by: Bruce (---.dsl.emhril.ameritech.net)
Date: November 03, 2009 01:37PM

Thanks :)

Where is the little girl at in the photos above? I am missing it. In any case, the little girl you speak of is probably the mother or aunt of the lady who owns these pictures. I didn't post the other images from this series with the people sitting in the front lawn.

Bruce

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Re: Midway Area
Posted by: tlee169 (---.satx.res.rr.com)
Date: November 04, 2009 12:58PM

Bruce- The little girl is in the playpen in the front yard of the 6420 S Lockwood photo.

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Re: Midway Area
Posted by: Bruce (---.dsl.emhril.ameritech.net)
Date: November 04, 2009 01:10PM

Oh I see her now.

Bruce

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