Dining in Chicago 1931


Forgotten Chicago Sightings Forgotten Chicago Forum
Explore Forgotten Chicago
Noticed something interesting? Let us know about it! 
Dining in Chicago 1931
Posted by: nordsider (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: January 16, 2015 02:24PM

Dining in Chicago by John Drury. published in 1931

http://www.archive.org/stream/dininginchicago00drur#page/n5/mode/2up


I didn't expect to see the chapter "An Old American Custom" pages 11 to 17, about various cocktails, in a 1931 book, during Prohibition. ;-)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/17/2015 07:56AM by nordsider.

Options: ReplyQuote

AD:

Re: Dining in Chicago 1931
Posted by: Diogenes9561 (---.res.bhn.net)
Date: January 17, 2015 11:58PM

Thanks for posting this, I've read through it almost twice now and it's fascinating to see a snapshot of Chicago as it was once upon a time long ago. There were so many downtown restaurants mentioned here and the ethnic restaturants seemed to mirror the ethnic neigborhoods in which they were located. And, I really enjoyed the fact that the author seems to name-drop obsessively about which celebrities, entertainers, authors, newspaper columnists, society types, and local politicians frequent each establishment as if the reader would be thrilled by that fact.
The sad thing is that all are only memories and they can exist only as such now. This is a great read, IMO.

Options: ReplyQuote

AD:

Re: Dining in Chicago 1931
Posted by: nordsider (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: January 19, 2015 02:35PM

Diogenes9561,

John Drury also wrote the book Old Chicago Houses, a resource for homes most of which, no longer exist. An interesting man.

http://mms.newberry.org/xml/xml_files/DruryNeville.xml

Options: ReplyQuote

AD:

Re: Dining in Chicago 1931
Posted by: Diogenes9561 (---.res.bhn.net)
Date: January 23, 2015 06:04PM

Nordsider, thanks for the information on that book, I've ordered a copy just to see what houses are listed.
I moved to Florida 31 years ago but I miss Chicago and the architectural variety that was in front of me every day I lived there but just didn't see. And, it's only since the internet that I've been able to see what magnificent homes used to be on South Michigan Avenue or South Ashland Avenue once upon a time.
As for one of the restaurants, as listed on page 226 of his dining book, Google street view of 7631 Sheridan Road does not show a Black Oaks restaurant in a Frank Lloyd Wright designed house; that a Wright house he describes in such detail is now only a memory is scandalous.

Options: ReplyQuote

AD:

Re: Dining in Chicago 1931
Posted by: nordsider (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: January 23, 2015 07:46PM

Diogenes9561, I agree, it is scandalous. I found this photo and house plan of the Wright building.

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/search/?q=Photograph:%20il0060&fi=number&op=PHRASE&va=exact&co%20=hh&st=gallery&sg%20=%20true


Also, I want to correct what I wrote earlier, regarding houses in John Drury's book; I only suspect that many of the houses no longer exist; since the book was published in 1941.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/23/2015 09:10PM by nordsider.

Options: ReplyQuote

AD:

Re: Dining in Chicago 1931
Posted by: davey7 (---.dsl.chcgil.ameritech.net)
Date: January 26, 2015 06:26PM

I'm not surprised about the cocktail recipes - there was a lot of activism and agitation for repeal in Chicago (the publisher of the Chicagoan, a shortish lived answer to the New Yorker, as very pro-repeal).

I think a lot of the houses in Old Illinois and Midwest Houses still exist. But not all.

Options: ReplyQuote

AD:

Re: Dining in Chicago 1931
Posted by: pkruger (72.54.200.---)
Date: February 16, 2015 07:55PM

The actual address of the Frank Lloyd Wright house on Sheridan Road is 7415 N. Sheridan. It's called the Emil Baum Home. It's still standing and visible on Google Earth.

Options: ReplyQuote

AD:

Re: Dining in Chicago 1931
Posted by: nordsider (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: February 16, 2015 11:51PM

Historic Aerials shows the Wright building at 7631 Sheridan Road in 1962; however, the 1974 aerial photo shows it, as now, replaced by the new building.

http://www.historicaerials.com/aerials.php?scale=2000&lon=-87.638369947672&lat=41.848169714212&year=2007


Oscar Steffens House, 7631 North Sheridan Road

http://www.historicmapworks.com/Buildings/index.php?state=IL&city=Chicago&id=12589

Options: ReplyQuote

AD:



Home | Columns | Articles | Features | Links | Forum | Mission Statement | Staff | Media & Press | Maps | FAQ | Contact