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 …
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 …
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 …