This is the backside of a building outside my office window. The address is 1 W Washington, which is the Staypineapple Hotel, formerly Burnham Hotel. After a quick search, this is the old Reliance Building, designed by John Root of the Burnham and Root architectural firm. I’ve read Devil in the White City, so this is fascinating to me. I am guessing the words at the top say Reliance Building. Any history buffs out there know what this used to say?d

Does anyone know how Ford City got its name or remember the aircraft engines that were once made there? Here's a short article that answers those questions: Ford’s Forgotten Chicago Assembly Plant | ASSEMBLY (assemblymag.com)

I was looking on the web page for information about CPD in the 1920's when I saw the old forum post, Police Districts in the 20's, but when I tried to open the link that the publisher had quoted in it, I found that the content was not working, has anyone now put together a map of police stations and districts in the 1920s? Here‘s the link of the post: http://forgottenchicago.com/forum/read.php?5,11545

My wife and I started dating in the early 1980s and went to Dirty Dan’s Western Saloon on Lincoln near Halsted for the pizza and pasta (cheap). This was just before it was bought and turned into the Red Lion. We’re writing our memoirs, and I’d love to get any sort of photos of Dirty Dan’s interior/exterior, and its menu. A long shot I know, but we’d appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.

Hi,

I'm editing my 92-y.o. mother's autobiography and trying to track down places she remembers from her youth in the 1930-40s in Lawndale. Does anyone remember or have any citable info (photos?) for the following:

1. "Brickman's candy and deli store on Avers Avenue"
2. the "Turkish nut and candy shop" in a basement on Homan Avenue"

Thanks!

This year marks the 175th anniversary of International Harvester's first factory in Chicago. It's also the 150th anniversary of the company's legendary McCormick Works on the city's Southwest Side. Here's more info on these forgotten facilities that helped make Chicago a production powerhouse: The McCormick Works: A 19th Century Marvel | ASSEMBLY (assemblymag.com)

are there any pictures and a address for Doniak Public School

I've always said "El." But it looks like there are four different ways that people spell it. The official word from the CTA is 'L' (in single quotes).

What do you say?

After you've answered, read this nice piece from Chicago Magazine that does little to end the debate.

I have been doing some genealogy research on my Croatian ancestors who immigrated to the U.S in the early 1900's. I have came across numerous ship manifests that list 8905 Green Bay Ave. in Chicago as the destination they and many other Croats were going to but cannot find anything online that shows what that address used to be. If I go to google maps it comes up as 8905 S. Green Bay Ave right across from Schafer Park. Does anyone have any resources that might show me what used to exist at that address around 1900 - 1910?

Hi there! back in 1986 I travelled a lot and in March I had a month of unlimited travel on Republic Airlines (r.i.p.) coupled with a booklet of Trailways coupons where you got 24 hrs unlimited travel for $10. So I got around. I soon found myself in Chicago and got off the bus at the depot on 20 Randolph Street. Great feeling being in Chicago. Around the corner there was a steak house, which had pretty good steak with all the trimmings for $2.95 3.95 4.95 5.95 depending on your appetite. Excellent value for money, I dropped in there everytime I was in Chitown. The whole place had been repainted and redecorated many times I reckon, but it dawned on me that it had once been a German Beer hall. Does this ring a bell? Anyone remember the place and the name of it? Is it still there? I saw so many fabolous things in Chicago back then it is a shame I didn't have a smartphone to capture it all. My fav town in the US (I am from Sweden btw).

...but I bumped into in my bookmarks yesterday: Forgotten Chicago Forum

I miss the old place. It seems there was more exposure, hence interest there. I wonder if any of the administrators would consider getting it up and running again. Reddit is too cold and sterile a venue for our beloved topic.

Hi. Its been awhile since I last posted, probably back in 2014 at the old site. I am doing some research on Augustana Hospital. I know it was opened in 1882. It looks like it was a flatiron(?) building. Does anyone know when the newer building was opened? I saw some pictures of a modern building. I saw that it is now apartments. Any info would be appreciated.

Anyone know where to find old yearbooks? My grandfather was Valedictorian of (I believe) the first graduating class at LT’s present location. I can’t remember if he said there were 1400 students in his class or the school as a whole, but apparently they all walked in a makeshift parade from the old building to the one that stands today (built over one of the filled in clay pits from the brick industry) when it first opened. He died around this time 5 years ago at age 97. He was a lifelong photographer, but had limited pictures of himself as a young man.

Any information on Strulevitz Tea Room at Roosevelt Road and Sangamon St.? They served kosher charcoal-broiled steak for $2.25 along with mushroom barley soup, hand-cup French fries and strawberry pop. This was in the late 1940s. They later moved to Roosevelt and Crawford (now Pulaski) but it wasn't the same.

DOES ANYONE REMEMBER THE HORSES AT DAN RYAN WOODS AT 87TH & WESTERN ?

I am looking for information about my ancestor Anna Tworek. Born in 1891, she moved to the USA, probably to Chicago in 1910. her year of death is around 1970 (unconfirmed). I've been looking for her for some time, she is my great-great-grandmother. I found Anna Tworek in a 1912 newspaper. on wedding records, she married Stanislaw Brzk (Bryk), it was the newspaper 'The Inter Ocean', while after an attempt to search for Anna by Familysearch.org, Anna, but Majka, Maika appear next to the name of Stanley Bryk. The family's stories show that a gentleman from Chicago came to her daughter, who stayed in Poland, and said that Anna lived close to him, he had a husband and a different name. Unfortunately, when he returned to Chicago she died in 1970. probably 1972 .. I will give a page with a lot of information that a friend of mine created for me. I am asking for help, I do not know how and where to look. https://homepages.rootsweb.com/\~sandlier/misc/tworek.htm

I'm trying to identify where my Great Grandfather and Grandfather lived in Chicago in the 1940s. The Census puts them at Ivermay Apartments on Harper Avenue. I believe this was near 63rd and Harper. Does anyone have access to 1940 Fire Insurance maps where they could look at this area? I can't seem to find any online that are accessible without University logins. I believe the included photos may be taken in Woodlawn. The theatre in the background of the photo below I'm fairly confident was the Woodlawn Theatre and 63rd and Kenwood. The building in the other pictures may not include enough details to identify. However, I'd still like to know where Ivermay (or possibly Invermay) apartments were located. Any suggestions are appreciated!

https://preview.redd.it/u6jru6c6qb881.jpg?width=1548&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=40f8c6476ef4817746668b5fa97e1f3dd4f7f85a

https://preview.redd.it/jqy1c7c6qb881.jpg?width=1445&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=58f071e63df6859c2117a9b773118b72ef88ceec

https://preview.redd.it/18gdl2d6qb881.jpg?width=1639&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f26e0aabb2772a4611c219e9e73b52debb6007a3

https://preview.redd.it/m6yq87c6qb881.jpg?width=1525&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b15a9333805165b91559a1742513f350d45896c8

https://preview.redd.it/zbn083d6qb881.jpg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=af6e780c0417d233f54ed6a22e3a755cf45a9d53

Anyone able to identify the address of this former business named Jack's Tavern?

Fairly certain it is in Chicago, taken sometime in the 1940s. It has "Polish Village" written on the back, which suggests it's from the Avondale neighborhood. I've checked various online phone directories and the listings don't seem to match the building images per Google.

Thanks

https://preview.redd.it/2tc489tf2e081.jpg?width=917&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dd80d34cfb3b63261484b678c2e2300b0d8b1931

Looking for any info regarding an old west loop building that is still standing today at 237 S. Halsted. It currently is an apartment bldg run by BJB but it used to be a transient hotel called the New Jackson Hotel up until 2013 or so when it was renovated. I found an old photo of it that still has the cornice carved with the name "BARWELL FARWELL HOUSE" barely visible. Simple search didn't return anything but I was wondering if anyone here knows the history or can point me to the resources to find out more about it.

Here's a link to the image: https://imgur.com/K9CHElz

I'm seeking a photo or portrait of my grandaunt Nathalie Trow Whiting (1877-1937), who lived in Chicago between 1930-1937.

Nathalie was a critically acclaimed professional guitarist, music teacher and radio performer on WTMJ Radio in Milwaukee before she appeared in the 1930 Chicago census. Nathalie received a custom guitar from the Larson Brothers called the "1933 Larson NTW Special" because of her large initials on the headstock. The guitar has been examined by historians who believe it was designed for Nathalie to perform before large audiences -- it's very similar to those created for WLS "National Barn Dance" cast members. In the picture shown here, my daughter and I had the opportunity to visit with the NTW guitar. It's small but surprisingly loud and resonant for its size. The NTW guitar also appears in a book devoted to the Larson Brothers' creations in the color photo section.

Several members of my family are named for Nathalie, and we have literally searched the world for just one photo of her. Nathalie's musical career began in northern Wisconsin in 1894, but she seemed to have put it on hold during two disastrous marriages to engineers whose work took them to many distant places, and the loss of two of her four children. Nathalie was "discovered" at the age of 50 when she became one of "Milwaukee's Favorite Broadcast Stars," which led to a 1929 teaching gig in Sheboygan before she settled in Chicago with her two sons. John Nininger Whiting (1897-1954), a civil engineer for The E.L. Abernathy Co., and Bud Lowe Whiting (1901-1953), a longtime editor at the Chicago Daily News.

We've exhausted the usual round of Chicago genealogical and historical societies, as well as the archives at libraries, museums, music conservatories and universities in our quest. We refuse to give up on our amazing ancestor, and any fresh ideas leading to a photo of Nathalie would be sincerely appreciated. Thanks for reading!

https://preview.redd.it/vlad23mtx8w71.jpg?width=526&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1142443cb60959449fd380128610d72c0a743414

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.7057812,-87.5425423,984m/data=!3m1!1e3

It's on the east bank of the Calumet River between 103rd and 106th. It looks abandoned, but who knows? I'd appreciate any info. It's research for a book.

Thanks!

CAN IT EVER COME TO LIFE AGAIN ?

what,s it all about ?