My aprents went to Mr. Kelly's in 1960 and saw Bob Newhart when he was starting ouit in stand up. One other thing is Chicago didn't have as many high rises along lakefront until the late 60's, the old Rush St pics have a more neighborhood feel. Now, it's like Manhatten.
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

They used to have a huge selection of plastic model car kits. Now, they are only sold at hobby shops. When they remodeled and tried to be more 'upscale', it ruined the store.
Forum: General Discussion

That 'trick photography' pic with the Playboy blg is looking southeast, I think it's legit.
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

Chicago's official Community Areas are used for the US Census. This is where I saw the diagonal boundry.
Forum: General Discussion

One thing to realize is that the suburbs did not crop up overnight in 1950 as some city pursits like to think. Many towns date back to before Ft Dearborn. Willow Springs would be along Ogden or the SW Plank Rd. Also, the Burlington North train. Many towns served farmers and industry built along the train tracks or canals.
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The book on Portage Park is great, shows my old block in 1910! BTW, some will say Ogden Ave bisects North and South Lawndale.
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I live in Elmhurst on York at Wrightwood Ave. Some streets near me are continuations from city grid. I want a Wrightwood sign.:)
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I remember the sign saying 'coming soon, ski slope' at Narragansett and Diversey.
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The Butera site is within Norridge city limits, actually, but Chicago proper is south and west of it. Norridge is an 'island' burb surrounded by Chicago.
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Millionare's Club was for the NW side Middle class 'Rat Pack' era parents to go to. My aunt worked there as a waitress/hostess. It survives mainly from location, since there is no other shopping for miles, and Old Orchard is upper class. But, I'd be willing to bet it will get de-malled as Randhurst and Brickyard have gotten.
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Rumor is that Mayor Daley wanted it gone, since it took up a lot of police time and social tensions of the time. Brother and I would ask to go and folks would say 'no it's in a bad area'.
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Kiddieland is NOT closing because of declining business or "changing times". Go to the library and look up stories in the Tribune about its closing. The family members who own the land and park are fighting and the only resolution is to sell off the land. Regarding: "But times have changed. So many things -- video games, cell phones, computers -- are competing for everyone's att
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I saw The Who there also on CC TV. It was a reaction to the stampede deaths at a "Festival Seating" show in Ohio a few months prior. Was like watching a movie, not same as real thing. The lot is vacant still where it stood.
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

I remeber thinking it was another suburb when I was kid. First time I went there the lower level hobby and record shops were pure mid 70s cool. I lvied nearby in early 90s and it was still doing OK. But when Woodfield expanded, it was over. A mall has to be near Interstates these days to survive. Also, kids today are rebelling against malls where Boomers and Gen X'ers hung out. To them big m
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

I think of Chicago's fire hydrants as stakes in ground claiming city land. Such as ones near O'Hare, and one at far SW side corner of Harlem and 65th st. Some are in odd places, like along Lawrance Av going through the Forest Preserves.
Forum: General Discussion

The Grand bus turn around is still there. Also there is a vintoage neon sign nest to it for the 'Terminal Coffee Shop'.
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

In the mid 70's [1974-75?] a local TV show "Sorting it Out"* featured a segment about a drive on the entire length of Milw. Ave from Lake St. all the way to Gurnee. The old section was still intact. * "Sorting it Out" was a local news-magazine show and featured Shelly Long, who also worked at Second City before going to Hollywood and "Cheers". It ran from about 19
Forum: General Discussion

I'm glad this building wasn't leveled, and it looks better with removing the 50's/60's decor. There used to be a similar big office/warehouse building at Kennedy and Kimball, for defunct I.S. Berlin Co. Now, the stores there are empty.
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

In the Historic Aerials site, the early 70's view shows the street closed but not all filled in, yet. Now, in that section, there are some parts that are zig zag walking paths, and can see newer buildings next to old ones.
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Thanks for clearing up an old memory of new Ford Falcons parked on top of "Brickyard Hill" in late 60's. My older brother said there was an actual dealer up there, but I figured out later it was a car storage lot. One failed plan for the 'Hill' was a ski slope. Signs were put up, but it was never built. I remember the sign for "ski slope coming soon" stuck around til at leas
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In the 1938 Aerial view, there is a clear path to Touhy av. Looks as if Waukegan is just a small street. Maybe before the 30's it went further south?
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The Old Cock Robin in Naperville was torn down, :( I don't know if any of them are left standing.
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

That BK is original, I remember the trapazoidal "arches" on top of old BK's. In mid/late 60's, my grandparents would treat us and go to a similar looking BK on Roosevelt Rd. in Glen Ellyn. Back then, fast food places were a 'family outing'. It also had a neon cartoon 'King' on a hamburger sign. Was remodeled in 70's ;-( so now looks non-descript. Another BK from the 60's is at 4
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

Yes, after US 34 leaves the Aurora city limits, it's not called Ogden anymore. Since I was a kid, I like tracing city street names and how far they continue.
Forum: General Discussion

If you go to the Historic Aerials website http://historicaerials.com/ in the links section, you can see different views of the Brickyard area. The Calibration Tower or "bridge to no where" can be seen in 1950's to 70's views. The Aerials site is great, like a real time machine! Can see at least one view per decade of the whole region, going back to 1938.
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On old light poles was a black square, with stenciled #'s. Top # was a 1-2 digit code, which was actaully the 'hun-ert' block you were on. i.e. 24 = 2400 block, or 4 = 400 block. The bottom # was the light pole on that block. I am sure there were 3 digit ones on south side, but never saw them in person. Now, not on the poles anymore,
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The firehouse was used in the CBS 'Early Edition' TV show. Was supposed to the the bar Kyle Chandler's character ran, in season 2 to the end. I don't know if the interior scenes were shot inside, If not correct, please post and I will retract,
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oh yeah, that is right! something I forgot about til now. When the orange lights came in my 'hood, birds were still chirping for days, thinking it was still daytime. How quickly they forget.
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Yes, they were all same size, so long street names were harder to read.
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OK, makes sense, the one on Goose Island was a 'cage' for awhile too. Seemed like one day they were gone in the mid-late 70's
Forum: General Discussion