Chicago-Photo.com

Some More Flowers

A closer look at the beautiful flowers in the Merchandise Mart Plaza. (Does anyone know what kind of flowers are they?)

Some Flowers

A few flowers in the Merchandise Mart Plaza with a view towards the Loop.

Wells Bridge

The Wells St bridge over the Chicago River seen from the Merchandise Mart Plaza.

Wacker Dr

A segment of Wacker Dr (with its upper and lower levels) seen from the Merchandise Mart Plaza.

The Merchandise Mart Hall Of Fame Plaza

The Merchandise Mart Hall Of Fame Plaza with the eight bronze busts of Marshall Field (founder of Marshall Field and Co.), Edward A. Filene (president of William Filene and Sons Co.), George Huntington Hartford (founder of the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co.), Julius Rosenwald (president and chairman of the board of Sears, Roebuck and Co.), John R. Wannamaker (founder of John Wannamaker, Inc.), Aaron Montgomery Ward (founder of Montgomery Ward and Co.), Frank Winfield Woolworth (founder of F.W. Woolworth Co.), and Robert E. Wood (another president and chairman of the board of Sears, Roebuck and Co.).

Three US Flags

Three US Flags along the Chicago River. The one in the fore front is in the Merchandise Mart Hall of Fame Plaza. The other two are on buildings on the other side of the river along Wacker Dr.

The Merchandise Mart Hall Of Fame Placard

The Merchandise Mart Hall Of Fame Placard

333 W Wacker Dr

333 W Wacker Dr building seen from Merchandise Mart Plaza.

The Merchandise Mart

The Merchandise Mart seen from the Chicago River while on a boat tour of the city.

Merchandise Mart Facts

-the building occupies the entire block bounded by the Chicago River (on the North), Kinzie St (on the South), Orleans St (on the West) and Wells St (on the East);

- when it opened on May 5, 1930, the Mrchandise Mart was the largest building in the entire world;

- it was initially owned by the Marshall Field family;

- the building held the title of the largest building in the world in terms of floor space until 1943 when it was surpassed by the Pentagon

- from 1945 until 1998 the Mart was owned by the Kennedy family (Joseph P Kennedy Sr bought the building in 1948 for $12.5 million);

- the Merchandise Mart hosts an average of 20,000 visitors and tenants on a daily basis;