Forgotten Chicago Sightings Forgotten Chicago Forum
Noticed something interesting? Let us know about it!
Robey street remnant
Posted by:
jeffgrunewald
(---.chcgilgm.dynamic.covad.net)
Date: February 27, 2008 12:42PM
Damen Avenue was originally called Robey Street. There is an apartment building at Damen And Patterson (3700N) that still shows Robey carved into a corner stone
Re: Robey street remnant
Posted by:
jclillig
(---.lew-16.depaul.edu)
Date: March 25, 2008 07:48PM
There is also another building at the NW corner of Huron and Damen that has a stone corner sign with the street names "Robey" and "Huron" carved into it.
Re: Robey street remnant
Posted by:
shekaago
(---.tmodns.net)
Date: January 26, 2011 03:12PM
Thanks for the interesting find. Here's a photo of the building on Damen and Patterson you mentioned, jeffgrunewald.
Re: Robey street remnant
Posted by:
tomcat630
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: January 27, 2011 01:24AM
1910 was the big renaming and Brennan address system we have today. Now, people would sue to not get street changed, since it's "their identity".
Re: Robey street remnant
Posted by:
Berwyn Frank
(---.lightspeed.cicril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: January 27, 2011 01:54AM
The numbering system was changed in October 1909 and I thought the street name change was in 1913?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/27/2011 01:55AM by Berwyn Frank.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/27/2011 01:55AM by Berwyn Frank.
Re: Robey street remnant
Posted by:
daveg
(---.lightspeed.joltil.sbcglobal.net)
Date: January 27, 2011 10:35AM
I don't think Robey changing to Damen was related to Brennen's work. The street name was changed to honor Father Damen, the priest who founded St. Ignatius.
Here's an article on the subject:
http://chicago.straightdope.com/sdc20091231.php
Here's an article on the subject:
http://chicago.straightdope.com/sdc20091231.php
Re: Robey street remnant
Posted by:
Elaine W
(192.175.17.---)
Date: January 28, 2011 12:43AM
Some street name changes were indirectly related to the street numbering system changes. Many of the street name changes actually occurred a number of years later (into the 1920's) but for reasons that began earlier. Basically, because of Burnham and Bennett's Plan of Chicago, published in 1909, the Chicago Plan Commission was created (and still exists). The Plan Commission had a number of guidelines regarding street names, some of which required the changing of some existing names. For example, one guideline was that a name should only be used once, not for multiple streets in different neighborhoods. There used to be an Indiana Street, an east-west street in the area now called River North, but there's also Indiana as a north-south street on the south side, so the south side Indiana remained, and the River North Indiana was renamed (I'm not sure what--it might be Grand). Another guideline was that a continous street should have the same name throughout, so a lot of streets were renamed for that reason. For example, what is now Michigan Avenue north of the river used to be Pine Street; when it was widened and connected to Michigan Avenue south of the river in 1920 (with the bridge that still stands), Pine was renamed Michigan. I'm not sure of the details of Robey/Damen, but this might have been a similar situation, where part was Robey and part was Damen, so the whole thing was named Damen.
Re: Robey street remnant
Posted by:
crowamonghens
(---.dsl.mindspring.com)
Date: January 28, 2011 01:02AM
i found census records on Ancestry.com that showed my grandparents on my mother's side lived on what was north Pine until about 1914. so basically they lived on the mag mile.
Re: Robey street remnant
Posted by:
222psm
(---.br.br.cox.net)
Date: January 28, 2011 11:10AM
Thank you Elaine W, that explains why the street I grew up on used to be Humboldt st and was changed to Richmond St. I had noticed that on old maps of the city, I guess since there was all ready a Humboldt Blvd they made the change.
Re: Robey street remnant
Posted by:
skodt13
(38.100.107.---)
Date: January 28, 2011 11:31AM
While that Straight Dope does explain *who* Mr. Damen was, it doesn't get into the *why* of the matter.
I was told many years back it was one of a many German-sounding streets renamed due to anti-German sentiment in the days leading up to the first World War. Schiller and Goethe, for example, remained, because those men were pacifists.
I was told many years back it was one of a many German-sounding streets renamed due to anti-German sentiment in the days leading up to the first World War. Schiller and Goethe, for example, remained, because those men were pacifists.
Re: Robey street remnant
Posted by:
daveg
(130.36.62.---)
Date: January 28, 2011 12:06PM
I think the *why* was to honor Fr. Damen. To cite another more recent example, Martin Luther King Drive.
As to the German sounding street name because of WW I feelings, the street was renamed in 1927, well after WW I.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/28/2011 02:14PM by daveg.
As to the German sounding street name because of WW I feelings, the street was renamed in 1927, well after WW I.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/28/2011 02:14PM by daveg.
Re: Robey street remnant
Posted by:
skodt13
(38.100.107.---)
Date: January 28, 2011 12:12PM
Like I said, I'd *heard* that. This is an interestiing piece:
http://www.newberry.org/genealogy/news/default.asp?id=176&action=single
http://www.newberry.org/genealogy/news/default.asp?id=176&action=single
Re: Robey street remnant
Posted by:
daveg
(130.36.62.---)
Date: January 28, 2011 12:31PM
Nice article. Thanks for the link.
Re: Robey street remnant
Posted by:
Richard Stachowski
(---.dsl.chcgil.sbcglobal.net)
Date: January 29, 2011 09:02PM
[b]I lived on 50th & Wolcott(south side) one block east of Damen and the tavern on the corner and thier softball team was named the Robeys. FYI[/b]
Re: Robey street remnant
Posted by:
tomcat630
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: February 09, 2011 04:12AM
Many sections of city were once separite towns, with their own stret names, like Jefferson, Lakeview, Rogers Park. Had to make them line up correctly.
Phoenix AZ is similar, names continuous. But, LA and NYC outer boroughs are spaghetti bowls of street names.
Phoenix AZ is similar, names continuous. But, LA and NYC outer boroughs are spaghetti bowls of street names.
Re: Robey street remnant
Posted by:
Erie St Danek
(---.hsd1.wa.comcast.net)
Date: August 19, 2012 09:11PM
My mother lived at 1800 block of Erie from 1938 thru 1970. She told me even though Robey was changed to Damen the older people still called it Robey for many years after .... probably until all the old timers died off did this continue. I wonder why in the first place did they have to make street numbers and name changes in the first place. Does anyone know ????
Re: Robey street remnant
Posted by:
Chipast
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: August 20, 2012 05:42PM
There's also a remenant of the old Robey St on some building at 2000 W.Huron, I believe.
Re: Robey street remnant
Posted by:
Berwyn Frank
(---.lightspeed.cicril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: August 20, 2012 07:52PM
Although not Robey, this apartment building on Maypole and Kostner has 44th Ave. on the side of the building. I have a circa 1908 image in my collection showing the building with the caption Park Av. W. of 44th Av. Park was later changed to Maypole and after the Brennan system 44th Av. became Kostner.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=kostner+%26+west+end&hl=en&ll=41.884499,-87.735572&spn=0.000016,0.016469&sll=39.739318,-89.266507&sspn=15.966992,33.728027&hnear=N+Kostner+Ave+%26+W+West+End+Ave,+Chicago,+Cook,+Illinois+60624&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=41.884368,-87.735568&panoid=jSdX6mTqepAMghr__3y6XA&cbp=12,288.51,,0,2.7
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/20/2012 07:55PM by Berwyn Frank.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=kostner+%26+west+end&hl=en&ll=41.884499,-87.735572&spn=0.000016,0.016469&sll=39.739318,-89.266507&sspn=15.966992,33.728027&hnear=N+Kostner+Ave+%26+W+West+End+Ave,+Chicago,+Cook,+Illinois+60624&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=41.884368,-87.735568&panoid=jSdX6mTqepAMghr__3y6XA&cbp=12,288.51,,0,2.7
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/20/2012 07:55PM by Berwyn Frank.
Re: Robey street remnant
Posted by:
jak378
(---.hsd1.wi.comcast.net)
Date: August 20, 2012 08:02PM
Elaine W Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Some street name changes were indirectly related
> to the street numbering system changes. Many of
> the street name changes actually occurred a number
> of years later (into the 1920's) but for reasons
> that began earlier. Basically, because of Burnham
> and Bennett's Plan of Chicago, published in 1909,
> the Chicago Plan Commission was created (and still
> exists). The Plan Commission had a number of
> guidelines regarding street names, some of which
> required the changing of some existing names. For
> example, one guideline was that a name should only
> be used once, not for multiple streets in
> different neighborhoods. There used to be an
> Indiana Street, an east-west street in the area
> now called River North, but there's also Indiana
> as a north-south street on the south side, so the
> south side Indiana remained, and the River North
> Indiana was renamed (I'm not sure what--it might
> be Grand). Another guideline was that a continous
> street should have the same name throughout, so a
> lot of streets were renamed for that reason. For
> example, what is now Michigan Avenue north of the
> river used to be Pine Street; when it was widened
> and connected to Michigan Avenue south of the
> river in 1920 (with the bridge that still stands),
> Pine was renamed Michigan. I'm not sure of the
> details of Robey/Damen, but this might have been a
> similar situation, where part was Robey and part
> was Damen, so the whole thing was named Damen.
I believe this post to be true, BUT there is always the exception that proves the rule. There is one situation that apparently slipped through the cracks. There is, and has been, a streeet named Exchange on the southeast side. It runs SE/NW, from Yates, 2400E at 7100S to 2934E, and then south to 13258S. The other is about 4126 south and runs from Halsted West to Racine. This is entirely within the old Stockyards and was originally a private street owned by the Union Stockyard Company. It is now a dedicated Chicago Street, and presumably kept its old name because of the historical value. They are both listed as Avenues.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/20/2012 08:04PM by jak378.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Some street name changes were indirectly related
> to the street numbering system changes. Many of
> the street name changes actually occurred a number
> of years later (into the 1920's) but for reasons
> that began earlier. Basically, because of Burnham
> and Bennett's Plan of Chicago, published in 1909,
> the Chicago Plan Commission was created (and still
> exists). The Plan Commission had a number of
> guidelines regarding street names, some of which
> required the changing of some existing names. For
> example, one guideline was that a name should only
> be used once, not for multiple streets in
> different neighborhoods. There used to be an
> Indiana Street, an east-west street in the area
> now called River North, but there's also Indiana
> as a north-south street on the south side, so the
> south side Indiana remained, and the River North
> Indiana was renamed (I'm not sure what--it might
> be Grand). Another guideline was that a continous
> street should have the same name throughout, so a
> lot of streets were renamed for that reason. For
> example, what is now Michigan Avenue north of the
> river used to be Pine Street; when it was widened
> and connected to Michigan Avenue south of the
> river in 1920 (with the bridge that still stands),
> Pine was renamed Michigan. I'm not sure of the
> details of Robey/Damen, but this might have been a
> similar situation, where part was Robey and part
> was Damen, so the whole thing was named Damen.
I believe this post to be true, BUT there is always the exception that proves the rule. There is one situation that apparently slipped through the cracks. There is, and has been, a streeet named Exchange on the southeast side. It runs SE/NW, from Yates, 2400E at 7100S to 2934E, and then south to 13258S. The other is about 4126 south and runs from Halsted West to Racine. This is entirely within the old Stockyards and was originally a private street owned by the Union Stockyard Company. It is now a dedicated Chicago Street, and presumably kept its old name because of the historical value. They are both listed as Avenues.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/20/2012 08:04PM by jak378.
Re: Robey street remnant
Posted by:
shekaago
(70.58.230.---)
Date: August 21, 2012 04:56PM
Here are a few articles from the Chicago Tribune about the change from Robey to Damen which happened in 1927.
(To open the following, click on the link then click on the "download your file now" button to open the file).
[url=http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/4477691/change-name-of-robey-street-to-damen-avenue-proquest-historical-newspapers-chicago-tribune-1849?da=y]Robey/Damen Name Change[/url]
[url=http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/4477686/voice-of-the-people-robey-pdf-1-4-meg?da=y]Voice of the People Article[/url]
[url=http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/4477689/damen-ave-got-its-name-after-bitter-contest-st-pdf-737k?da=y]Name Change Battle[/url]
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2012 07:50PM by shekaago.
(To open the following, click on the link then click on the "download your file now" button to open the file).
[url=http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/4477691/change-name-of-robey-street-to-damen-avenue-proquest-historical-newspapers-chicago-tribune-1849?da=y]Robey/Damen Name Change[/url]
[url=http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/4477686/voice-of-the-people-robey-pdf-1-4-meg?da=y]Voice of the People Article[/url]
[url=http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/4477689/damen-ave-got-its-name-after-bitter-contest-st-pdf-737k?da=y]Name Change Battle[/url]
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2012 07:50PM by shekaago.
Re: Robey street remnant
Posted by:
tomcat630
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: September 03, 2012 12:25AM
Well, the city was growing and a common address system was needed, to get mail, police, fire, etc.
Robey was renamed Damen, as Crawford to Pulaski to honor of someone. However nowadays, this would never fly, city streets almost never change names. Lawsuits and costs, etc. So, we get the brown 'Honorary' street signs. But, they do confuse tourits!
Robey was renamed Damen, as Crawford to Pulaski to honor of someone. However nowadays, this would never fly, city streets almost never change names. Lawsuits and costs, etc. So, we get the brown 'Honorary' street signs. But, they do confuse tourits!
Re: Robey street remnant
Posted by:
Bill_Baar
(---.tic.va.gov)
Date: March 04, 2013 05:21PM
Here's the cite to the Chicago Daley News on the name change to Damen in 1927
"Change Name of Robey Street to Damen Avenue." Chicago Daily Tribune (1923-1963): 1. Jun 16 1927. ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Chicago Tribune (1849-1989).
Ald Dennis Horan introduced it and it passed without debate. Father Damen was Ducth by the way.
There's a bunch of stories in the paper subsquent to the vote about merchants and residents refusing to give up the name Robey. Very similar to the fight over changing Crawfod to Pulaski.
"Change Name of Robey Street to Damen Avenue." Chicago Daily Tribune (1923-1963): 1. Jun 16 1927. ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Chicago Tribune (1849-1989).
Ald Dennis Horan introduced it and it passed without debate. Father Damen was Ducth by the way.
There's a bunch of stories in the paper subsquent to the vote about merchants and residents refusing to give up the name Robey. Very similar to the fight over changing Crawfod to Pulaski.
Re: Robey street remnant
Posted by:
tomcat630
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: March 05, 2013 03:23AM
Some subrubs still call 4000w 'Crawford' instead of Pulaski.
Also strange is Oak Brook doesn't use 'Cermak Rd', but 22nd St. Whats the attachment to a numbered st?
There is still a Pine St in Austin area, around 5500 w, between Lake and North av.
Other oddities are side streets not conforming to starting with L-P, west of Pulaski. Like Parkside, Lowell, Tripp, and Rutherford. Maybe were named before the lettered ones?
Also strange is Oak Brook doesn't use 'Cermak Rd', but 22nd St. Whats the attachment to a numbered st?
There is still a Pine St in Austin area, around 5500 w, between Lake and North av.
Other oddities are side streets not conforming to starting with L-P, west of Pulaski. Like Parkside, Lowell, Tripp, and Rutherford. Maybe were named before the lettered ones?
Re: Robey street remnant
Posted by:
Bill_Baar
(---.tic.va.gov)
Date: March 05, 2013 05:28PM
re: Also strange is Oak Brook doesn't use 'Cermak Rd', but 22nd St. Whats the attachment to a numbered st?
Southsiders used to tell me Northsiders used names because they weren't very good with numbers. fwiw
Southsiders used to tell me Northsiders used names because they weren't very good with numbers. fwiw
Re: Robey street remnant
Posted by:
Mornac
(---.dsl.chcgil.ameritech.net)
Date: March 09, 2013 12:00AM
Bill_Baar Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> re: Also strange is Oak Brook doesn't use 'Cermak
> Rd', but 22nd St. Whats the attachment to a
> numbered st?
--Might be more of an aversion to Cermak. Perhaps Oak Brookians felt no need to honor a Chicago mayor by naming one of their streets for him.
-------------------------------------------------------
> re: Also strange is Oak Brook doesn't use 'Cermak
> Rd', but 22nd St. Whats the attachment to a
> numbered st?
--Might be more of an aversion to Cermak. Perhaps Oak Brookians felt no need to honor a Chicago mayor by naming one of their streets for him.
Re: Robey street remnant
Posted by:
tomcat630
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: March 10, 2013 06:45PM
22nd street runs further in DuPage. It merges into Butterfield Rd, but then starts up again at Meyers Rd and runs in Lombard, past Yorktown Mall. Then, continues off and on into Glen Ellyn, near Collage of DuPage. So, more likely DuPage County didn't want to bother changing name, than just Oak Brook.
22nd was once a major route before expressways. In old maps, it was once a State highway.
I still remember when there was just a stop sign at Butterfield and 22nd. Up to 1968.
22nd was once a major route before expressways. In old maps, it was once a State highway.
I still remember when there was just a stop sign at Butterfield and 22nd. Up to 1968.
Re: Robey street remnant
Posted by:
Mr Downtown
(---.c3-0.drb-ubr1.chi-drb.il.cable.rcn.com)
Date: March 14, 2013 12:50PM
22nd Street was changed to Cermak Road in Cook County only. In DuPage it remained 22nd Street.
Also, the Chicago Plan Commission (nor Burnham and Bennett) never had anything to do with street names. The Brennan Plan was worked out in 1901, and adopted before the Plan of Chicago. The big push to rename streets "on the same line" came from Brennan about 1910. John Riley, Superintendent of the city's Bureau of Maps, was the one who came up with the scheme to name all the streets in successive miles starting with K, then L, then M, etc. Riley wanted to start the scheme at the Indiana border, but the city council limited the new names to the numbered avenues west of Pulaski that didn't already have established names. Riley continued to push the same-line changes through the 1930s. Robey to Damen, though, probably coincided with Damen's completion as a crosstown arterial in the 1930s.
Also, the Chicago Plan Commission (nor Burnham and Bennett) never had anything to do with street names. The Brennan Plan was worked out in 1901, and adopted before the Plan of Chicago. The big push to rename streets "on the same line" came from Brennan about 1910. John Riley, Superintendent of the city's Bureau of Maps, was the one who came up with the scheme to name all the streets in successive miles starting with K, then L, then M, etc. Riley wanted to start the scheme at the Indiana border, but the city council limited the new names to the numbered avenues west of Pulaski that didn't already have established names. Riley continued to push the same-line changes through the 1930s. Robey to Damen, though, probably coincided with Damen's completion as a crosstown arterial in the 1930s.
Re: Robey street remnant
Posted by:
Rustymuscle
(---.lightspeed.elgnil.sbcglobal.net)
Date: March 16, 2013 02:18PM
Here is a file at FC on Facebook regarding street and number changes.
http://www.facebook.com/groups/forgottenchicago/doc/10150284152279520/
http://www.facebook.com/groups/forgottenchicago/doc/10150284152279520/
Re: Robey street remnant
Posted by:
Mr Downtown
(---.c3-0.drb-ubr1.chi-drb.il.cable.rcn.com)
Date: March 16, 2013 03:21PM
^Requires a login to see. But probably these:
[url=http://www.chsmedia.org/househistory/1909snc/start.pdf]Guide to 1909 house number changes outside downtown[/url] (170MB PDF)
[url=http://www.chsmedia.org/househistory/1911snc/start.pdf]Guide to 1911 house number changes downtown[/url] (47MB PDF)
[url=http://www.chsmedia.org/househistory/nameChanges/start.pdf]Guide to streetname changes[/url] (small PDF)
[url=http://www.chsmedia.org/househistory/1909snc/start.pdf]Guide to 1909 house number changes outside downtown[/url] (170MB PDF)
[url=http://www.chsmedia.org/househistory/1911snc/start.pdf]Guide to 1911 house number changes downtown[/url] (47MB PDF)
[url=http://www.chsmedia.org/househistory/nameChanges/start.pdf]Guide to streetname changes[/url] (small PDF)
Re: Robey street remnant
Posted by:
Mikey
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: December 06, 2013 06:00PM
Apparently, the good people of Chicagah didn't want to let go of Irving Avenue (now Bell street). At the corner of Bell and Pershing, THREE green street signs grace the street light pole: Pershing, Bell, and IRVING.
Mikey
Mikey
