"Users" like redser45 and others are not real persons; these are spambots that scan for any message boards with weak security. They are not specifically targeting FC but any site on this globe. Using google, you will notice that redser45 can be found on many message boards around the globe. These bots are designed even to reply to spam from other "users" in order to make them a
Forum: General Discussion

Ja, so ist das Leben. Man kommt und eines Tages geht man dann wieder... It's indeed painful to see people like these pass away since they did their part to shape this city. Part of Chicago charm to me has always been the ethnic influences in terms of music, food, and architecture.
Forum: General Discussion

I like your funny post ;-) This sounds like a good escape from the grim neighborhood as it now. What time/year is your description about?
Forum: General Discussion

It sounds Gaelic/Welsh to me. What does it actually mean?
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

For what it is worth: CTA has posted real-time videos from end-to-end station incl. the blue line part that has been discussed here. Now you can have a look in your lazy chair... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6xJFpPY_7s Here's the FF version of the same stretch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5f1HnYIoG8
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

Speaking of Calumet Fisheries (at the 95th Street bridge): when was this business opened at its present location? What's its history? Any old pics or anecdotes? Inside, there are some nice printed articles about the shooting of the bridge-jumping scene in The Blues Brothers movie put to the wall. That shooting took place in 1979, right in front of this place. So it was there already in 1979.
Forum: General Discussion

No replies yet? I'm sure there must have been quite a few at that time...
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

Hi Jake, here's an old article from the Chicago Tribune. She performed there after the Supremes broke up. Judging the article below, she performed there on Tuesday August 25, 1970... http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1970/08/28/page/45/article/weekend-recommends
Forum: General Discussion

Sorry for going a bit off-topic here... @ rjmachon: the longer fixtures you mentioned most likely were having low-pressure sodium lamps inside . These are long lamps (1 to 3 feet, depending on power) and give off a deep, mono-chromomatic orange/yellow light. Low-pressute sodium lamps are even more efficient than the compact, high-pressure variety. These lamps can still be seen in Chicago on s
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

Hi Rich, would that be this place? It was at the NW corner of Halsted and Maxwell. I had a hotdog there on a freezing cold, sunny day early 1999... http://chibbqking.blogspot.nl/2009/11/chicagos-maxwell-street-polish.html
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

That's true about the red and orange colors. Green, yellow and blue colored neon tubing requires a mixture of noble gas and mercury as well as a fluorescent coating. Mercury doesn't work so well in the cold so the tubes will be dimmer in winter. And the coating deteriorates over time too regardless of temperature. Pure red neon filling is the best in terms of longevity. Let us know how the restau
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

I was able to witness the last remnants of Maxwell street east of Halsted. That was back in 1999 when I came to Chicago the first time. The small stretch of what was left still back then radiated a strong sense of past glory. Its transformation - or rather destruction- was complete was I returned again 2003. I wish I had the chance to visit it at an earlier period of time.
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

Good catch, and good to read that you rescued this little piece of Southside history! Once you're done with the painting you need to find a good neon shop who can blow and bend the glass tubes in the right way. The high-voltage transformers are probably toast by now too, given the harsh Chicago climate. Do you know what the original colors were of the several tubes?
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

Another example of automated spamclown spambots. The identical IP addresses say enough...
Forum: General Discussion

I used to frequent the McClurg Court/Cineplex Odeon in the 1990s, located at 330 E. Ohio St. This movie theater closed in 2003, probably due to competition from the AMC River East 21 complex nearby. It was nice to see Keanu Reeves in person in this cinema when "The Matrix" had its premiere back in 1999. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1987-12-17/features/8704030631_1_cineplex-odeon
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

There used to be a Ford dealership run by Dan Gaines at 4533 / 4541 S. Cottage Grove Ave. It opened in 1936 although it remained at that location for a very short time. Maybe that's the one you were having in mind? http://www.aacardealers.com/men.html
Forum: General Discussion

Speaking of this intersection: what used to be in the -ugly grey painted- building in the northwest corner (between Grand and Milwaukee)? It has been boarded up for at least 15 years.
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

Well, it seems to have barely survived the construction of the Kennedy; it's right next to it! It's partly boarded up on streetview (picture date May 2014). It may soon be gone one day.
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

Intriguing story, Wardell. I just found out that there's more to it, the story was more like a Stephen King-uesque novel: "More tragedy hits, this time at the old Falstaff grain elevators on the south side of Chicago. Ignoring their parents' warnings not to go there, 10 year old Ricky Rodriguez falls to his death while playing in plant 11 near Chicago. Ricky was bouncing on conveyor bel
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

@ bowler: I never saw that stretch before on Google Maps between 105th street and Indianapolis boulevard. For some weird reason, that stretch only shows up on the new version of Maps but not on the classical version. On satellite view, there's no road anymore to be seen. Time to check out historic aerials... @WayOutWardell: a bit OT but there are similar silos still standing at Damen and 29t
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

I found out that there once was a Columbia Malt Drive on the SE side (acc. my 2005 Chicagoland seven county street atlas from American Map). The road (or what's left of it) runs in parallel with the B&O railroad and runs from 100th street, just north of the Chicago Skyway, SE to a dirt field just west of the IL/IN stateline. This road once provided access to the long-gone Albert Schwill / F
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

Hi Amanda, Ask Ray & Di Kulka; they are radio DJs at WLUW. I'm sure they have quite some information to share. http://wluw.org/station/show/razor-and-die-show/
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)