14 Dec kodachromatic jounery chronicling the death of adler & sullivan’s chicago stock exchange building in 1972

detail of chicago stock exchange trading room main truss stencil and monogrammed plaster discovered shortly after the false ceilings were removed by john vinci, richard nickel, and others assigned to dismantle ornament from the room. note the dust-covered mazda light bulbs (likely dating to the depression, when the room was converted into a bank by frost and granger) and soiled canvas and plaster.

the following images offer a rare glimpse at the chicago stock exchange building’s untimely demise through john vinci’s kodachromatic journey focusing on deconstruction of the 1895 trading room, extraction of exterior terra cotta ornament, and the final days of demolition.

three images of the chicago stock exchange building’s exterior terra cotta cornice and segmented columns with elaborate capitals 

the last group of images were taken by vinci shortly after richard nickel went missing (last seen entering the wrecking site) in early april of 1971. a briefcase used to transport salvaged ornament, rope, and an extra hard hat (left for tim samuelson) were found after vinci and friends spent days looking for him within the ruins. nickel was killed instantly when the trading room gave way, sending his lifeless body deep into the building’s sub-basement where it rested for nearly a month before being discovered by a machine operator. this group of images – shot in color using a 500c hasselblad – offer an important visual record of the building’s last days of  existence before the site was cleared to make way for the 30 north lasalle building.