The Walgreens at State and Madison and the Walgreens at State and Randolph both had cafeterias in the basement level. Both had pretty good food as well as very wide selection. I do remember the lower level hobby sho that someone referred to.
Forum: General Discussion

I believe that the hospital, Illinois Research, was part of the University of Illinois hospital system, and although it treated patients with all kinds of problems it was, as the name implies, largely a research institution. It did a lot with polio and cancers of various kinds. My great-grandfather was hospitalized there in the late 40's and into the 50's with prostate cancer, which was nearly i
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

I remember always being told back in the day that it was Darling and Company that was the source of the smell from the Yards. They were a rendering company and collected dead animals from various places, including dead dogs, cats, etc. on the public way in Chicago. I guess it was all dumped into the pot.
Forum: General Discussion

Just as an item of information, I did contact the Archdiocese and they tell me that St. Basil did not supply any class pictures from the 50's, when the school closed. That was a dead end. By the way, thay got back to me within 48 hours of my email request. I was a little surprised at the promptness. I am back to asking if any of you, or any friends of any of you, might have those pictures, t
Forum: General Discussion

Geez? Yeah, how could I forget Bingo.
Forum: General Discussion

Armour and Co. also made Dial soap. The company was actually based in Omaha,and it went through many changes starting in the 1970's with a sale to Greyhound Co, although the Armours themselves had, I believe been out of the company since the 40's or earlier. Their premium brand, Armout Star is now owned by Con Agra, which in turn is owned by Smithfiels. Dial became a stand alone company and own
Forum: General Discussion

Aha yes, roller skating in the basement all purpose room of the school. That room was huge and in addition to roller skating it was used as a lunch room, a meeting room for all kinds of things, choir practice for the whole school, infrequent assemblies, a secondary chapel for Mass on Sunday, parish dinners of one sort of another and one day a week each class went there to learn different kinds of
Forum: General Discussion

Maybe someone on this site can help me out, or steer me to somewhere that can. Over the years I lost the class pictures that were taken each year of grammar school at St. Basil, 55th and HOnore. The pictures would cover the class of 1955 and would be 3rd grade 1949/1950, Sr. Prisca; 4th grade 1950/1951, Miss Mullens; 5th grade 1951/1952, Sr Lucine; 6th grade 1952/1953, Sr Marie Acquin; 7th grade
Forum: General Discussion

Dunning1 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > The Ford dealer at Hoyne and Irving Park Road was > Alvin Motors. Later it became an appliance dealer > that also seems to be now closed. Further west, > between Oakley and Western, there was a > Nash/AMC/Jeep dealer called George Hill, and on > Western, just north of Addison, on the west side >
Forum: General Discussion

I worked in the area for a short time in the 60's and don't really remember a restaurant called the Fish Merket, but if it was owned by Sue Gin, I believe she later owned a business called something like "Flying Food Fair" or something like that. That company did catering for the airlines, specifically Midway Airlines and maybe some others. The other place wasn't the "Ox Yoke,&q
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

Which yards by Englewood?
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

I can't even remember just how long that tobogan slide has been down. It has to be at least 35 years.
Forum: General Discussion

The term "rag sheenee" comes from a derogatory, and pejorative term of reference to ragmen of Jewish descent, Ragmen travelled the alleys looking for old rags and other similar materials, shouting "rags, old rags, rags," or something like that. Apparently many of them were of Jewish descent, hence the appelation "Sheenee" (sp) The ragmen had a loud, distincitive ton
Forum: General Discussion

I remember that they became a ittle bit inept in later years. When I was about 16, 1956, I lived around 55th and Damen. A buddy and I walked to the Tastee Freeze or Dairy Queen at about 53rd and Damen for ice cream on evening. On the way back we were accosted by 2 guys who said they were Rebels and demanded our money. They were about our age, and we kind of laughed at them and stated to contin
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

I don't remember the details of the killing, but I do remember that it happened. I am pretty sure that it was a guy from St. Basils that did the killing and it may have had somethng to do with another murder. I just sent an email to another survivor of those times and I will hopefully hear back shortly. I somenow remember that the guy that was killed was a soldier on leave.
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

I am wondering if any of you "Back of the Yarders" remember a kind of street gang from the 50's called the Rebels. They were primarily from the area of Cornell Square. They had competition in a gang that started out as a softbal team, called the Outlaws from around Garfied Blvd. The Outlaws were kind of short lived.
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

Cavalears? No don't remember that and I spent some time around there. I dated a girl that lived at 48th and Loomis for a couple of years ("55-'56 or so)
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

I lived in the vicinity of the east/west tracks that were between 58th and 59th that ran into the Pennsylvania RR yards just west of Damen Ave. They had a similar embankment and every other street deadended at them. They were great for sledding, and driving down home built cars down. The other thing we did was use them to travel by train. We would hop a freight at say Marshfield, ride to Honor
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

Many businesses used the name :Town of Lake" as part of there identity. I don't believe that goes back to before incorporation. Remember the title Town of Lake refers to the political townships that much of the country east of the Mississippi was divided into after extensive surveying. Each was 6 miles square, or 36 sq miles, and was then divided into sections of a mile square each. The d
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

Richard Stachowski Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Yes it was PLAYLAND PARK. It closed in the later > 70's because of injuries. Richard Stachowski > Wrote: JUstice, Illinois > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Playland? My daughter worked there in the 70's > > for a while and it was west side of t
Forum: General Discussion

Yes, in the 50's boulevards had brown and white signs naming them at intersections, whether it was 2 boulevards or a boulevard and a city street. At that time the Park District, which is a separate municipal corporation, maintained the boulevards and its own facilities. The park district at that time also had its own police department, originally North Parks, South Parks and West Parks. Those t
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

Richard Stachowski Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Kiddyland? I don't think it was Kiddyland, at least that does not ring a bell.
Forum: General Discussion

I am having a senior moment. My wife and I were on the Tri-State near 79th Street the other day, and neither of can recall the name of the amusement park that was near 79th and Wolf Road, just off the Tri-State. Help.
Forum: General Discussion

Many years ago, while attending college, I worked as an office boy/messenger for a law firm in the Prudential Building. When being a messenger, my travels took me all over the Loop. Especially on very cold days I would stop at a lot of the restaurants just to keep warm. I clearly remember Round the Clock, Mayflower, and the cheap steak joints on State near Randolph. The best bang for your buck
Forum: General Discussion

I don't remember that, possibly because I am a southsider, but I do remember going to Wrigley Field on gameday and being able to buy the best box seat in the house. In those days,the early 50's through the early 60's, they were lucky to have 1500 people in the stands, most of whom probably got in on some promotion. I have no idea what their record low attendance is, but I remember Jack Brickhous
Forum: General Discussion

Thanks Wdh74, We will be leaving this Friday to head back to florida from Chicago. I am not sure which route we will take yet, but if we come across the Pure sign that I see from time to time, I will post a photo.
Forum: General Discussion

The Dog House was at 60th or 61st and Central on the Southwest corner in the late 60's and early 70's. I remember it pretty well simply because I was in there one night what my car was hit and totaled by a drunk heading south on Central. Expensive night!
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

I remember going to the roller derby at the Coliseum, but not at the Amphitheatre. Did that come later perhaps?
Forum: General Discussion

Right, Baby Doll Polka Club. It came to me just as I was starting to scroll through these posts. 60th or 61st and Central was their new location, former "Dog House."
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

I don't remember either of those, but I do remember a place called the "Polka Club," somewhere on Western Ave., maybe around 66th or so. They had a sign in the window that read, naturally enough, "Polka Club," with the words "Hop Czyk Czyk" underneath, which I always thought was something that people yelled when polkaing. There may have been a name of the owner al
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)