Chicago

John G. Shedd Aquarium

It was December of 1923 when Chicago learned that it would be getting an aquarium. A rumor leaked that John G. Shedd was going to donate two million dollars for that purpose, and John was known as a pretty generous guy. He’d contributed six figures to the Young Men’s Christian Association, gave $50,000 to the …

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London Guarantee & Accident Building (LondonHouse Hotel)

LondonHouse as it looked in 1950

he south side of the Chicago River at Michigan Avenue, where Fort Dearborn used to be, is one of the most well-marked spots in the city. There are brass rectangles that say “Site of Fort Dearborn.” On the northwest corner of the intersection, near the bridge tower, is a plaque letting you know the fort …

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Chicago: the Origin Story

It’s hard to imagine Chicago as less than a destination. She’s the kind of city that walks into a room and everybody stops whatever they’re doing. She’s talented, riotous, at times beautifully serene, and at others, ear-splittingly chaotic. But up until the mid-1800s, she was more often than not a portage to somewhere else. For …

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