Right...wasn't it still occupied by a department store when it was torn down? The building may have been used as a store longer than it was used as a theater. Tangent: One of the former B&K folks told me that the original floor around the fountain was made of large tile panels. People kept slipping on the wet floor, so B&K quickly pulled it up and relaid it with much smaller mosaic ti
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

It will be interesting to see what the long-term effects of the housing market collapse will be in neighborhoods that were either on the verge of further decay or on the verge of rejuvenation; it's incredible how quickly a building deteriorates after just a short period of deferred maintenance. That said, a lot of the buildings on Englewood's main drag that were torn down recently were still qu
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

That's the one. When the condo conversion was taking place and one of the outbuildings on the east side of the plant was being demolished, I happened by there and found a huge stack of old wooden crates painted yellow with the Dad's logo.
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

The plant has been converted to living space, some time in the early 90s. There was another MagiKist sign on the Kennedy which was taken down not long ago.
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

There were a lot of great signs along the Kennedy that are now long-gone, but the one I wish was still around is the big neon explosion on the old Dad's Root Beer bottling plant just off of Diversey. Even the smokestack had neon mounted on it. The company website has a photo of it taken during daylight. Does anyone have a photo of it taken at night?
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

The Eitels also owned the Bismarck Hotel and the Old Heidelberg restaurant on Randoplh. Their cornerstone is still on the hotel/theater building.
Forum: General Discussion

I think there's still one at the corner of Ashland/Armitage, but I don't know how old it is. Do abandoned gas station billboards count?
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

In Cleveland, the abandoned B&O Railroad bridge is lit at night to nice effect. It may be interesting to try that here.
Forum: General Discussion

A relative of mine lived in a 20s-era building that, even in the mid 1990s, had a functional speaking tube and bell system. The apartment-side mouthpiece had a cap that would spring closed to keep out voices intended for the other units. Pretty neat. I used to see remnants of them a lot when I was younger but most were painted over or had trash crammed into the foyer-side mouthpiece, depending
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

The bridge is somewhat in the news today... http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/11/man-found-dead-near-merchandise-mart-downtown.html
Forum: General Discussion

It was actually in use up until about 2000, bringing supplies to the Sun Times plant. Here's a site with photos of it in use: http://www.mannresearch.com/lakewood/carroll2.html There was a recent mention of it being replaced as part of a proposed commuter rail line.
Forum: General Discussion

Here's a link to an article in today's Sun-Times: http://www.suntimes.com/technology/guy/1870383,CST-FIN-ECOL07.article#
Forum: General Discussion

It seems like they were common on buildings with automotive purposes. Chrysler and Harley-Davidson used winged wheel logos, although the one you photographed looks more like the Red Wings' logo (with a different spoke pattern).
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

I came across this interesting article that mentions the hospital: http://www.media.illinois.edu/knight/infiltrationessay.html
Forum: General Discussion

That airplane is a Lockheed Constellation L-049, which TWA started flying in 1946. I can't tell due to the glare on the fuselage in photo 7-1, but if it's painted with the word "AIRLINE" (not plural), then the photo is pre-1950, when the company changed its name from Trans World Airline to Trans-World Airlines. The CAB phased out two-letter aircraft registration markings (in this case,
Forum: General Discussion

There's Bowen Avenue, between 41st and 42nd Streets, between Drexel and King Drives.
Forum: General Discussion

Skip's was long gone by the time I learned to drive, but in high school did go to a few of the Skip's Fiesta Swap Meets in my friend's '29 roadster with a 331 Hemi and a floorpan made of rust. There's a great Nickey tribute/registry at nickeychicago.net. Revell had a line of model cars (mostly muscle and custom styles) called Skip's Fiesta as well.
Forum: General Discussion

Wow!!!
Forum: General Discussion

The McVickers photo is a great one. Regarding the mystery man - is that Eden Ahbez?
Forum: General Discussion

Naitonwide, most of the nightclubs, record labels, music publishing companies and booking agencies then were mobbed-up to some degree. One of the more famous stories from the Jazz Age involves Joe E. Lewis and the Green Mill, but underworld control was common up through the early days of rock 'n roll. The Jazz Showcase has old showbills from previous locations like the Happy Medium and The Bro
Forum: General Discussion

http://www.misterkellys.co.jp/roots/index.html My father frequented those places and had so many great stories, like the time he caught one set by June Christy at Mr. Kelly's, then took the el to the Sutherland Lounge to catch the second set by Nina Simone. He once saw Lambert, Hendricks and Ross at Turk's (now Mother's) and during the break talked with Dave Lambert while Lambert was taking ph
Forum: General Discussion

According to the WPAC, it was used in conjunction with the park's bowling greens (which are still visible in aerial photos). I hope it survives if the Olympics come to town.
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

I always heard that these were trash incinerators.
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

Peterson Park was the Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium. The orphanage at 51st and King was the Chicago Orphan Asylum, later the Parkway Community House and now the Chicago Baptist Institute, and on the southwest corner of 47th and Vincennes, the Ryerson Old Peoples Home Of Chicago has been converted into apartments.
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

The work on the building seems to have stopped over the past few months.
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

According to a family member who had a friend living at the sanitarium, it was a guardpost. They'd search the belongings of and issue passes to visitors.
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

It was recently demolished. Until then, the site held a varying array of entertainment venues dating back to the 1800s.
Forum: General Discussion

I do remember that theater; I saw a Charlie Brown musical there when I was in grade school. There also was a great bowling alley/diner on the south end of the property that had fantastic mid-century architecture.
Forum: General Discussion

The book Building The South Side by Robin Bachin has extensive descriptions and history of The Stroll, with such places as the Pekin and Vendome Theatres, the Mecca Flats, the Cabin Inn, Apex Club and the Royal Gardens. A very interesting and well-researched book.
Forum: General Discussion

Wow, Klas' hasn't changed much at all!
Forum: General Discussion