given that i've compiled nearly 2000 blog posts over the past four years, i've decided to begin arranging them up by subject matter, which in turn, may lead to "chapters" for a book on the arcane and greatly overlooked facets of chicago history i find...
a collection of recently digitized original 19th and early 20th century rare and seldom found chicago-based building trade catalogs housed on the bldg. 51 museum archive. in addition to catalogs, i've included a few salesman samples, post cards and other related ephemera. when time permits,...
the last installment of images documenting the final days of the former f. hyman & company commerical building (1884) located at 1329 n. clybourn avenue. i was drawn to this building early on because of its unusual transistional facade comprised largely of lemont limestone (often...
detailed photographic study of the frederick pabst mansion's ornamental buff-colored exterior terra cotta designed by george bowman ferry and executed by the northerwestern terra cotta company in 1892. the pabst mansion is a flemish renaissance revival-styled house built by the architectural firm of ferry and class...
the following image gallery offers a glimpse at the latest american architectural artifacts added to the ever-expanding urban remains virtual catalog (over 75,000 items digitized/cataloged over the past 16 years). the newly acquired items for the month of MARCH, 2022, have been documented, cleaned/refinished (if...
a photographic survey (work in progress) of pre-and post-fire chicago wood-framed and masonry houses in and around old town. some exemplary examples of wood-framed cottages built shortly after the great chicago fire of 1871 were built using materials and plans offered chicago relief and aid...
images of louis sullivan's farmers' and merchants' bank building (1919) located in columbus, wisc. i spent most of my time photo-documenting the lavishly ornamented pale green terra cotta modeled by schneider and executed by american terra cotta. ...
louis sullivan's schlesinger and meyer building (1899) underwent major renovations during the depression, including, but not limited to, installation of escalators, enclosed art deco style elevators, foundation stabilization and staircase alterations/removal, original sullivan and/or george grant elmslie-designed elements (e.g., copper-plated open-elevator cages accentuated with cartouches,...
after a week of wrecking, an 1880s five-story commerical building, located at 1329 n. clybourn avenue, has been reduced to a pile of rubble enclosed within a masonry shell. the building's transistional facade is rather unusual, in that its comprised largely of lemont limestone (often...
the following posts (listed chronologically) offers a virtual guide through my thoroughly methodical and exhaustive efforts documenting chicago's historic extant congress theater (1926), from the moment i stepped foot into the theater's lobby, to the publication of the book "lost and found," which focuses on...
while compiling a list of the most frequently found artifacts and/or bottles i have dug in the backyards of hundreds of chicago residences and commercial blocks, including the "e-z" stove polish bottle, i quickly made the connection between this seemingly inconspicuous bottle and the amazingly rich...
the five- story tyler and hippach mirror company factory building (1902) is set for demolition in the spring of 2022. a fence was erected around the building shortly after its last occupant, the wm. j. cassidy tire company, moved out. the original wood sash windows...
a richly ornamented single-sided treat and foltz-designed exteiror building cast iron column capital fragment is one of several new acquisitions made for the bldg. 51 museum over the past two months. the historically important and meticulously restored cast iron ornament is comprised of uniquely designed...
photogrpahic survey of louis h. sullivan's peoples savings and loan association bank building (1917-18) located in sydney, oh. the terra cotta ornament was modeled by kristian schneider for the american terra cotta company, crystal lake, ills. the mosaics where designed and installed by louis j....
richard nickel images of burnham and root’s first regiment armory building (1891) during its demolition in 1967. as I sidenote, i need to create a future post including john vinci’s kodachrome slides, which were taken at the same time when both were documenting the armory’s...
latest images of home building association bank building's east facade. the "old home" was designed by louis sullivan in 1914. the ornamental terra cotta was modeled by kristian schneider and executed by the american terra cotta company, chicago, ills. the richly colored tiled mosaic panel (one of...
the non-extant michael reese hospital was erected in south side chicago, on the site where the city's first hospital was constructed in 1880. the newly completed building was dedicated with appropriate ceremonies on june 16th, 1907, having been built at a cost of nearly one...
the 1918 ring-bound national x-ray reflector and light fixture catalog (comprised of three distinct product lines and several typed pages listing buildings across the country where their lighting systems were installed) has been fully digitized. catalog description: completely intact...
the following images feature important architectural ornament, artifacts, objects and ephemera recently added and/or digitized to the bldg. 51 museum collection and archive. highlights include a benjamin lindauer house terra cotta chimney panel, elmslie and purcell letterhead, and interior la salle hotel rookwood faience winged cherub. ...
excuse the half-assed brain dump...