30 May photographic record of 19th century chicago tugboat operator’s building during its demolition

tugboat operator james higgie’s commercial block was destroyed nearly three years ago. a virtual scrapbook, in the form of images and brief captions provided below, ensure the building and its owner aren’t forgotten.

i spent months documenting its destruction and salvaging some of the terra cotta ornament, executed by the northwestern terra cotta company, chicago, ills.

i recall the ornament having an unusual slip glaze and a sizable amount of grog in the mixture. the cavities or webbing had an unusual configuration – more akin to what i have seen in early winkle terra cotta (their plant was located in st. louis). 

december 3rd, 2017:

i made a quick visit to a building built for j.l. higgie in 1886 before returning to congress. the building’s architect was f.b. townsend.
higgie was in the tugboat business during the 1880’s. the building contains two red slip terra cotta name plaques, bearing his name.
the early terra cotta ornament was fabricated by northwestern. i hope to salvage them this week when i get onsite.

december 4th, 2017:

my interest in mr. j.l. higgie, who served as president of the vessel owners’ towing company in the 1880’s, continues to grow as i document the death of the building bearing his name. images of the demolition site – taken in the early afternoon – are posted below.
i’m working with heneghan to try and salvage the name plaques. it could be a costly endeavour, but i would be deeply saddened if the terra cotta was destroyed. the plaques belong in a museum in my humble opinion.

december 10th, 2017:

in the next few days the building built for 19th century tugboat owner and real estate developer james i. higgie will be gone. built around 1886, the building contained the offices of the higgie brothers on the first floor and rental units on the top two floors.
i’m going to try my best to save the red slip glaze terra cotta name plaques and ornamental rosettes fabricated by the union iron works of chicago. i have an 1886 union catalog with this “stock” pattern offered in various sizes.

december 14th, 2017:

note the emergence of cook county hospital as higgie recedes. demolition is drawing to a close.

december 15, 2017:

when a wall from the higgie building came crashing down, several newspaper fragments (likely used as insulation) were found among the dust and debris.

december 16, 2017:

the last days of james higgie’s 19th century commercial block. the tugboat captain’s building will live on through images and ornament. more to follow.

december 17th, 2017:

salvaging the james higgie building terra cotta name plaques in their entirety was not an option when i entered the picture. thankfully, pat heneghan agreed to let me recover any and all fragments from the rubble after i offered money. what can i say, i was desperate…
given the amount of time i spent there documenting the building’s death, i couldn’t bear to see the name plaques being hauled off to the landfill. i knew the clam bucket would break the terra cotta apart (each sign measures 8′ x 16″), so i prepared to recover as many fragments as possible with the hopes i could reassemble at least one plaque.
i might look foolish, but i could care less. the early red slip terra cotta blocks are very important, both in terms of historic narrative or context and the materials and methods used in their fabrication.

december 20th, 2017:

demolished james higgie building survives through images and ornament.