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Building at Monroe and Desplaines
Posted by:
bwalsh
()
Date: March 14, 2011 10:35PM
Yesterday I was down at Old St. Pat's Church. As I was walking back to my car I took notice of the red brick building located on the SW corner of Monroe and Desplaines. I took a picture of it, but it's not donwloaded on Flickr, so I'm not sure how to link it here. Anyway, I have been looking for the longest time today trying to figure out what that building was originally used for. It has 4 rounded arched doorways facing DesPlaines with a row of windows above which would be the second story. The actual address is 104 DesPlaines. The best I can find out is that it appears to house an office for Oxfam. According to the Cook Co. Assessor it was built in 1929, though it looks older than that to me. It looks to me like it may have been an old firehouse or maybe a stable of some sort because of those doorways which are now windows. Anyone have any idea?
Re: Building at Monroe and Desplaines
Posted by:
shekaago
()
Date: March 18, 2011 07:23PM
I did a Polk Directory search and found the Chicago Fire Insurance Patrol listed at 100 S. Des Plaines. I hope this helps!
[url=http://www.chicagofirepatrol.com/Chicago_Fire_Insurance_Patr.html]Chicago Fire Insurance Patrol[/url]
[url=http://www.chicagofirepatrol.com/Chicago_Fire_Insurance_Patr.html]Chicago Fire Insurance Patrol[/url]
Re: Building at Monroe and Desplaines
Posted by:
shekaago
()
Date: March 18, 2011 07:37PM
Found another article about the Fire Patrol buildings on FC.
[url=http://forgottenchicago.com/features/chicago-architecture/fire-insurance-patrol-stations/]FC Article on Chicago Fire Insurance Patrol Stations[/url]
[url=http://forgottenchicago.com/features/chicago-architecture/fire-insurance-patrol-stations/]FC Article on Chicago Fire Insurance Patrol Stations[/url]
Re: Building at Monroe and Desplaines
Posted by:
bwalsh
()
Date: March 18, 2011 07:57PM
Awesome! Thanks shekaago!
That is exactly the building. Apparently it was Patrol 1&2 according to that article. I even took a close-up picture of the emblem up towards the roofline of the building, but there were no words or inscriptions so nothing to go on with that. I never thought to look at the articles right here on FC. I have read them previously, but didn't remember about the Fire Patrol Buildings.
That is exactly the building. Apparently it was Patrol 1&2 according to that article. I even took a close-up picture of the emblem up towards the roofline of the building, but there were no words or inscriptions so nothing to go on with that. I never thought to look at the articles right here on FC. I have read them previously, but didn't remember about the Fire Patrol Buildings.
Re: Building at Monroe and Desplaines
Posted by:
shekaago
()
Date: March 18, 2011 08:19PM
Happy to help! I had no idea about the FC article either until I started digging a bit further.
Re: Building at Monroe and Desplaines
Posted by:
bwalsh
()
Date: March 18, 2011 10:21PM
Here's a link to show some of the old vehicles outside this Fire patrol building:
http://ksc711.smugmug.com/gallery/1667751#81707654_pqxVa
http://ksc711.smugmug.com/gallery/1667751#81707654_pqxVa
Re: Building at Monroe and Desplaines
Posted by:
bwalsh
()
Date: March 18, 2011 10:26PM
And one more piece of trivia regarding this building:
http://books.google.com/books?id=qmUtAAAAYAAJ&lpg=PA1160&ots=CmYJDnBYEm&dq=%22fire%20insurance%20patrol%20station%22%20%2Bchicago%20%2Bmonroe&pg=PA1160#v=onepage&q=%22fire%20insurance%20patrol%20station%22%20+chicago%20+monroe&f=false
Apparently it was home to the laboratory that was the origins of Underwriters Laboratories. Who knew?
http://books.google.com/books?id=qmUtAAAAYAAJ&lpg=PA1160&ots=CmYJDnBYEm&dq=%22fire%20insurance%20patrol%20station%22%20%2Bchicago%20%2Bmonroe&pg=PA1160#v=onepage&q=%22fire%20insurance%20patrol%20station%22%20+chicago%20+monroe&f=false
Apparently it was home to the laboratory that was the origins of Underwriters Laboratories. Who knew?
Re: Building at Monroe and Desplaines
Posted by:
daveg
()
Date: March 19, 2011 12:55AM
shekaago Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Happy to help! I had no idea about the FC article
> either until I started digging a bit further.
There are many well researched and written articles right here on the FC site. I've spent many an hour reading through most all of them. Kudos to the FC crew.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Happy to help! I had no idea about the FC article
> either until I started digging a bit further.
There are many well researched and written articles right here on the FC site. I've spent many an hour reading through most all of them. Kudos to the FC crew.
Re: Building at Monroe and Desplaines
Posted by:
shekaago
()
Date: March 19, 2011 05:47PM
Thanks, bwalsh! Love those photos and very interesting history on that building. And, yes, daveg, the FC crew deserves much praise for their excellent articles. I've learned so much about Chicago from this site and am grateful to the staff as well as all the forum posters here.
