Did You Know, Chicago? The 'L'

Those were some crazy storms this morning!! The power has been going in and out all day, so today's 'Did You Know, Chicago' is going to be a short one.

I love the 'L.' I think it's because my goal growing up was to live in the city, and being on the 'L' is a sure fire reminder that I'm a Chicagoan. (For any non-Chicagoans reading this, the 'L' is the nickname for Chicago's elevated train system. Some of the train lines do go underground, but they're still called the 'L.')

As much as our transit system sucks, it has a great history:

The first EL train ran from Van Buren to 39th, and the car was actually a steam locomotive pulling four wooden coaches. I don't know about you, but that idea scares the crap out of me.

The elevated line under construction in 1896 on Lake Street in downtown Chicago. This view is looking west from Wabash Avenue. The "Loop" came to refer not only to the downtown elevated structure but also to the central business district. (Photo Courtesy of Chicago Historical Society)

Ever wonder why the downtown business district is called "The Loop?" It's because the 'L' trains make a giant circle around the area. The area considered to be "The Loop" has long since expanded outside of the track lines, but the name stuck.

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) didn't actual have control over the train system until the late 1940s. Before that, the system was controlled by the president of Chicago Edison, and before that each line was operated independently by various companies.

When the CTA took over, they created one fare system for the entire line. The CTA sold tokens, one per train ride, up until 1999 when they introduced the fare card. I kind of wish they still sold tokens because they are very cool looking.

Food for thoughts; the Chicago 'L'/subway system versus the Tokyo subway system. I guess we're not so bad after all:

Did You Know, Chicago? The Chicago Flood

We've all heard of the Chicago Fire, but have you heard of the Chicago Flood?

In 1992, construction crews working near the Kinzie Street Bridge punctured the ceiling on one of the abandoned tunnels under the Chicago River. It started leaking, but, in true Chicago fashion, nobody did anything about it.

After several weeks the leaking got worse and completely flooded the tunnels. The water rose so high that it flooded the basements of many downtown buildings. Electricity and natural gas was knocked out, and the entire Loop, Financial District, City Hall and even the subways, Board of Trade and Chicago Mercanitle Exchange were closed and evacuated.

The damage was estimated to cost about $1 billion. Some people didn't return to work for a month, and the subways were rerouted for weeks while water was pumped out of the tunnels. The flood cost the city even more money when the buildings and insurance companies sued.
What was really strange about the flood is that nobody was injured, and if you were standing on the street you would never know anything was wrong.

Even funnier: the city had absolutely no idea where the water was coming from until they started finding fish everywhere. 

Dehumidifiers snake out of DePaul University's Loop building at Jackson Boulevard and Wabash Avenue. The dehumidifiers were deployed to remove moisture from the air in the building's flooded basements. (Image and caption via the Chicago Tribune.)

The Great Chicago Flood of 1992 was an odd calamity that turned the Loop into a "soggy ghost town." It became an international news phenomenon, a joke for weeks on late-night talk shows and an item satirized by political cartoonists like the Chicago Tribune's Jeff MacNelly. (Image and caption via the Chicago Tribune.)

A passerby looks at a flood sale sign in a hand bag store at Wabash and Randolph Streets. Items in numerous downtown Chicago basements and sub-basements were damaged or destroyed due to the Great Chicago Flood.  (Image and caption via the Chicago Tribune.)

 

Did You Know, Chicago? - The Streets of Chicago

As a reverse commuter, I often find myself winding along the city streets in an effort to avoid massive traffic jams. I have become very curious about Chicago streets, and, thus, the streets are the topic for this week's 'Did You Know, Chicago?'.

Every wonder why, if Chicago is on the grid system, we have those really random and annoying angled streets? These streets were originally Native American trails, established even before this place was called Chicago. Clark Street follows part of the old Native American Green Bay trail. Lincoln Avenue was called Little Fort Road and was founded because it ran on a ridge over the giant marsh that used to be Chicago.

Lake Shore Drive is such a strange invention. Who shoves a three-lane freeway on the edge of a giant lake? Well, it was originally just supposed to be a cute lakefront path for the carriages of Chicago's high society, but when the auto age came around someone thought it was a good idea to put cars on it. The Drive has been extended and realigned a ton of times, but it's still a giant mess.

The triangular-shaped intersection of Ashland Avenue, Milwaukee Avenue and Divsion Street forms the Polonia Triangle, also known as the Polish Triangle. This used to be the center of Chicago's enormous Polish community. (Another fun fact: Chicago is home to the largest Polish community outside of Warsaw.)

Western Avenue is the longest street in Chicago, and one of the longest in the country. It's also one of the most dangerous streets for bicyclists.

In my opinion, Halsted is one of the most diverse streets in the city. From north to south you have Boystown, old Cabrini Green, Goose Island, Greek Town, Hull House, fancy West Loop restaurants, Taylor Street/Little Italy, Pilsen, Bridgeport, Englewood and all the way to Chicago Heights.  

Hope you weren't on Lake Shore during the Snowpocalypse! I was! Fortunately I got of Lake Shore about 20 minutes before they closed it down and made people abandon their cars.

Did You Know, Chicago? - The Everleigh Club

My favorite Chicago history book is called "Sin in the Second City," and it's about the Everleigh Club. Located in the Levee District (more about that another time), it was the most luxurious and famous brothel in Chicago history.

Now, I'm not trying to say prostitution is glamorous, but this place was as close as you could get. So glamorous that even the Prince of Prussia stopped by. And if you were going to be a prostitute, this was the place to work. The girls had to be at least 18 year, well read, pretty and undergo regular doctor exams. No drug use, and no forced labor.The clientele was extremely refined and wealthy, and the girls made a very nice salary. They lived in extremely decadent surroundings, making them more courtesans than prostitutes.

Even if you haven't heard of the Everleigh Club, you've most certainly heard a few references to it:

The term laid - as in "I just got laid" - came from the Everleigh Club. Gentlemen would joke about getting "Everleighed," which was eventually shortened to "leighed" and then spelled how we know it today.

Marshall Field Jr. died from a gunshot wound in 1905. While the accident was officially said to have happened at home, it's debated that he was shot by one of the Everleigh girls.

Have you ever heard the saying that champagne should be drunk from the slipper of a beautiful lady? When the King of Prussia was visiting the Everleigh Club, one of the girl's slippers flew off and spilled champagne. One of the members of the prince's entourage drank the champagne inside the slipper, and the trend stuck.

There's a new Everleigh Club in town, although this one is completely legal. The Everleigh Social Club was founded by the amazing Michelle L'amour and is an extension of Studio L'amour. This private club that celebrates the "Beautiful Life" and a new artistic movement called Cyprianism. The club puts on regular events like Naked Girls Reading, a monthly cocktail club and burlesque shows.

The Everleigh Club at 2131 - 2133 South Dearborn Street. Unfortunately, nothing remains of the building.

The Japanese Throne Room

Did you know, Chicago?

Happy 100th post to me! To celebrate, I've decided to let my geeky side shine through a little bit more with a new series. I love random Chicago facts, so every week I'll present  "Did you know,Chicago?" and give interesting tidbits about Chicago favorites. (Don't worry, I'm not going to tell you the square footage of the Merchandise Mart.)

I absolutely love Lincoln Park Zoo. It's beautiful, free and has great history. I researched the zoo a little bit last night, and I found out a few things you might find amusing:

The zoo made its first animal purchase in 1874: a bear cub for $10. The bear pit was built in 1879, but the bears learned how to climb out and would regularly roam the zoo at night.

The original sea lion house was built in 1889, but the 18 sea lions were moved in before it was completed. They all escaped and 17 were found in a Clark Street restaurant. The missing sea lion dove into Lake Michigan and was never seen again.

When Judy the elephant refused to board the train to be taken from Brookfield Zoo to Lincoln Park Zoo in 1943, she had to be walked the whole way.

Lincoln Park sea lion cave, 1908

Crowd at the Lincoln Park sea lion cave, circa 1910