Chicago

[Dennis Markham]

I thought I'd post my 2c worth about Chicago.  Being that I'm in the Detroit area it's only a five hour drive by car.  I have visited the City on many occasions and really like it.  I've been there in both summer and at Christmas time.  It was a great place to visit at Christmas with all the stores and holiday lights.  It's been a few years so the economy may have slowed things down a bit.  I think F.A.O. Schwartz may have closed up since I just read they were purchased by Toys R Us and only kept the F.A.O. Schwartz name in New York and Vegas.

The most favorite thing I liked about going to Chicago was flying my small single engine airplane into Meigs field.  The airport was right on the shoreline near Navy Pier and within walking distance to downtown Chicago.  I could make this flight in just over an hour, have lunch and head back home again.  The City of Chicago (Mayor Daley) decided the airport would be better as a City Park and demolished it---literally in the middle of the night.  There had been a big fight between the he and general aviation groups once he had made his plans public.  After about two years of negotiations he agreed to leave the airport alone for at least five years and then reevaluate things after that time period.  We he didn't live up to his end of the deal and just a short time later he had the police block the entrances to the airport at midnight and brought in heavy equipment and literally demolished the place in the middle of the night.  Even the Federal Aviation Administration didn't know.  It had a control tower that closed at midnight so any instrument landings into there would have been handled by the larger airport controllers.  It was quite a deal but the bottom line is the airport is gone now.

Despite that of course, Chicago is a fun place to visit.  Just bring your wallet with you...it's expensive.

[Dan/Panther]

Dennis wrote;

"Despite that of course, Chicago is a fun place to visit.  Just bring your wallet with you...it's expensive."

I flew into Midawy in 2000 for the Graduation of my Son from Great Lakes Naval training Center.
After about 3 hours of Orange Line, Blue Line crap (having never used this type of transporation before, being from So. Cal.) I finally got onto the final train for Great Lakes.
I struck up a conversation with a local, and explained my plight, that I had walked down some very shaddy streets in my efforts to get to the proper train platform, at 5:00am still dark out, it was January, so you know it was cold, I was so hot from walking and stressing out, that I removed my jacket and was walking around in my shirt, with my jacket over my shoulder.
The guy said, "You walked alone at 5:00 am on the streets of Chicago by yourself, and figured out the rail system without help. He siad, YOU are a very lucky Man, by all rights you should have been mugged at least once and should be glad to be alive at all!
I was also carrying a very exspensive camera at the time although it was in my coat pocket.
D/P

[AET]

I thought all of your familiar with Chicago would enjoy a photo of my car I owned until about a year ago.

[mienaichizu]

I love the old building in Chicago, especially those buildings that pioneered skyscraper construction

[Tonyrotary]

Yes Chicago is awsome around Christmas time! I also remember how Daley demolished Meigs. I was active duty at the time at FT. Bragg but saw it on the news and my sisters told me how sneaky Daley was.

Expensive? Depends. Around downtown yes, as you get further out not so bad. Of course all the really cool stores are at the Loop so yep bring lots of money! I still miss living there from time to time, mostly around Christmas. Lets face it, hard to get into the Christmas cheer when it is 80 degrees outside in Hawaii. Of course don't miss the snow after that though. Amazing how heavy snow is shoveling it!

D/P, you were one lucky guy that night! Of course it is not as bad as some people say it is, but still gotta be careful.

[Steve]

He tore down Meigs in the middle of the night and planes were parked there! he violated a court order, then paid the fine with taxpayers money. did you guys hear about the new parking meter deal? it never ends. here is some good reading if anyone is interested...   http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-johnkass,0,5724822.columnist

[Steve]

Tom, is that a police interceptor model? good strong cars.

back in the 70's, it seemed everyone had one of the auctioned police cars. thats the inside joke in the Blues Brothers movie a friend of mine had an ex-detectives car (no markings) that never wanted to die!

I have a few photos of Chicago architecture, but we didn't have a digital camera till we moved to the burbs a couple years ago.

I will look through my photos on the pc, as I'm sure I have a few anyway.

[AET]

Sure is an interceptor model.  I bought the thing for 1900 bucks and it was a 2003.  Had a rough life before me, was a Chicago Squad car and then a Chicago Checker Cab, came to Wisconsin with me, slid into a trailer (icy driveway) and got backed into in the wal-mart parking lot.  Got my first speeding ticket in this car, just past my house (50 in a 35) my first car I ever got up to 130 and the first car I ever "parked" in.  Had some good times with this ride and have a million other stories.  Incuding she had cattle horns and a dukes of hazzard "Dixie" horn.

[Steve]

Here are a couple photos I ran across, these are from my old neighborhood. I have more if anyone is interested.

I am posting these particular ones as they are an art deco style.

I dont know how to do the linking to photos thing, so any Mods feel free to delete at any time if needed.

[HobieSport]

Thanks for the pictures, Steve.  I've never been to Chicago but I love that old neon Chop Suey sign!

[Steve]

Thanks for the pictures, Steve.  I've never been to Chicago but I love that old neon Chop Suey sign!

Heres another neon from a couple blocks away.

[Steve]

This was our neighborhood movie theater. it closed in the mid 80's. it looked good still when it closed, but 20 years of being boarded up have taken it's toll.

http://undercity.org/Chicago_UptownTheater_GALLERY/index.html

[Dennis Markham]

Steve, too bad some investor couldn't restore that theater.  It looks like some great architecture there.

[Steve]

It was a very cool place to go to see movies. I saw bruce springsteen there in the late 70's when they had concerts there. the aragon ballroom ( The Brawlroom) is around the corner on Lawrence. the green mill is 2 doors down from the Uptown theater. have you heard of the Green Mill? heres a news story that tells of the tunnels underneath the streets in uptown...

http://uptownhistory.compassrose.org/2007/10/tunnels-of-uptown-video-tour-with-fox.html

[Dan/Panther]

Anyone know who O'Hare field was named after, you might be surprised to find out the answer.
D/P