A Hidden Chicago Museum: Pritzker Military Library
Chicago has tons of incredible museums. Tourists flood the big ones on a daily basis. But Chicago has so many museums to offer beyond the goliaths at Museum Campus. Last month, with the Chicago Tour-Guide Professionals Association, I got to take a guided tour of a lesser-known Chicago museum, the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. It’s […]
Chicago at Night and History of the Planetarium
In Chicago at night, reference to the sky is most often for the architecture of the skyline and the lights. I must confess, the skyline of Chicago at night is one of my favorite sights in all the world. Chicago’s skyline, however, overshadows the sky itself. So let’s set the buildings aside a moment to […]
Where to Stay in Chicago: Historic Hotels
Often on our architectural walking tours, locals and tourists alike will ask me about the best Chicago hotels. Being a Chicago native, I cannot recommend from experience. Instead, I recommend from history. Here are some of the best historic hotels in Chicago. There where I would stay if given the excuse. Maybe the Most Legendary […]
Three Cool Events In Architecture and History This Week
In this week’s January list of events in architecture and history in Chicago, we highlight an exhibit of found and archival photography from around the world, a screening of amateur and industrial Chicago films, and a conversation on social issues in postwar Chicago. 1. Archive State, Museum of Contemporary Photography PANEL DISCUSSION – Tuesday, January 28th – […]
Chicago Craft Beer History
Some cool beer festivals are coming up this winter. So before we talk about the party, let’s talk about the brew. There are over 60 microbreweries, nanobreweries, and brewpubs around town. Considering that, its hard to believe that less than a decade ago Chicago had only a handful of local breweries. For one, Chicago has […]
Da Bears, Part 2: Pop Culture Chicago Bears Football History
Here we are nearing the end of the Chicago Bears football season. So let’s dig into a little Chicago Bears football history and architecture of football in Chicago, though I’m not exactly a very sporty girl. In Part 1 of this two-part post, we went into the history of the Chicago Bears as a football team. For […]
Chicago Native American History for Thanksgiving
Our national holiday, Thanksgiving, reminds me of the Native American history in Chicago. Native Americans, of course, were the first settlers in this region. In school we don’t learn much about Native American history beyond Thanksgiving. But in Chicago there is much more to Native American influence on the city, beginning with its name. What’s in a Name? […]
Five Reasons to Visit Spooky Chicago Cemeteries
As we lead up to my favorite holiday, Halloween, it seems fitting to talk about the many Chicago cemeteries. Let’s ponder on some cool reasons for going to visit Chicago cemeteries. Technically, some of the best Chicago cemeteries are just outside the borders of the city. All cemeteries were transferred beyond the city limits in […]
Walking Tours of Chicago Questions Answered
We give walking tours of Chicago almost daily to locals and tourists alike. One of the many perks of my job as a tour guide is meeting so many curious people. Encouraging questions as much as we do means getting stumped every once in a while. Here are answers to some of those questions. Is […]
Chicago’s Innovation with Corten Steel
Let’s focus on a seemingly mundane material for a moment – corten steel. A guy named Mark Kurlansky has gotten really into telling history through a mundane commodity, food, or event. He wrote Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World in 1997 and Salt: A World History in 2002. So why not […]