Chicago-Photo.com

At midnight on Friday, July 30, 1971…

…after several decades of decline, Chicago Union Stock Yards were closed.

The first Playboy Club…

…opened in Chicago in 1960.

By age…

…The El is the second oldest rapid transit system in the United States after Boston.

Marshall Field…

…at 111 N State St officially became “Macy’s On State St” on September 9, 2006.

Chicago Temple Building Facts

- exact address: 77 W Washington, Chicago, IL 60602;

- the building is a 173 meters (568 feet) tall skyscraper church home to First United Methodist Church of Chicago;

- completed in 1923 it was the tallest building in Chicago until 1930 when it was surpassed by the Chicago Board of Trade;

- the Sky Chapel (the smallest of the church’s 3 sanctuaries, situated below the steeple with seating for 30 people) was installed in 1952. It was a gift from Myrtle Walgreen in memory of her husband who founded the drugstore chain with their name (Walgreens)

Rail service begins…

…on the Dan Ryan Expressway median in 1969. A Chicago innovation, expressway/freeway median rail service is now used in cities all over the world.

Ernie Banks…

…Chicago Cubs’ first black player was signed in 1953.

In 1946…

…the Wrigley Building became the first office building to be air conditioned.

The world’s largest…

…cookies and crackers factory, Nabisco is located in Chicago at 7300 S Kedzie Ave.

The first fireproof hotel ever…

…to be constructed was the new Palmer House which opened in 1875 to replace the one destroyed by the Great Chicago Fire.

The soap opera phenomenon…

…started in Chicago in 1949. “These Are All My Children”, the first day time TV soap opera was produced and broadcast live from Chicago’s NBC studios.

Aqua Facts

- an 82 story mixed use skyscraper in Lakeshore East development;

- Aqua is, by this date, the largest project awarded to an American architectural firm headed by a woman: Jeanne Gang;

- the building will be the first one in Downtown Chicago to combine condos, apartments and a hotel;

- some of the balconies stretch out as much as 12 feet (3.7 meters) providing a wave-like facade to the building; this, of course, was intentionally designed; this together with the name Aqua were chosen to reflect the building’s location next to Lake Michigan.

Hull House…

…a settlement for the poor population of Chicago, opened in 1889 under the direction of Jane Adams and Ellen Gates Starr. (Jane Adams Hull House Association web site)

The Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier…

…was erected in 1995 after the renovation of the pier. It stands 148 feet tall and is a replica of the original wheel that was built for the World’s Columbian Exposition. (The Ferris Wheel at Night)

The costs of the Sears Tower…

…were financed entirely by Sears, Roebuck and Co. (approximately $175 million which in 2005 would have meant $950 million).

The first Marshall Field Clock…

…was installed on November 26, 1897 at the corner of Washington St and State St. It weighs about 7.75 tons.

A massive sculpture by…

…Pablo Picasso was installed in the Civic Plaza outside the Richard J. Daley Center, also known as the Daley Plaza in 1967. The plaza and the center are between Washington St (on the South), Randolph St (on the North), Dearborn St (on the East) and Clark St (on the West).

Dan Goodwin climbed both…

…the Sears Tower and the John Hancock Center in 1981.

Harold Washington Library Center…

…was opened in 1991 at 400 S State St (NW corner of State St and Congress Pkwy). It was named after former Chicago Mayor Harold Washington.

The Chicago Auditorium…

…opened on December 9, 1889 with a performance by Adelina Patti in front of an audience that included President Harrison.