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Concrete street pillars
Posted by:
coops4
()
Date: September 11, 2012 01:22AM
I was around Division and Keystone,Karlov,Kildare (not for bad reasons for this is not a safe area) and noticed that some blocks still have these concrete pillars at each end of the street and sometimes on the sidewalk. You can see that at one time there was either a gate or chain for some metal parts are still intact. Someone who grew up in the area in the 70's told me that he had heard back then that when the area was an Italian neighborhood, they would 'close' the streets at night by gating them off with the pillars. Does anyone know if there is any truth to this story?
Re: Concrete street pillars
Posted by:
Lance Grey
()
Date: September 11, 2012 02:27AM
Similar 'pillars' can still be seen on the North & Far north side too.
The ones I've seen had old metal (brass?) plates on them with the street names in raised letters.
Not high enough to read from a passing automobile--about 4 feet high and 3-4 inch square, Like a bygone motiff for marking streets for pedestrians?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/11/2012 02:27AM by Lance Grey.
The ones I've seen had old metal (brass?) plates on them with the street names in raised letters.
Not high enough to read from a passing automobile--about 4 feet high and 3-4 inch square, Like a bygone motiff for marking streets for pedestrians?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/11/2012 02:27AM by Lance Grey.
Re: Concrete street pillars
Posted by:
coops4
()
Date: September 11, 2012 10:15AM
Yes, these are about 4ft. high although the brass plates are missing and unfortunately probably taken to a scrap yard at one time.
Re: Concrete street pillars
Posted by:
bowler
()
Date: September 13, 2012 07:36PM
Out in the Garfield Ridge neighborhood on the SW side there are a couple of similar concrete pillars along Archer Avenue (specifically at Archer and Melvina). After a bit of digging I discovered that they were originally put in by the orginal developer (Frederick Bartlett) to help give the development a "gated community" feel. As time went on these posts were reused as street markers and now are just decorative. They have removed all but two.
Re: Concrete street pillars
Posted by:
daveg
()
Date: September 13, 2012 10:27PM
Here's a photo of the concrete pillar described above:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/k9jdk/7172182739/in/set-72157630094073686
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/13/2012 10:28PM by daveg.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/k9jdk/7172182739/in/set-72157630094073686
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/13/2012 10:28PM by daveg.
Re: Concrete street pillars
Posted by:
Lance Grey
()
Date: September 13, 2012 11:38PM
Great picture, daveg!
The type I've seen on the northside are small square posts one could wrap two hands around.
The type I've seen on the northside are small square posts one could wrap two hands around.
Re: Concrete street pillars
Posted by:
davey7
()
Date: September 18, 2012 06:53PM
Cool - didn't know we had many of these in Chicago. They were really common in St. Louis, but even grander.
Re: Concrete street pillars
Posted by:
nordsider
()
Date: September 18, 2012 07:43PM
It's good to see -- via Google Street View - that at least the cleaners are still in existence on the NW corner of Melvina and Archer, after 45 years have passed. I totally forgot about those concrete markers.
I do remember the concrete markers/pillars along Archer Avenue, from about Central west to Harlem, in the 1950s; and often wondered about their purpose. John Wentworth -- Chicago mayor and Congressman -- had his farm house on the NE corner of Archer and Harlem, and owned much of the land in the vicinity. The farm house was still in existence in the 50s.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/23/2012 01:08AM by nordsider.
I do remember the concrete markers/pillars along Archer Avenue, from about Central west to Harlem, in the 1950s; and often wondered about their purpose. John Wentworth -- Chicago mayor and Congressman -- had his farm house on the NE corner of Archer and Harlem, and owned much of the land in the vicinity. The farm house was still in existence in the 50s.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/23/2012 01:08AM by nordsider.
Re: Concrete street pillars
Posted by:
coops4
()
Date: September 23, 2012 11:20AM
I live in the area and drive by Harlem and Archer everyday. Never would of thought...also I will look for those pillars on Melvina.
Re: Concrete street pillars
Posted by:
nordsider
()
Date: September 24, 2012 10:28AM
coops4 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I live in the area and drive by Harlem and Archer
> everyday. Never would of thought...also I will
> look for those pillars on Melvina.
The pillars were not at every street intersection with Archer, in the 50s, but I do remember a few located at streets east of Melvina and some west. They seemed at the time, to have been in existence for a long time; and one or two may have had a slight lean to them.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/24/2012 02:27PM by nordsider.
-------------------------------------------------------
> I live in the area and drive by Harlem and Archer
> everyday. Never would of thought...also I will
> look for those pillars on Melvina.
The pillars were not at every street intersection with Archer, in the 50s, but I do remember a few located at streets east of Melvina and some west. They seemed at the time, to have been in existence for a long time; and one or two may have had a slight lean to them.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/24/2012 02:27PM by nordsider.
Re: Concrete street pillars
Posted by:
bowler
()
Date: September 29, 2012 06:47PM
Thanks Dave for posting that photo.
John Wentworth's farmhouse stood until April of 1968 when it was unceremoniously demolished.
The pillars were reused as street markers for many years and all but two are still in use, the other being on the SW corner of Archer and Nordica. There are three posts in the "triangle" of Archer, Naragansett and 55th St. being used as bases for several statues, and there is another post laying in the alley behind the "Wing Stop" at Archer and McVicker apparently dragged there after the city pulled it out.
Check out our Clear-Ridge Historical Society Facebook page for more photos.
John Wentworth's farmhouse stood until April of 1968 when it was unceremoniously demolished.
The pillars were reused as street markers for many years and all but two are still in use, the other being on the SW corner of Archer and Nordica. There are three posts in the "triangle" of Archer, Naragansett and 55th St. being used as bases for several statues, and there is another post laying in the alley behind the "Wing Stop" at Archer and McVicker apparently dragged there after the city pulled it out.
Check out our Clear-Ridge Historical Society Facebook page for more photos.
Re: Concrete street pillars
Posted by:
Deejo
()
Date: October 14, 2012 02:15AM
On both sides of Rockwell between Montrose and Wilson there are similar pillars, all in very good condition, with street names on both sides. The most interesting ones are at one intersection (I think its Agatite?) where the pillar contains the old street name, which I don't recall at the moment.
