Chicago’s Flag: More than Stars and Stripes

Posted on May 13, 2012 by Brian J. Failing

Walking throughout Chicago’s Loop you see the Chicago flag flying high upon flagpoles, hanging from buildings, printed on t-shirts and stamped as arm tattoos on hipsters. The city of Chicago however did not always have a municipal flag. In 1917 the Chicago Flag Commission hosted a contest for the best design for a municipal flag for Chicago, and of the over 400 designs submitted, Wallace Rice’s design won. The original flag had only two stars and has since taken on two more.

Along with the stars, three horizontal white lines and two horizontal blue lines comprise the original and current flags of Chicago. The blue stripes are to show off Chicago’s rich water resources: one for Lake Michigan, and the other for both branches of the Chicago River. Chicago’s neighborhoods and its (very wonderful) people are represented by the white stripes for the North, West, and South sides of the city.

The original two stars honor the Chicago Fire and the World’s Columbian Exposition. The other two were added to commemorate the Century of Progress Exposition (1933) and the founding of Fort Dearborn (1939).  Looking at today’s flag, we talk about the stars as if they are in chronological order of the events: Fort Dearborn, Chicago Fire, World’s Columbian Exposition, and Century of Progress.

And so what’s up with the six-pointed star? The commission prohibited the use of religious symbols on the flag and unlike the five-pointed star, this kind of six-pointed star has no religious connotations and also appears on no other city flag – or at least back then. And I learned while researching the history of the Chicago flag that each star point represents something different – I’m guessing this might be new to you, too, dear readers:

- Fort Dearborn has points for transportation, labor, commerce, finance, populousness, and salubrity.

- The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 has points for the virtues of religion, education, aesthetics, justice, beneficence, and civic pride.

- The points of the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893 stand for political entities that have had dominion over Chicago: France 1693, Great Britain 1763, Virginia 1778, the Northwest Territory 1798, Indiana Territory 1802, and Illinois 1818.

- The Century of Progress Exposition (1933-34) has points for the “bragging rights” of Chicago. At the time this star was added, Chicago was the second largest city in the United States, Chicago’s Latin Motto (Urbs in horto – City in a garden), Chicago’s “I Will” Motto, Great Central Marketplace, Wonder City (what?), and Convention City.

 While researching this post I found an interactive website on the Chicago Flag if you want to learn more.

Discussions have come up for adding stars, such as after the death of Harold Washington and before the lost 2016 Olympic Bid. Many think the Chicago flag is just fine as is. And imagine what a pain it would be to toss all the current flags and pay for new ones. And would the tattooed have to add an extra star, too?

~Brian Failing: Research & Collections Intern

Posted in Chicago Loop, History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A Suburban Detour: Museums at Lisle Station Park

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Brian J. Failing

I have lived in Lisle my whole life and so I have grown up knowing the suburbs better than Chicago. Though I had grown up in Lisle, I did not know we had a museum until a neighbor invited me and I liked it so much that I decided to become a museum volunteer. This was six years ago. The Museums at Lisle Station Park is a living history museum in which elements of Lisle’s history are preserved, from the historic structures themselves to the artifacts within. The museum includes five historic structures: Lisle Depot, Beaubien Tavern, Netzley/ Yender House, Blacksmith Shop and CB&Q Waycar #14584.

When a fire destroyed Lisle’s first depot, the Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad rebuilt it in 1874. This structure is now the centerpiece of The Museums at Lisle Station Park. Step inside and you get to see what a late nineteenth century station was like. This place played a key role in the community’s growth by serving as a passenger and shipping facility for 104 years. It continues to serve the community by preserving the heritage of Lisle. Inside you get to see the living quarters that housed the stationmaster as well as the original Baggage Room. This is where baggage was checked, including fresh produce from farmers. Currently two displays show the development of Lisle’s Main Street via panoramic pictures and photographs of Lisle’s World War II veterans.

Named after an early settler of Chicago, the Beaubien Tavern has a long and colorful history. Originally built in the 1830s by William Sweet, the building was acquired by Mark Beaubien in 1840. Many of you may be familiar with Beaubien as he ran the Sauganash Hotel, a tavern and inn infamous for debauchery and crazy times – the kind of stuff usually associated with the Old Wild West. The tavern was also a stop on the Southwest Plank Road in the 1850s.

In the late 1850s, this stately house pictured here was built by Jacob Netzley, a weaver by trade, after a fire ravaged his family’s original home. Four generations of the Netzley family resided in the expansive Greek Revival style home before it was purchased by George Yender in 1910. A family of farmers, the Yenders ran a farm and dairy business in town. The farm house is restored to the era of the Netzley family. My favorite artifact in the museum is a bee-hive oven that the museum still uses to prep apple pie and cornbread for special events.

The term “waycar” was what CB&Q employees called this train car, though the term caboose has become most popular. Built in 1881 it served as an employee lounge space for workers traveling night and day. It provided beds, a restroom, stove, and a cupola, which was a viewing portal so that workers could view tracks and surroundings.

 

The 19th-century blacksmith shop was originally a barn in Wisconsin, and a few years ago it was disassembled, shipped, and reassembled on the grounds of the museum. A functioning blacksmith shop today, volunteers teach the art of blacksmithing to future generations and new metal work for museum maintenance and restoration.

 

Check out their blog for updates about programs and events, including their Chicago History Author Series, Ghost Stories and Veterans Forum.

~Brian Failing: Research & Collections Intern

Posted in History, Neighborhoods, Travel, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Tour of the Inside of Tribune Tower

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Brian J. Failing

Whenever I would come down to the Loop and walk up Michigan Avenue I would always look north up Michigan Avenue and see the Tribune Tower rising above. Walking past the building, I would look into the showcase studio for WGN radio and then admire the countless stones placed on the facade from around the world. This past Saturday I got the very cool opportunity to go inside the historic Tribune Tower for a “behind the scenes” tour of Colonel Robert R. McCormick’s office and the 25th floor balcony.

Through my school, North Central College, I enrolled in “Chicago on the Ground: Walking Tours of America’s Architectural Capital” led by Professor Wendy Koenig and Chicago Tribune Architecture Critic Blair Kamin. “Verandah courses” are non-traditional classes that get students, like me, out of the classroom and into the world for first-hand educational experiences.

The tour began in the lobby as Kamin told the story of the international competition held by the Chicago Tribune to find a design for the headquarters for what McCormick deemed the “World’s Greatest Newspaper.” The winning design for the neo-Gothic tower was designed by architect Raymond Hood and John Meed Howells and was completed in 1925. Before heading to the elevators and passing the red velvet ropes that keep out the general public, Kamin pointed out the inscriptions lining the walls of the lobby that promote freedom of the press.

The 24th floor is home to McCormick’s Office, his secretary’s office, amongst several other rooms. While his massive desk has been moved to one of many of McCormick’s former homes, you can still imagine what it would have been like for this media mogul to take in the fantastic view of the Loop and the Chicago River. Kamin remarked that there would have been fewer buildings back then.

We looked at some very interesting designs on the air vents. McCormick was a Colonel during World War I and a part of the First Division and so one of the vents shows a cannon. Others are adorned with the symbol of the secret society, scroll and key, he was involved in when he went to Yale.

As we finished in his office the security guard for the building took us up to the 25th floor so that we could step onto the balcony underneath the flying buttresses. The scale of the building really became apparent from up above. As I looked up I felt quite small as the buttresses towered above me. Traditionally flying buttresses served as a support system to hold up the vaulted ceilings of cathedrals, but in this case they are entirely ornamental.

I extremely enjoyed seeing where McCormick once worked, but I am disappointed to see that the desk does not remain. As a budding historian I find it disheartening that this room was not preserved to its fullest. Our tour was very engaging and informative. Kamin and Koenig are very knowledgeable and provided an interesting history of the Chicago Tribune and the building. I am looking forward to touring Frank Lloyd Wright’s home and studio and Farnsworth House next week.

~Brian Failing: Research & Collections Intern

 

Posted in Architecture, Chicago Loop, History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Through the Side Door: Women Drinking in Early Chicago

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Brian J. Failing

I became intrigued by the topic of women and drinking in the past when I came across an article from July 1, 1872 in the Chicago Tribune entitled “A Man Chains His Wife in a Heavy Weight, and Burns Her Mouth With a Poker to Prevent her Drinking.” Woah, right? The article discusses how Eliza Martin was punished by her husband for partaking in what he deemed “unfavorable activities.” She stated to police that her husband “deliberately heated up a poker red-hot and burned her with it…to prevent her from drinking liquor.”

While women were generally not to be found in saloons before prohibition times, drinking establishments were not closed to females. Of course no respectable middle- or upper-class lady would be found here – these beer-swilling women were of the working class. During the late 19th century and early 20th centuries, saloons were mostly patronized by male wage-earners, but some saloons in the day had a side door known as the “ladies entrance,” which was more conspicuous and didn’t require women to be seen by men. Plus, it gave them quick access to drinks.  Through this door passed many working-class women: alone, in groups, or with a male escort. Most of these women were either wage-earners or the wives and daughter of wage-earners, and very few were prostitutes – they were to be found in distinct slum districts.

Similar to the women’s societies of the upper class, the saloon provided an outlet for lower class women to socialize outside of the home. Another popular attraction at the saloon was the free lunch. Purchase a five cent drink and the lunch was free. Women didn’t go to the bar to get sauced – they went to have a good time and step away from doing dishes, mending the kids’ clothes, and the like.

Women could also get liquor to-go, making drinking a mobile affair. They brought in containers of any size, and the bar keeper would fill it to the brim with beer for five-to-ten cents, the price of a pint. With this “brew on the run,” these women could drink beer wherever they wanted: on tenement roof tops, stoops, and court-yards as well as in city parks, alleyways, and waterfront wharves. And of course, remember we are talking about the working class. Women of the higher classes wouldn’t be caught dead drinking beer out of a jug in the park.

Beer Drinking Women History

Things changed during the period of Prohibition. As drinking became exclusive, people wanted to do it even more. This period coincided with all kinds of new freedoms for women of all classes, such as suffrage. And these women also sought the freedom to drink a little moonshine or Planter’s Punch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To learn more about women in public spaces of Chicago around the turn of the century,  try our previous post, entitled “Chicago Women in History: Alone at Last.” Chicago bars have become places filled with Chicago history, and you can explore tales of drinking, jazz history, and social clubs on our “Good Times Historic Bar Tour.” It’s more then a pub crawl – on this walking tour we get to look at very cool examples of architecture, dig into some untold stories from history, and indulge in tasty appetizers, too.

~Brian Failing: Research and Collections Intern

Posted in Chicago Loop, Food, History | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Middle Eastern Explorations in Albany Park

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Amanda

Sometimes I need a break from going downtown just about every day as our office is in the Loop and many of our tours, too.  In order to build a tour business, and not just a tour hobby, one has to start where the visitors are – both from afar and from the suburbs. Chicago Detours hopes to soon create events and tours in neighborhoods, which is especially where my own love for Chicago really is rooted.

I became familiar with Albany Park, a neighborhood on the Northwest side, a few years ago when I taught video production classes through a great youth media organization called Community TV Network. Teaching at high schools in both the Alternative Schools Network and Chicago Public Schools brought me to explore Chicago neighborhoods on all three sides of the city. At Roosevelt High School in Albany Park, I taught youth how to make videos with an After School Matters Program. Before and after class I wandered the neighborhood, and discovered firsthand how this neighborhood is one of the most diverse in the country (which is partly measured by the number of languages spoken in the home).

The ethnic diversity of the Albany Park community surfaces – of course – in the variety of food available there. With significant populations of Guatemalans, Mexicans, Indians, Cambodians, Somalians, and Eastern Europeans, the options are plentiful. The food of one region of the world in particular has received the attention of my taste buds whenever I am in Albany Park – the Middle East.Here’s a small guide with some big pictures to taking advantage of the Middle Eastern markets, bakeries and restaurants in Chicago’s Albany Park. Residents here hail from all over the Fertile Crescent and beyond, including Iraq, Iran, Lebanon and Jordan. I took the picture above, of the olives and turnips, while dining at Salam, a restaurant on Kedzie just south of the Brown Line station. Salam, which literally means “peace” and is used as a greeting in Arabic, used to be just one stark, florescent-lit narrow storefront with a fryer and a grill, and a few guys behind the counter serving quick, fresh, cheap falafel and super creamy hummus. Now they’re moving up, with slick new menus, a double-wide space, giant photos of impressive Middle Eastern architecture, and more fitting prices considering the great quality of the food.

I can never decide on anything, so I always convince my guest to split several things. We’ll get a kifta sandwich, stuffed with grilled lamb and beef, which is ground with fresh spices and pressed into a sausage-shape and drizzled with tahini sauce. Then we’ll get a plate of very fresh baba ganoush or hummus, a couple falafels straight out of the fryer (just the fried chickpea balls themselves, not in sandwich form), and a plate of tabouleh. They always give you a plate of olives with pickled turnips, too. I’ve asked people why they dye them that color, using beet root, and no one seems to know. Maybe they look too funky otherwise? Or should I say, not funky enough? I like to fuel up at Salam, and then hit the markets. The Lebanese-owned Al-Khyam market has meats, cheeses and many isles of teas, spices, grains, and interesting kitchen devices.  I recommend heading to the deli counter for fresh feta and really reasonably priced olives. Consider the dairy isle for labneh. This kefir cheese, great to dip pita in, is heaven when drenched in olive oil. I like to bastardize it with preserves and almonds for breakfast sometimes, and I’ve made some killer cheesecakes with it.

Another treat at Al-Khyam is halawa, a ground almond sweet, and not just little bars of it as you usually find it, but bucket loads!

The bakery inside the market may seem tempting, especially with the ingredients just exposed out in the open for all, but hold off for the top notch quality sweets at Jaafer Bakery.

Pictured here is Jaafer Sweets co-owner Hannah inside this beautiful bakery. Only in my wildest dreams could there be a baklava that includes walnuts, pistachio, almond, cashew and pine nuts. But they have such a thing here. They even have a deliciously smoky and dark chocolate baklava.

Beyond these treats here, they also have some specialties not on display. They bake kenafeh on the spot, a shredded filo dough pastry with sweetened cheese and rose water. And I’m thinking of throwing a party some day just to take advantage of their catering menu, which includes whole turkey or whole lamb (yes an entire lamb) stuffed with rice and spices, and all kinds of amazing side dishes.

It always surprises me that many Chicagoans aren’t familiar with Albany Park. It’s easy to get there on the brown line, and for a Logan Square resident such as myself, it’s just a 10-to-15-minute bike ride away. And I’m quite sure that I’ve barely scratched the surface. So the real question about Albany Park is – should we have a tour there?

– Amanda Scotese, Executive Director

Salam
4636 N Kedzie (just south of the Brown Line, between Montrose and Lawrence)

Al-Khyam Bakery & Grocery
4738 N Kedzie (just north of the Brown Line, Montrose and Lawrence)

Jaafer Bakery
4825 N. Kedzie (just north of Lawrence)

 

Posted in Contemporary Chicago, Food, Neighborhoods | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Spring Victories

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Elizabeth Tieri

This week marks the last scare of frost for the Chicago farmers. Soon you will see gardens blooming city-wide as urbanites work to keep Chicago true to its motto Urbs in Horto, or City in a Garden. In this photo, mannequins from the 1940s bring in Spring with a store window. Gardens hold a place in Chicago’s history since the city’s incorporation in 1837 through the present day. Today Chicago’s neighborhoods are blanketed in community gardens to fill the voids of blight and food deserts.

In the Chicago Archives, I searched for any record of the vast practice. Though they are out there, the records are difficult to search. The concept of the community garden is so simple; the words to name it don’t fit into a search code. The earliest name I could find for it in the Chicago Archives was vacant lot gardening as a project of 19th century settlement houses and charity workers to cultivate the slums. The communal garden gives beauty to barren space, supplemental food, and a connection to a community.

Then I thought of the Victory Gardens.  Although they are most commonly associated with the Homefront of WWII, the campaign actually began during the Great War. It caught on late in the game, however, and was poorly organized, so gardens were rarely fruitful. After a stint in the thirties as a relief effort for unemployed, the system of communal gardening was perfected for the Second World War.

During the 1940s, Chicago led the way in Victory Gardens. Not only did it have so much to offer geographically by way of vacant lots, but also socially with a surplus of undernourished working class. In addition, Chicago was the first to register Victory Gardens. Sometimes supplies like seeds and simple tools were given for a small fee. I found many pamphlets, almost almanacs for the Chicago gardener, explaining rules like the last frost and crop recommendations. Chicago encouraged Victory Gardens in every way—even glamorizing them in a Marshall Field’s window display as pictured above.

Today urban gardens combat a less direct enemy. On a late afternoon, I enjoy a stroll through the Altgeld Sawyer Corner Farm in the Logan Square neighborhood. This spring will begin their fourth growing season in collaboration with the Christopher House, whose pantry receives half the farm’s harvest. The other half goes to those who work the garden collaboratively—as opposed to being divided into lots as some gardens do.  Even if you don’t have the time to help out, it makes for a lovely place to visit. By giving beauty, growing food, and building community, Chicago gardens like the Altgeld Sawyer Corner Farm continue to accomplish victory after victory.

~Elizabeth S. Tieri: Tour Guide

Posted in Contemporary Chicago, History, Life | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Department Store Window: An Architectural Marvel

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Brian J. Failing

When walking down State Street in Chicago you may find it is hard not to notice the windows that line the facades of the buildings of department stores past and present. The Carson Pirie Scott Building, now an empty storefront on State and soon to be a Target, and Marshall Field Department store, now Macy’s, are a few of the many examples of how the motives of marketing and sales influenced the form of store architecture, particularly the development and use of the plate glass window. If it weren’t for the windows I probably wouldn’t even notice these stores along State Street.

The Bon Marche department store [1877] in Paris is one of the first examples of how the department store was transformed through the use of plate glass windows. Originally a store with several additions over time, it was knocked down and a new iron-structured, five-story building with monumental stone facades built in its place. The windows in the previous building were small and what light they let in was limited to the floor space in front of them due to the large support columns throughout the building.

At the same time this structural transformation of department store buildings was happening throughout major cities in North America, chiefly Chicago and New York.  The internal structure of stores needed to be slender enough to permit maximum light and space throughout, yet strong enough to bear the weight of all of the merchandise and customers. The amount of lighting merchandise received was most important. Previous buildings were bulky and due to the structure could not support large windows around the building’s periphery.

Department stores gave birth to the culture of consumption and set new trends for shopping because of the availability of everything under one roof. These new, large windows functioned as advertising as they enticed buyers to come in. Department stores democratized consumption, making shopping available to customers regardless of their social or economic background.  The large plate glass windows suggested to customers that they were free to enter the store without any obligation on their part to buy. Considering the world of luxury and imagination these windows created, it is hard to believe at one time these stores did not have such a welcoming sight.

The windows as a whole were often more important than the goods within them. In a book called Retailing: Critical Concepts, author Anne Findlay states, “they communicated festivity, vitality, beauty, and fantasy, revealing the signature of individual stores and the inner possibilities of store life.” The department store exercised their most immediate external appeal to potential customers through the window. Plate-glass windows, along with the windows of other consumer and business institutions, dramatically altered the appearance of city streets.

Originally developed for enhancing displays in the late nineteenth century, plate glass windows became vital to the success of the department store in the early twentieth century. The ability to cheaply manufacture plate glass in the mid-1890s allowed these large picturesque windows to become a necessity for the store as they were stronger, larger and perfectly clear. Store windows showed everything from bedroom sets to teacups, from lingerie to evening gowns, and I would imagine that in such a less image-saturated world of the early 1900s, in comparison to our times, these would have been quite a marvel.

~Brian Failing, Research & Collections Intern

 

Posted in Architecture, Chicago Loop, History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Chicago Women in History: Alone At Last

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Brian J. Failing

During the 1800s the women of Chicago participated in few social activities outside of the home. Most activities required women to be escorted at all times as they were not to be left alone in public. On our “Inside the Loop: Explore the Unexpected” walking tour, we go into the former Marshall Field’s department store and discuss how the store was one of the first spaces where women were able to be independent in public. We wanted to dig into this idea a little further to see what other spaces women inhabited in the 1800s.

One of the few activities that have always been open for women in Chicago was attendance at women’s clubs and societies such as the Chicago Woman’s Club. These organizations, which promoted civic betterment and philanthropic work, allowed women to socialize outside the home with other women. In the mid-1800s women began to seek new additional opportunities for enjoyment outside the home. While some of their husbands were partaking in deleterious acts at clubs and taverns, women also wanted to go out and have fun.

Entertainment offerings, particularly live theatrical performances, underwent a transformation to try and meet the interests of Chicago women. During this time of the mid-1800s, theaters were primarily patronized by low-class mobs of men and their ill-famed female friends, and plays included “sensual subject matter.”

Theaters in this era began to cater to middle-class tastes of all genders instead of just those of males. They were transformed into places full of decorum to attract women. Redesigning the interior of theaters created a safe and desirable environment for middle-class women to attend. Through the combination of additional seating in the front rows of the theater and changing of the decorum made theaters a more appealing place for women. As women began to go to more shows, the types of entertainment shifted from the soft porn of the past to melodramas which examined the demands of home and family as well as refining the female role in society.

In 1857, J. H. McVicker’s Theater, on Madison Avenue between Dearborn and State, was one of the first to cater to this new class of women by not permitting improper characters to enter. By the 1870s and 1880s women were a predominant part of the audience.

By 1900 saloons began opening dance halls to meet the demands of young working-class men and women eager to meet members of the opposite sex. Dance halls provided an inexpensive place for women to go unescorted. These clubs were very popular despite the bans put on alcohol consumption and “close-hold” dancing.

In the early 1900s women of Chicago had new privileges that their parents or grandparents didn’t. As women became more independent, they began to partake in many other activities like…drinking! Stay tuned for another post on social drinking habits among the women of Chicago.

– Brian Failing, Research and Collections Intern

Posted in Chicago Loop, History, Life | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Exciting Changes for Promoting Chicago Tourism

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Amanda

Whether you work in the hospitality and travel industry or not, the changes going on with the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau (CCTB) will affect you if you live in Chicago. Last week this organization, which promotes Chicago as a visitor destination, held its annual meeting at the Cadillac Palace Theater. Big changes were announced, and these changes will hopefully have major impact on the tourism industry, a great generator of the local economy and contributor to tax revenue.

Chicago’s tourism industry is behind most major U.S. cities in terms of number of visitors and visitor spending. We have minimally promoted the city as a travel destination, both domestically and internationally, and we are ranked 10th for international visitor destinations in the U.S. despite being the 3rd biggest city in America. Chicago has needed a promotional push, and what the CCTB, aka “Choose Chicago,” is making this happen.

However we do not fall short at making a big impression on visitors. I’m sure I’m not the only Chicagoan who has this experience when talking with people from the coasts. You get one of two reactions when you say you’re from Chicago: 1. An enthusiastic response of what an incredible city or 2. Glazed look befalls their face. I’m quite sure that No. 2 here comes from people knowing just about nothing about Chicago.  Travelers, both in the U.S. and worldwide, need to be more familiar with our incredible attractions, architecture, art, beaches, bike paths, theater, parks, restaurants, local culture, and of course creative tour companies. And these travelers need this familiarity not just for our benefit either! I’m quite sure that many a traveler would greatly appreciate discovering that Chicago will be the perfect destination for their next trip.

The meeting outlined some of the new initiatives and strategies: 1. Make McCormick Place financially alluring to conventions via legislative reforms 2. Increase visitation from regional markets 3. Generate awareness nationally 4. Grow international visitation.

At the CCTB meeting, speakers included President and CEO Don Welsh, Chairman of the Board Bruce Rauner, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, and representatives of the CCTB. Senior VP, Marketing and Communications updated us on the new branding and SEO-enhanced website. A digital advertising campaign this past winter targeted Midwest markets, and more videos have been produced for international markets. New videos showcase highlights of Chicago attractions, from nightlife to museums.

The Mayor spoke of the goals he has set for increasing Chicago tourism, which was great to hear after he disregarded my question to him about promoting Chicago tourism last spring.

I was surprised to hear about the new Chicago Sports Commission. Pretty much all I know of sports is the “curse of the Billy Goat,” which we talk about on our Good Times Historic Bar Tour, but I do know that baseball, football, hockey, etc, etc are key aspects of Chicago culture. They will work to promote international, national, and collegiate events in Chicago. Think of how many people flood into the city for marathons, for example.

There was no mention of the merger with the tourism department of the Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture, other than the elusive comment: “We’ve been splintered and now we have one voice.” I’m pretty sure that the Explore Chicago website is going to get pulled, and everything centered on the Choose Chicago site.

Music added to the morning meeting. CCTB has come up with a branded song for “Choose Chicago.” What a challenge that must be! The song sounded like a cross between Backstreet Boys and Taylor Swift, or in other words, not my thing. But how do you make a song that appeals to so many different tastes?

The stage received a surprise visit from a blues guitarist and spoken word poet Kevin Coval. With the theme of “Choose Chicago,” the poem’s finest lines in my opinion are “I always tell people not to come to Chicago in the summer unless you want to stay here forever.”

Chairman of the CCTB Board Bruce Rauner encouraged feedback from us on all these new initiatives. I am very excited that all of these changes are happening; upper level management will likely be particularly open to considering creative ideas. I plan to share some of my ideas for attracting new visitors in a blog post soon.

–Amanda Scotese, Executive Director

 

Posted in Contemporary Chicago, News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Picasso: Beginnings of Public Art in Chicago

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Brian J. Failing

When walking past city hall it is hard to walk past Daley Plaza and not catch a glimpse of the colossal three dimension sculpture towering 50 feet into the sky in the middle of the plaza. Some say it is a woman, a horse, or even a baboon. To locals of Chicago however, this sculpture has become known as the “Picasso.”

Designed by renowned painter and sculptor, Pablo Picasso, this unnamed work of art has been the focus of much debate. Commissioned by Skidmore, Owings, and Merill, this sculpture was donated as a gift to people of Chicago by Picasso. When architect William E. Hartmann approached him in 1963 he brought with items in which he thought represented Chicago, a Sioux war bonnet and White Sox’ blazer along with a check for $100,000, which Picasso generously refused. Picasso never visited Chicago in his lifetime, yet apparently he said that he felt his sculpture was a great representation of the city and its diverse population.

 

Unveiled to the public by Mayor Richard J, Daley on August 15, 1967, the sculpture did not initially win over the public. An article from that day that appeared in the Chicago Tribune,  described some of the public’s feelings. The sculpture was erected in a time when there was little public art in the city of Chicago, and putting anything at all in the city’s civic center would naturally please some and upset others.

Previous monuments and works in the city were created to honor a particular event or individual from Chicago’s past, while this sculpture was created for the sake of artistic expression. Well, and to match the Cor-Ten steel cladding of the City Center behind it. Col. Jack Reilly, the mayor’s director of special events, immediately urged that the sculpture be removed after he saw it.

Looking at the sculpture in present day I see much more than just an animal or a person. I see Chicago and all it has to offer. The sculpture was fabricated by a division of U.S. Steel in Gary, Indiana thereby encompassing the industrial character of Chicago.

In my opinion as a local I see the sculpture as a quintessential aspect of the Chicago landscape. It is as much a part of Chicago as the Sears Tower or Marshall Fields. The sculpture is a trademark and a symbol of the city, and without it we wouldn’t be Chicago.

The sculpture was one of those things that had to grow on Chicagoans, and utlimately the Picasso sculpture marked the beginning of Chicago’s love affair with contemporary art. Several years later an ordinance was passed that required the city to devote one percent of their annual budget to the construction and renovation of public art. Within a decade of this ordinance the city featured works by other renowned artists, Marc Chagall, Alexander Calder and Claes Oldenburg, to name a few, and of course today visitors to Chicago love to view our incredible collection of public art.

If you would like to learn more about the Picasso and other fun and interesting parts of Chicago’s history, culture and architecture, you can subscribe to this blog or join us on our “Inside the Loop” tour. This interior architectural walking tour includes the Pedway system as well as the full story of the Chicago Picasso sculpture and some fun footage presented on iPads that shows Chicagoans of the ’70s speaking their mind about the sculpture.

~Brian Failing, Research & Collections Intern

Posted in Chicago Loop, History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment