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Newsletters 1999

Winter 1998-1999

Spring/Summer 1999

Winter 1999-2000

Volume 20, Number 4 1998-1999 Edition

Hyde Park Houses: An Enduring Gift Twenty Years Later from Jean F Block

Written by Steven Treffman

Twenty years have passed since The University of Chicago Press published the lace Jean Friedberg Block's groundbreaking Hyde Park Houses: An

Informal History, 1856-1910 in the Fall of 1978. It is as

well, the tenth anniversary of her death.This presents an opportunity to look back at the significance of this book and at Jean Block's life.

When introduced to the public, Hyde Park Houses was characterized by its publisher, on one hand, as a "detailed architectural history of Hyde Park's first fifty years" and, on the other, as "a charming and informative guide to the historical domestic architecture of one of Chicago's oldest

neighborhoods." Thar these are not guire the same things may have reflected some difficulty on the part of this world-class academic press about just how to characterize the book. In fact, it was the first book of its type ever published by the UC Press. The book consists of four distinct sections: first, a general history, with illustrations and maps, of the development and evolution of nineteenth century Hyde Park-Kenwood; second, photographs by Samuel W. Block Jr. of seventy-six houses as they appeared in 1978, accompanied by a contemporary map showing their locations; third, in an appendix, biographical notes on more than forty architects along with listings of their Hyde Park buildings; and fourth, in a second appendix, a checklist of over nine hundred dwellings in Hyde Park and, where known, their architects and the names and occupations of their original owners organized by streets and street numbers. The book concludes with a bibliographic essay that reflects the wide and unusual range of sources she used and remains instructive to this day.

The book, which had a printing of 10,000 copies, was well-received and found wide distribution.

Currently it may be found in at lease fifty-five academic, state, and municipal libraries in Illinois alone and may be found in many major libraries throughout the United States. Several years ago, the Hyde Park Historical Society gave copies of the book to public schools in the community and also maintains a copy in its headguarcer's library. The Blackstone Library catalog lists eight copies in its collection and The University of Chicago's Regenstein Library has copies at several locations.

As a guide to histori chomes in Hyde Park and Kenwood, it was to many a revelation of the rich and accessible architectural history chat existed throughout the community. There simply had never been any publication on Hyde Park quire like it before. Familiar old houses now had names and daces attached to chem: they had their own histories. In addition, for the first time and for an audience beyond local boundaries, a general history of Hyde Park now existed that provided a narrative context not only co the houses but to the community in which they stood. It is chat which transformed Hyde Park Houses from what might otherwise have been viewed only as a guidebook into something more substantial and, as well, historic in its own right.

The publication of Hyde Park Houses in 1978 may be

viewed something of an unofficial proclamation of the end of the great period of urban renewal in Hyde Park. Beginning around 1950, local forces frorri religious institutions, The University of Chicago, community

• organizations and political activists drew together co hale the physical deterioration of the community's housing stock, revitalize its infrastructure and establish a more inclusive and constructive social situation. The long years of economic depression and war had stifled new construction in Hyde Park and a combination of housing shortages, social conflict, discrimination, and population changes appeared co threaten the viability of the entire community. The result, funded in part by federal grants, was the demolition, during the 1950s and 1960s, of large areas of residential and commercial property in Hyde Park and, perhaps co a somewhat lesser extent, in Kenwood.

Visitors to our exhibition of Vi Fogel Uretz' paintings and her slide presentations on urban renewal in Hyde Park at our headquarters in the 1995-96 season could only marvel at the images of sheer physical destruction that she recorded. It was almost as if the ravages of war in distant lands chat had been seen only in newsreels and magazines had somehow, incredibly, been visited upon Hyde Park. While the resulting new development was lauded nationally as a remarkable achievement in urban revitalization through federal and local partnership, the human impact was substantial.

Several hundred small businesses were affected. Many of

them simply closed while ochers scrambled to find new locations in Hyde Park or left the community. Some residents, by choice or by circumstance, found homes elsewhere in Chicago or fled the city entirely and moved co the suburbs.

Forthose HydeParkerswho remained,thoughbuoyedbyhope, idealismand determination, as thesmall shops, grocery stores,restaurants,houses,hotels,apartmentbuildings,houses of worship,theaters,gasstations and garages, eventhepost office andthepolicestationthathadbeen so much a partof thelandscape oftheirlivesdisappeared;theywereleftonlywith memories of what had been. Whether or nor one favored the course and effects of urban renewal, the changes it wrought were, for many people, undeniably painful and, for some, accompanied by a sense of loss chat only mellowed over the years. It is no surprise chat Vi Urecz' talks in 1995 and 1996 were to standing room crowds.

What Jean's book did, in effect, was to celebrate chat portion of Hyde Park-Kenwood that had survived the tumult. That success could be attributed co the combined efforts of a range of community institutions, a mobilized citizenry, enlightened political leadership and investments of large amounts of time, effort and, especially, money, government and private, in the community. Although Jean alludes only briefly to these developments in the preface, an important aspect of the philosophy that propelled Hyde Park's urban renewal effort does make its way into the text. At one point, in describing the emergence of activist

community organizations at the turn of the century, she writes (page 70): "Protection, improvement, betterment-the words imply that the community was less than perfect, and yet they also carry with them the implication that its citizens believed in their own power co affect the physical and moral conditions of life." That underlying subtext, the connection between the long-past and the then-immediate past, spoke co anyone familiar with--or who had lived through Hyde Park history during the third quarter of this century.

Also reflected in the book was the emergence of new attitudes regarding the preservation of older buildings. During the most intense period of urban renewal, postwar modernism dominated new construction design and older buildings were either physically eliminated or cast almost into a fashion shadow. In time, however, the idea of respecting and rehabilitating older housing designs and forms became a compelling value in the minds of many residents and homebuyers. Older homes and apartment buildings, they decided, had an aura and meaning worth nurturing. While this development was not unique to Hyde Park-Kenwood, of course, Hyde Parkers were among chose who played pioneering roles in that process here in Chicago.

Recently, a letter from long-time Hyde Parker Richard Orlikoff appeared in our local newspaper, The Herald (December 9, 1998). In the letter, he claims that the oft-quoted comment about Hyde Park and urban renewal that entertainers Elaine May and Mike Nichols made famous, originally had been his: "Here we stand, black and white, shoulder to shoulder against the poor." Oversimplification or not, the line reminds us that there were winners and losers in the urban renewal process. It does not at all detract from the achievement that Hyde Park Houses represents to note that the houses chat appear within it belonged co many of the winners.

Houses and the HPHS

The idea of a local historical society was not new in Hyde Park but Jean's book played a role in helping to actually establish one. The Old Settler's Club existed for awhile in the early part of this century, apparently until the old settlers were no more. In 1939, on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the annexation of Hyde Park to Chicago, Paul Cornell's niece, Alice Manning Dickey, an active participant in the event, publicly urged establishment of an historical society in the community. World War II and its concerns intervened, however, and the proposal did not progress. The vision was reborn, however, in the mid-1970s by resident Clyde Watkins who engaged Jean and Muriel Beadle in the project at its very earliest stages and then drew other prominent and committed residents into the planning and fundraising that led to t'he founding in 1977 of the Hyde Park Historical Society and its installation in our current headquarters on Lake Park Avenue.

Aside from Jean's personal involvement with the

HPHS, her book presented the tableau of a community whose history was worth remembering and, thus, bolstered the attempt to do so through an actual organization. Sensing the legitimacy and impetus the book would provide their organizing efforts, writers in early issues of the Society's newsletter expressed eager anticipation of the book's publication. After it appeared, the book quickly became the standard history of early Hyde Park and the starting point for anyone interested in studying the development of the community. The society stocked copies for sale to the public. Finally, and this cannot be overstated, the essential work that Jean Block did to produce her book made it possible for others not only to expand upon what she found but to strike out into other areas of research.

If Hyde Park Houses hadn't been written, we might still be bogged down in trying to uncover and connect the materials and details Jean spent at least three years of her life determinedly cracking down. There are local historical societies and community groups elsewhere, both near and distant from Hyde Park, caught in precisely that situation today.

Beyond the local community, Hyde Park Houses found its place in very respectable company. In the book's introduction, the distinguished historian Kenneth T. Jackson placed it within "the new urban history," a still emerging body of literature chat examines local or neighborhood history as a way to understand or illuminate larger issues in the development of

America's cities. The book appeared at a time when "documenting the built environment" was a clarion call among preservatists. Jean was conducting research that almost directly responded to needs articulated in such prominent publications as, for instance, The National Trust for Historical Preservation's America's Forgotten Architecture (New York, 1976). Since then, Hyde Park Houses has earned its way into the footnotes and bibliographies of a wide range of books and articles published by writers not only on local history but, as well, on various aspects of architectural, Chicago, and general urban history. Indeed, its seeming awkwardness, that segmentation of its parts, has provided hooks for researchers coming at topics from varying angles and allowed them to use the book in different ways. This book which, Jackson noted, used "neither the methodology nor the jargon of the academic profession" (something that troubled some professors on the Press' editorial board), has, nonetheless, served that profession-and other intelligent readers-well.

Hyde Park-Kenwood is not an ancestor-worshipping community. When I began to look into its past, I found few letters, diaries, or books annotating or commemorating it. Its first public buildings-the town hall, the churches, the public school, the original Illinois Central stations-have long since disappeared. But we do have the houses. They are the material remains of the early culture of the first fifty years ... They are the tale and signature of the past, unwittingly bequeathed by their owners and builders. Jean Block, in her preface to Hyde Park Houses

Who Was Jean Block?

Jean was identified in the book and accompanying promotional materials only as the president of Midway Editorial Research and a lifelong resident of Hyde Park. Samuel W. BlockJr., the book's contributing photographer, receives only an expression of gratitude for his photographs in Jean's preface, but no direct information about him appears anywhere in the text, on the flyleaf or on any of the promotional material. How much of this reflected Jean's choice or a university publisher's uncertainty about how to present a non academic author, an independent scholar, is difficult to assess. Looking back, however, one can only conclude that it was hardly adequate.

The inner workings of much of Hyde Park's history is women's history in the sense of the leadership, service and commitment women have given to o'ur local educational, charitable, religious, cultural, recreational, business and political history. A major problem in recalling women's history, however, is that so much of it has tended to be carried out quietly, unrecognized, unrecorded and neglected. One of Jean's important contributions in Hyde Park Houses is her documentation of some of the social and cultural activities that women organized and sustained in early Hyde Park-Kenwood history.

Jean Block's life, a life of service, was part of this local history and she was active in a variety of community organizations. She was a board member of The University of Chicago Laboratory School's Parents Association, serving a term as its president, and co edited its newsletter with Ruth Grodzin. She was one the voices in favor of greater democratization within the University Colony Club and actively supported the Hyde Park Neighborhood Club, Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference, the Fortnightly Club and International House. She volunteered as a research associate at Regenstein Library. Already noted was her role in the founding of the Hyde Park Historical

Society and its early success. She served not only as one of our early presidents but also organized our archives and negotiated its home at Regenstein Library. She was also a member of K.A.M. Isaiah Israel Congregation.

Since Jean has been described as a more behind the scenes type of person, the full extent of her community involvement-her public life, aside from her publications-has been difficult to document and is here almost certainly incompletely reported. That is a problem not just in Jean's case but, as well, for many other women throughout this community's history who have found or created roles for themselves in the community beyond the family. In that process they have devoted much of their lives to giving texture to our community's history, articulating its moral and ethical issues, and making this neighborhood, through all its years and its changes, a better and more vibrant place in which to live. Rendering that history remains a challenge.

It is instructive to examine Jean Block's life and

family history, not only because it provides some background about her but also because it has a rough similarity to the stories of other accomplished Hyde Park families. There is inspiration, too, because, as one soon learns, Jean was a very sturdy human being. Jean's grandfather on her father's side, Cass Friedberg (1848- 1924), came to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from Kovnos, Lithuania in 1861 at the age of 13. He outfitted himself as a peddler and worked his way west to Kansas. He opened a successful dry goods store in El Dorado, Kansas in the 1880s, but closed it in 1900 to become president of a wholesale bedding company in Leavenworth, Kansas. In 1875 Cass married Laura Abeles (1853-1882), born in Leavenworth, Kansas to Simon and Amalia Abeles. Cass and Laura Friedberg had three children, one of whom, ultimately Jean's father, was born in 1875 in Chicago and given the name Selig. Later, he would take the last name of Abraham Lincoln's Secretary of War as his first name, Stanton.

Simon Abeles, Jean's great-grandfather on her mother's side, was born in Bohemia in 1817. His father had been a rabbi and his mother the daughter of one.

Simon, literate in both Hebrew and German, had started out as a teacher of Hebrew and the Talmud but in 1837 found employment as craftman of violin strings. He decided to start life anew in the United States, however, and immigrated to St. Louis in 1840. He ultimately settled in Leavenworth, Kansas and became a successful clothing merchant, founder of a bank and real estate investor. He died in 1890. Stanton Freidberg, Sr., Jean's father, grew up in Leavenworth, Kansas, where his family had returned after his birth, and attended its public schools. His higher education began with a year of study at the University of Michigan but, having decided to become a physician, he returned to Chicago in 1893 to attend Rush Medical School from which he graduated in 1897. He became an ear, nose and throat specialist of national reputation. He invented a number of specialized instruments, one of which facilitated the extraction of diaper pins from infant throats and was the first to remove tonsils and adenoids as a measure

to cure diphtheria bacillus carriers. He served and taught at several Chicago hospitals and medical schools including German Hospital, Rush Medical College, Anna W. Durand Hospital, Presbyterian Hospital (its first Jewish physician), and Cook County Hospital. He joined the staff of the latter in 1903, became attending otolaryngologist there by civil service examination in 1906, and was, from 1913 to 1919, chief surgeon in that hospital's department. The year 1906 also marked the date of his marriage to Aline Liebman (1886-1954), the daughter of Louis and Henrietta Liebman of Schreveport, Louisiana where her father was a prosperous merchant. They met while she was visiting relatives in Chicago.

Jean Friedberg--our Jean-was born in Chicago on June 12, 1912 to Stanton and Aline and was the second of three children. She had an older brother, Stanton A.,Jr. (1908-1997), who, as an adult, also became a prominent Chicago otolaryngologist, and a younger sister, Louise Friedberg Strouse (b. 1915 ), who now lives in California.

In 1912 the family resided at 4907 S. Washington Park Court, a short street a block from Grand Boulevard, now King Drive. Dr. Friedberg served as a medical officer during World War I but only eight months after returning to Chicago to resume his practice, he died in 1920, age 45, of a mastoid infection. Jean was eight years old.

During the 1920s, Aline Friedberg and her children lived at 5816 S. Blackstone. Adolf Kramer, Jean's uncle (he was married to Stanton Friedberg, Sr.'s sister Rachel) and founding partner of the real estate firm of Draper and Kramer, provided assistance to Aline and her three children. The children obtained their elementary and secondary education at the Laboratory Schools of The University of Chicago. Jean graduated from Vassar College in 1934, returned to Chicago and taught at the Francis Parker School until her marriage.

On November 7, 1940, Jean married Samuel Westheimer Block, born in St. Joseph, Missouri on February 14, 1911, the son of one of the owners of Block Brothers, a prosperous dry-goods store. Samuel had what could only be termed an elite education and prestigious career, then or now. He graduated from the Worcester (Massachusetts) Academy in 1929, obtained his A.B. from Yale University in 1933 and received

his LLB. fromHarvardUniversity's Law Schoolin1936.He cameto Chicago,was admittedto theIllinoisBar in1936 andjoineda law firmwhichevolved ultimatelyintoJennerandBlock.During World War II, he served as a member of the U.S. Army, rising to the rank of captain. After the war Jean and Samuel made their home at 5719 S. Blackstone.

He became a partner in his law firm in 1948. Throughout his career Samuel was active in pro bono work, particularly in the area of civil rights. In addition to sitting on several corporate boards, he was a board member and officer of the Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center, the Hyde Park Neighborhood Club, the Faulkner School, and the Community Music Program, sponsors of the Merit Music program. Samuel died suddenly in 1970 at the age of 59. Jean was 58.

In the almost two decades before Hyde Park Houses

appeared, Jean labored at honing her skills as writer. Her work on the Lab School parent's newsletter provided one such opportunity. She also enrolled in The University of Chicago and, in 1963; was awarded a master of arts degree in the Humanities. Jean was then 51. That same year Jean with Ruth Grodzins, Ruth Goetz and Elaine Halperin, formed Midwest Editorial Research. It provided university faculty, graduate students, business and civic leaders and organizations assistance in editing or developing printed materials and speeches. The partnership wound down when some of the partners moved out of town or took other jobs. Jean then turned her attention more directly to architectural research. Jean also took a course on writing while actually working on Hyde Park Houses. That the book, which was published when Jean was 66, is as gracefully written as it is was not an accident.

Samuel W. Block, Jr., the photographer for Hyde Park Houses, was the eldest of Jean and Samuel Block's three children. He was born May 2, 1943 in Dayton, Ohio, where his parents lived briefly. As did his younger sister, Elizabeth, and brother, Michael, he underwent his primary and secondary education at the Laboratory Schools of The University of Chicago. He received a B.A. from Knox College in 1964 and later completed a two year program in photography at Chicago's Columbia College. Described as brilliant even by persons not in the family, Sam was an early student of computer applications for business. During the 1970s he was employed by a large meat refrigeration warehouse company for which he wrote a complex and pioneering spreadsheet program that linked financial, storage and processing variables for management and audit purposes.

Photography,though,remained Samuel'sfirst love.Hiscameraofchoicewasatripod-basedlargeformat4x5" Burke and James (Chicago) View camerathatrequiredphotographicplates(ratherthanrollfilm)andtheuse of a black clothhoodby thephotographer.AlthoughhisseeminglystraightforwardphotographsinHydeParkHousesseemintunewiththe"informal World War II, he served as a member of the U.S. Army, rising to the rank of captain. After the war Jean and Samuel made their home at 5719 S. Blackstone.

In the almost two decades before Hyde Park Houses

Photography,though,remained Samuel'sfirst love.Hiscameraofchoicewasatripod-basedlargeformat4x5" Burke and James (Chicago) View camerathatrequiredphotographicplates(ratherthanrollfilm)andtheuse of a black clothhoodby thephotographer.AlthoughhisseeminglystraightforwardphotographsinHydeParkHousesseemintunewiththe"informal nature of the book (e.g., some include automobiles parked on the street), in fact, like the rest of Jean's book, the photographs were carefully planned. Samuel and Jean selected times of the year when foliage did not obscure views of the houses and natural lighting could be optimized to help strengthen the images.

During the 1970s, Samuel moved to the Near West side of Chicago where he had purchased a duplex for renovation. On June 11, 1982, as he was alighting from his automobile near his workplace on Pershing Road, he was struck by a passing car and suffered severe head injuries. He lay in a coma for weeks at The University of Chicago hospitals, his mother at his bedside every day. On August 15, he died without ever recovering consciousness. He was 39 years old. The motorist who hit him and fled was never apprehended. Jean was then age 70.

Some of Samuel's Hyde Park House photographs have

appeared in other publications. Four of them may be found in Virginia and Lee McCalester's Field Guide to American Homes (New York, 1984) and another was used for the cover of a novel published in the early 1990s. The negatives for all the House photographs are in our archives at Regenstein Library. His portraits of relatives and friends are treasured by their owners and a series of his photographs of old Wisconsin barns remain in demand. Two views of the family summer home in Wisconsin are still on display at the refrigeration company for which he had worked.

Again, as she had done after her husband's death, Jean found solace in work and produced three important publications, two of them a result of her involvement as a volunteer with Regenstein Library's Special Collections Department preparing catalogs for their exhibits. The first, was The Uses of Gothic: Planning and Building the Campus of the University of Chicago 1892-1932 (1983), a now classic work which is still in print, and Eva Watson Schutze: Chicago Photo Secessionist (1985). The third, an outgrowth of some of her research for Hyde Park Houses, was a chapter entitled "Myron Hunt in the Midwest" in Jay Belloli and others, Myron Hunt 1868-1952: The Search fora Regional Architecture, (Los Angeles, 1984). Jean was 72 when Uses of the Gothic appeared. In the ensuing years Jean focussed on establishing our archives at Regenstein and planning a follow-up to Houses on apartment buildings in Hyde Park that was still in its early stages of development before her death, on June 16, 1988. She was 76. Houses went out of print in 1993 but staff from The University of Chicago Press have told me that the press is considering reissuing it in paperback but not before the year 2000 and then only if they can figure out a financially feasible way to do it.

I regret that Jean and I became acquainted only in

the last year of her life. Despite her physical discomfort caused by illness, she graciously took the time to walk me through the mechanics of organizing the archives and she talked a bit about Hyde Park architecture. She told me, for instance, that, as a rough rule of thumb, the presence of verandas distinguished Hyde Park's 19th Century suburban houses from those built after annexation. I used that idea in the recent exhibit on old Hyde Park hotels to suggest that one purpose of their verandas was to connect architecturally with the older residential setting within which they stood. When we discovered that we were both postcard collectors, for some reason she asked if I had a card depicting the Eleanor Club One on 59th Street, which ultimately became

Breckenridge House. I did not. About a year and half ago, going through a box of postcards at a show, I found an Eleanor Club One view and from sight to thought only an instant passed, "Got it, Jean!"

On the north side of Regenstein Library there is a small parklike enclosure, accessible to the public, which Jean's family sponsored. On the east wall there is a memorial marker: "This garden honors the memory of Jean Friedberg Block 1912-1988" and lists the library's call numbers for her three books. Her ashes were spread upon the grounds of her beloved summer home near Mill Pond, Wisconsin.

Thanks to David Aftandilian, Judith Getzels, Ruth Grodzin, Douglas Mitchell, Grace Mary Rataj, Ann Rothchild, Harold Wolff and, especially, Elizabeth Block for their assistance. Published sources include: Julia Kramer, The House on the Hill: The Story of the Abeles Family of Leavenworth, Kansas (Chicago: 1990); Hyde Park Historical Society Newsletter, Vol. 10, nos. 3-4 (October, 1988); History of Medicine and Surgery and Physicians and Surgeons of Chicago (Chicago, 1922); Who's Who in America Vol. 34 (Chicago, 1966) and various city directories.

Steve Treffman is the Society's archivist and a contributing editor of Hyde Park History.

Volume 21, Number 1 & 2, Spring/Summer 1999

History So Soon? Pioneer Days of the Hyde Park Historical Society

A talk given by ClydeWatkins,a founder of the Society,attheannualmeeting,February20,1999

The title of "founder" is probably undeserved, because it implies an image of some lone and far-sighted character doing things by himself.

That was never the case with us-we were a typical Hyde Park committee from the start. If the organization we celebrate was indeed my idea, I must assume that others had at least considered it long before I ever did. What spurred me to action, however, was the confluence of two forces in my life.

First, in the late 1960s after I was out of college and therefore it was too late to change my major one last time-I began to develop an interest in U.S. history, especially Chicago history, between about 1870 and 1910. Plenty of ochers were ahead of me in that, fortunately, and there is a lot of wonderful literature, plus many enthralling photographs, available for study.

Second, I always had a thing about that great little building. Throughout my undergraduate years at the University, whenever I would pull an "all-nighter" in yet another vain attempt to salvage some term

paper--or worse yet, an entire course-I would inevitably end up around 6:00am savoring the 42 cent special at Steve's Lunch. (For that price you got two eggs, bacon, potatoes, toast and coffee!) I loved the building, and continued to fantasize about what I later learned to call "adaptive reuse." No doubt my first notions were along the lines of a swingin' bachelor pad or the nightclub I yearned co run at that age. But as I matured, I continued to watch the building through its subsequent incarnations and its decline. I knew it was somehow associated with the great Illinois Central Station from the World's Colombian Exposition, but at that point I wasn't exactly sure how, and there was no one to tell me-or so I thought.

By 1974 the building had sunk to the level of a storage shed for the two-wheeled cares they used for

delivering newspapers, and it was clearly headed for ruin.

Coincidentally, Albert Tannler, assistant curator of special collections at Regenstein Library at that time, had just completed the first edition of One in Spirit the pictorial history of the University, and it captivated me, primarily because of its many references to the concurrent development (or disintegration and redevelopment) of the neighborhood. And that was the moment of my epiphany. A local historical society could undertake the research and preservation of its past in context of the ciry of Chicago and the nation. And such an

organization could house itself in my favorite structure (the true identity of which I now appreciated). Let the psycho-historians ponder which was the means and which the end; in my mind the two were linked from the start.

Here are a few dates and events that led to our eventual founding:

ï April/May, 1975.

Tom Jensen, a U-High classmate, and I organized the first public forum to discuss the establishment of a proposed "Hyde Park-Kenwood Hiscorical League." We met at St. Thomas Church and Len Despres was our speaker. (I cannot find the exact date, bur I believe a copy of the flyer from the meeting is already in our archives.)

ï June 24, 1975.

Several of us met at Jean Block's apartment for lunch ro discuss how to get organized and moving. It took a while, as it turned out...

ï January 13, 1976.

A larger formation was hosted by Victoria Ranney in her home.

ï March 22, 1976.

Another planning meeting was hosted by Thelma Dahlberg at her home, followed by yet another in April. These meetings continued throughout the following eight months.

ï June 15, 1976.

My calendar indicates that this was my first meeting with Win Kennedy to discuss acquiring the building.

ï November 8, 1976.

Jean and I called on Muriel Beadle to ask her to become our first president. She agreed on the spot and decreed that the name of the organization would be the Hyde Park Historical society. She hosted our first official board meeting at her home two weeks later on November 22.

January 28, 1978.

The Hyde Park Historical Society received its official charter as an Illinois not-for-profit corporation.

March 27, 1978.

Robert and Lucille Rouse, owners of 5529 South Lake Park, finally signed the bill of sale for the property, for $4,000, after continued and heroic efforts by Len Despres to close the deal. Kennedy, Ryan, Monigal Associates was our agent.

ï February 2, 1979.

Our first lease for the land under our building was signed with the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad - five years at $20 per year.

ï July 20, 1980.

The "Completion Fund," our $45,000 capital campaign to purchase and renovate the headquarters, kicked off on July 4, 1978, initiated by a "Charter Membership" drive for 100 members at $100 each. Encouraged by a $10,000 challenge grant from the Field Foundation of Illinois, the drive was successfully concluded. Jean Block was instrumental in this effort.

ï October 26, 1980.

The Grand Opening of our magnificently renovated and restored new headquarters took place, thanks to Dev Bowly's endless talent, work and sacrifice. We began with a parade down Lake Park Avenue and concluded with speeches that will live forever, assuming anyone remembered to keep notes, which I doubt.

Some of the earliest board members are still serving: Dev Bowly, Carol Bradford, Alta Blakely and Richardson Spofford. Other early members were Ted Anderson, Margaret Fallers, Gary Husted, Muriel Beadle, Jean Block, Berenece Boehm, Randy Holgate, Anita Anderson, Michael Conzen, Rory Shanley Brown, Thelma Dahlberg, Phillis Kelly, Betty Borst, Eleanor Swift, Leon Despres, Charles Beckett, Maggie Bevacqua, Malcolm Collier, Emma Kemp, Gerhardt Laves, John McDermott, and Clyde Watkins.

Papa John Remembered

by Devereaux Bowly, Jr.

When I was a kid at the Lab School and U-High in the 1950s and early 60s, there was a street vendor at 59th and Kenwood. He was called Papa John and sold delicious kosher hoc dogs for 25 or 35 cents. He had a small white painted wooden and glass push care with an antique copper alcohol burner to keep the dogs hoc and the rolls warm and moist.

Papa John was a small man, not five feet tall, who talked little, ocher than to ask what the customer wanted on his or her hot dog. His home base was a tiny brick building, which no longer exists, on the southeast corner of 56th and Lake Park, next to the IC tracks. The building lacer housed Chicken-A-Go-Go, run by Morry and his son, who developed

delicatessens on 55th Street, in Hutchinson Commons and elsewhere. PapaJohn's building should not be confused with the wooden hot dog shack which was located one block east, on the southwest corner of 56th and Stony Island, surrounded by a Yellow Cab dispatch station.

As I remember it, each school day in good weather Papa John, who seemed to me to be in his seventies or eighties, would slowly push his cart over co the Lab School at about 2:30, and stay for a couple of hours before returning. At some point he disappeared without explanation. We would appreciate hearing from anyone who knows more about Papa John.

Renovation of The Powhatan Lobby Wins Paul Cornell Award

The Powhatan is a 23-story residential co-op building, located on the lakefront at 4950 South Chicago Beach Drive in Hyde Park. The building was designed in 1929 by two architects, Robert Degolyer and Charles Morgan, in a thoroughly modern "skyscraper style" reflecting the structure of the building's skeleton beneath. This type of building style and construction is now associated with the "Art Deco" movement chat flourished during the 1920s and 1930s in the United States. The colored spandrel panels on the south and ease sides of the building, along with all of the ornamental features of the Powhatan and the adjacent Narragansett building are the work of the building's co-architect, Charles Morgan, who was an associate of Frank Lloyd Wright. In recent years The Powhatan has been designated an official Chicago Landmark.

Vinci/Hamp was hired by a committee of individuals from the building to repair the original terrazzo floor which had been obsrnred by wall to wall carpeting, concealing its rich auburn colored field bordered with black terrazzo. This work included the repair of cracks in the terrazzo as well as restoring the floor's luster. The existing furnishings and finishes within the lobby space were also re-designed at the same time.

Published historic photographs indicate that the lobby of The Powhatan was once a richly ornamented space, later obliterated by a series of remodelings. Investigations within the wall cavity by Ward Miller of Vinci/Hamp Architects, Inc., revealed the presence of original finishes, including pigmented plaster sgraffito mosaics by Morgan. Removal of the walls further revealed the original stepped terrazzo fireplace, fluted pilasters, decorative case-iron grills, and mosaics. All original finishes were repaired and restored in the course of chis project, including the stylized fluted pilasters, the figured walnut paneling and the original color scheme.

Two artists, Ms. Jo Hormmh and Mr. John Phillips of

Chicago ArchitecturalArcs, were hired to clean and remove subsequent layers of paint from the mosaics and to reinventMorgan's original techniques, which facilitated the repair and replacement of missing tiles. The original "stylized geometric" wood and glass entry doors were found by Mr. John Graaman, the building's superintendent, in an attic storage room and were reinstalled. On the east wall above the windows, an air conditioning system was integrated into a reconstructed office, which had been destroyed. All plaster surfaces were repaired or recreated by Luczak Brothers Plastering Company of Chicago.The original silver/gold paint colors with luminous metallic particles were supplied by the CresLice company, a Chicago firm, and applied by Onassis Painting and Decorating Company of Kenilworth.Furniture and carpeting were selected to complement the remaining original furniture pieces.

THE CHICAGO ARCHITECTURE FOUNDATION offers tours

of the city and surrounding areas...

Hyde Park

HPHS board member, Doug Anderson, invites you to walk with him through the University Campus and along the streets of Hyde Park with its houses dating from the 1860s to the 1950s, including the interior of Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House.

Sundays, 1:30pm

June 20, August 15, October 17

Meet at Rockefeller Chapel, 59th & Woodlawn Cost $8 (CAF members $3)

Jackson Park - 1893 Revisited

A pictorial re-creation of the Fair of 1893 examines how Frederick Law Olmsted transformed marshes and dunes into the beautiful park which is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Also visit Osaka Garden.

Saturdays, 10:30am

August 14, September 25, October 9 Meet at Clarence Darrow Bridge

Cost $5 (CAF members free)

Call Doug Anderson, 773-493-7058, for information

Do you know how many birds live in-or visit-Hyde Park?

On May 8th, the 25th Annual Spring Bird Count for the area of Jackson Park, took place.

This year's report states:

Birds were generally in good numbers ...the total number of species was among the highest ever observed in a day at Jackson Park. Warbler diversity was especially high at 29 species, including several notably scarce species. During the course of a given spring one is lucky to find such species as Prairie, Cerulean, Worm-eating, Kentucky, and Hooded Warblers at all; and seeing all of them in a single day has little precedent.

Observers began at 5:10am at four sites along the lakefront ...Two pre-sunrise finds were a Nighthawk at Promontory Park and a Common Moorhen at 64th Street. The last observation of the day was at 7:20pm-a Worm eating Warbler feeding along the sidewalk at 56th and Harper'

Other highlights included four Great Egrets, the Park's first spring count Snow Goose, 115 Canada Geese, 16

Blue-Grey Gnatcatchers, and even one Tennessee Warbler1 Total number of birds counted: 3,542! To participate in

bird-watching, call Doug Anderson, 493-7058.

MEMO

To: HPHS Members

From: HPHS President, Alice Schlessinger Re: Update on our headquarters repairs

The Society has encountered a number of scmccural problems during the last year. Our roof badly needed replacing and our plumbing connection ro the outside sewer had become clogged with tree roots. Thanks to Devereux Bowly and Bert Benade, our Building Committee, these projects have been successfully completed. The handsome new roof, which is consistent with our 19th Century building, should last for many years. The plumbing obstruction has been removed-a major project which required investigation with a video camera and excavation below the office floor.

Our little headquarters building is ready for you to visit though we still have more work to do. We hope co complete it over the summer months.

Thanks co our members who responded to a single letter with such generosity-over $5,000 has been contributed-and co the University of Chicago which has awarded us a grant of $3,000, we have not had to dig too deeply into our reserve funds to cover the expenses incurred.

We thank the following contriburors to this Special Fund:

Mary S. Allan Ruth & Dick Allen

Douglas C. Anderson Bert Benade

Roland & Helen Bailey Marjorie Benson

Alta Blakely

Mrs. Charles Borst Devereux Bowly

Carol & Jesse Bradford Jim & Jane Comiskey George & Louise Cooley Mr. & Mrs. Paul Cornell Irene & Charles Custer Thelma Dahlberg George & Jackie Davis

Bernard J. Delgiorno

Leon & Marian Despres Dr. & Mrs. Jar! Dyrud Terry P. Ellis

Norah & William Erickson John & Sally Fish

Jay & Iris Frank Edlyn Freerks

Susan & Paul Freehling Roger & Madelon Fross Ethel Goldsmith

Sherry Goodman & Richard Watt Audrey & Ronald Grzywinski Samuel Hair

Chauncey & Edith Harris Albert M. Hayes

Jane & Roger Hildebrand Dorothy Horton

Mary E. Irons

Mr. & Mrs. Richard Jaffe Ruth T. Kaplan

Emile Karafiol Ruth & Gwin Kolb

Mr. & Mrs. Philip Luhmann Inge Maser

Margaret S. Matchett Jane & George Mather Theresa McDermott Louis & Joan Mercuri Janee & David Midgely Harold Moody

Aurelia Moody

Mr. & Mrs. Jay F. Mulberry Ward & Dorothy Perrin

Robert, Rica & Kathleen Picken George W. Placzman

Elizabeth M. Postell

Mr.&Mrs.JamesRatcliffe

Hope E. Rhinescine Robert Rigacci

Mr. & Mrs. Edward Rosenheim Mrs. Alice Rubovics

Harriet Rylaarsdam

Alice & Nathan Schlessinger Mr. & Mrs. Robert G. Schloerb Arthur & Carol Schneider Frank & Karen Schneider Mindy A. Schwartz

Kevin Shalla & Vicroria Ferrara Mr. & Mrs. Richardson Spofford Fred & Nikki Stein

Helm uc Strauss

Marcia & Stephen Thomas Dr. Paul W. Tieman

Mr. & Mrs. Stephen A. Treffman Antionette Tyskling

Vi Fogle Uretz

Frank & Betty Wagner Marcin Wallace

Mrs. Margaret Walters Clyde & Cheryl Watkins Mrs. Warner Wick

Kale & Helen Williams Ruch & Quentin Young

UPCOMING EXHIBIT...

THE BOOM YEARS: 1916-1930,

second in our two-part exhibition on Hyde Park's historic hotels, will present views from the second great wave of apartment hotel construction, the period in which much of the architectural landscape of modern Hyde Park took shape. The exhibit is scheduled to open later this summer after repairs to our headquarters are completed. In the meantime, we are still seeking printed materials, menus, photos, or souvenirs of these hotels for this exhibit. We will welcome any items our readers wish to contribute, loan, or allow us to photocopy.

For more information, please call

Steve Treffman at (773) 241-5528.

Volume 21, Number 3 & 4, Winter 1999-2000

On Cable Cars and Lunch Rooms

EARLY STREETCARS IN HYDE PARK

Stephen A. Treffman

ContributingEditor

The articles that appeared in the Spring and Summer, 1997 issues of Hyde Park History on an earlier occupant of the building in which the

Hyde Park Historical Society's headquarters are now housed continue to attract attention. As you may remember, Alta Blakely reported on "Steve's Lunch," a small restaurant run by Greek immigrant Steve Megales that occupied these premises beginning around, it was thought, 1948. A very interesting letter has recently arrived that provides insights into an even earlier period in the history of the building.

The letter, which appears on page 10, is from the granddaughters of Turney Keller, the man who, they report, converted what was a cable car waiting room into other uses. Mary Belle Keller Johnson and Judy Keller Levatino tell us chat, from as early as 1898 until 1952, the building was operated as a short order restaurant by the Keller family. Prior to 1898, they say, the building was used as a warming room for "trolley personnel." When placed within the context of the development of Hyde Park's public transportation systems, this new information adds greatly to our knowledge of the history and uses of our building.

CHICAGO STREET TRANSPORTATION ORIGINS

In the early years of Chicago's history, travel about the city's streets was accomplished on foot, by horseback or by horse and carriage. The latter could be hired with driver by the day or by the mile in cabs called hackneys or hacks. Omni buses, large horse drawn or enclosed wagons with seating for multiple passengers, first appeared on Chicago streets on regular schedules in 1850. The introduction of street rail transportation in the city, however, began nearly 141 years ago when a horse drawn car line began operations on April 25, 1859. It was built by the privately owned Chicago City Railway Company

(CCR), which had been awarded the city's franchise for the South Side of the city. Two other companies held franchises for the city's north and west sides. The CCR cars ran on rails along State Street from Madison

Street to 12th Street (now Roosevelt Road). In the

months following, the company built an extension of the line first to 22nd Street (now Cermak Road), then eastward down 22nd Street to Cottage Grove Avenue and, finally, from Cottage Grove to 31st Street. The immediate goal of these extensions was to provide transportation to the Illinois State Fair, which, in the fall of 1859, was located on land along Cottage Grove. The major advantage of using rails (originally wooden beams wrapped in iron sheetmetal) for hauling wagons with passengers was that the rails provided smoother, more comfortable and faster transportation than could be obtained from wheels rolling over the irregular unpaved roads of the time. Basic street car fares of a nickel a ride were sec by city ordinance in 1859 and kept at that same level until 1919.

The demands and opportunities of population growth and commercial and industrial development in the city and its suburbs encouraged expansion of the CCR. The increase in the number of cars, horses and track owned and maintained by the CCR grew exponentially, as did ridership. In 1859, for example, the company consisted of only four cars and twenty five horses operating at twelve minute intervals on about three miles of track and carried many tens of thousands of passengers a year. Annual ridership rose to 3.5 million only three years later. By 1867 the CCR owned fifty-three cars and 375 horses, employed 198 men and operated over 12. 5 miles of track. The number of passengers that year totaled more than five million. Six years later, in 1873, the CCR was running seventy-five cars and 600 horses operating at four minute intervals on twenty-three miles of track and was transporting at least six million riders a year. Only seven years later, at the end of 1880, the system had more than doubled in size to 46.679 single track miles traversed by a fleet of 292 cars and 1,468 horses. In short, in that twenty year period, from 1859 to 1880, the company experienced growth that involved 15 .6 times more track, 58.7 times more horses, and 73 times more cars carrying many millions of passengers annually!

As the CCR expanded the length of its horse carlines to meet demand, problems of keeping its system coordinated and its costs under control grew apace. The cars and rails, once installed, had long lives and were relatively inexpensive to keep up. Aside from the investment in manpower and supervision, the key variable in the cost of operating the system was the care and feeding of the horses. Although perhaps one or two horses might draw one car, they could only work four or five hours a day. This meant chat shifts of fresh horses had to be kept on hand for each horsecar in order to maintain a twelve or sixteen hour a day schedule. An entire system of men and equipment had to be developed around simply sustaining the horses. Moreover, the horse was relatively slow, not always reliable, susceptible to disease, and, glaringly apparent co one and all, associated with a "residue" on the streets chat raised public health concerns. One horse could produce as much as twenty-two pounds of manure a day. Its required disposal, in fact, actually became an ancillary business undertaking. All in all, then, there were problems associated with a large-scale system of horse drawn passenger cars chat were well recognized fairly early. This didn't mean that the CCR stopped building horse lines, only that its management was open to the idea of finding alternative forms of power to pull its cars. As it happened, Hyde Park would become the focus of the CCR's attention.

HYDE PARK AND ITS STREETCARS

There is more co the early history of streetcars in Hyde Park than cable cars. After the Civil War, the city's horse car lines began to look beyond Chicago's borders for their growth. On March 5, 1867, the Chicago and Calumet Horse and Dummy Railroad Company (CCHDRC), an affiliate of the CCR, was incorporated under Illinois law to establish street rail lines for "cars drawn by horses or cars with engines attached, commonly called dummy engines, for the carrying of passengers." Its focus of service was to be the area of Cook County south of the city's border at 39th Street and ease of State Street, in short, virtually the entire area of the Village of Hyde Park. A year later, in 1868, the Board of Supervisors for the Village of Hyde Park authorized this new CCR affiliate to lay tracks from 39th Street extending south from the CCR's preexisting tracks in Chicago proper.

Implementing this resolution launched the robust

expansion of the CCR in succeeding decades.

HORSE DRAWN CARS

Hyde Park's streetcar system apparently went through two phases prior to the introduction of the cable cars. The first of these, an unexpected finding, was that horse drawn streetcars seem to have run on rails down 55th Street in Hyde Park. A map that dates from chat period (Wright: 1870) specifically identifies a horse car line running down Cottage Grove from 39th Street and then swinging around to 55th Street east to what is now Lake Park Avenue.

This is, however, the only then contemporary source found so far chat suggests that a horse-drawn streetcar rail line ever existed along 55th Street. This line would have been pare of the expansion arising from that 1868 authorizing resolution. The CCR built tracks in Chicago further south primarily along Scace Street and Cottage Grove Avenue to then unstated terminal points. In ensuing years, lines were built on ocher streets both ease and west of Cottage Grove with 47th and 63rd Streets becoming the major ease/west routes to southwest Chicago. All of these new CCR streetcar lines were powered solely by horses. Thus was established the early outlines of the course public transportation would ultimately cake on the South Side of Chicago.

THE STEAM DUMMY

The reference to steam driven rail cars on city streets in the CCHDRC incorporation papers indicate chat replacing horse drawn street cars with an alternative system of motive power was already a possibility in the minds of the CCR's management at least as early as 1867. The usefulness of steam driven technology in manufacturing and, especially, in interurban rail transport was already well established throughout the country. In fact, a steam driven streetcar is said to have operated along Broadway on Chicago's north side as early as 1864. Ac some point after 1867 the CCR and its affiliate decided to introduce them in their system, not in the city itself but in and around Hyde Park. Assuming that a horse drawn line initially ran along Cottage and down 55th Street, this steam dummy would have been the second phase in the development of public streetcar transportation in the community.

While there is no question that steam driven streetcars chugged down Cottage Grove and 55th Street, there remains much that is unclear about their actual history. No picture of one, for example, has yet surfaced. The Hyde Park-Kenwood National Bank published a booklet in 1929 with a photograph purportedly that of Hyde Park's steam dummy.

Research, however, has revealed that the photograph is actually of an engine from an entirely different Chicago streetcar company. While the exact dimensions of the Cottage Grove/Hyde Park steam dummy are not known, information about similar vehicles from that period suggests what the one used in Hyde Park probably was like.

Commonly, to minimize terrorizing horses along the street, these small locomotives were built within frames chat resembled a shortened version of a regular horse drawn trailer. The car would have run on four wheels with probably no more than seven feet from the middle of the front wheels to the middle of the ones in the rear. Likely, it was operated by a two-cycle engine powered by steam from a vertical boiler heated by burning anthracite coal or coke to minimize smoke and soot. The engine carriage was designed ostensibly to muffle the noise of escaping steam and engine operation by means of shielding and roof top steam condensers. It was this latter characteristic, the reduction of noise, as well as the horse car appearance, that provided the underlying meaning to the name "dummy engine," that is, silent or "dumb," as in "unable to speak." These small locomotives pulled no more than one or two passenger trailers along the three miles of stronger steel track installed on Cottage Grove from 39th Street to 55th Street and east to Lake Park Avenue. When not in use, these engines and their trailers were probably stored in a car barn at 38th Street and Cottage, adjacent to the stables where the horses were kept. It is not known how many steam dummies operated on the Hyde Park

line nor how their return runs were accomplished, that is, by reversing gears or being turned on a platform.

Also in question is the date when steam dummies were actually introduced into Hyde Park. Block (1977) offers the date of 1869 for that event and cites as her source Pierce (1940). Pierce, in tutn, makes reference only to the governing legal authorizations and to Weber (1936). Weber, however, fudges on the date by noting those 1868 actions by the Village Board permitting the building of street rails in Hyde Park but not when the actual construction took place. As was earlier suggested, operating on that Cottage Grove/5 5th Street line in 1869 may have been a horse line rather than a steam dummy, two very different forms of power. At another extreme is a photograph from a 1943 collection at the Chicago Historical Society with a caption stating that a steam driven street car began running in Hyde Park in 1881. Indeed, a map dated 1881 in Bluestone (1991) clearly denotes a steam line running down Cottage Grove and turning east at 55th Street to Lake Park but this does not preclude the possibility that steam dummies were running there before 1881. Moreover, this would have been precisely the time that CCR officials were already planning to replace horse cars and steam dummies with cable cars. A more persuasive date emerges from an unpublished street transportation chronology developed in 193 3 now in the collection of the Chicago Transit Authority. It places the introduction of the Hyde Park steam dummy in the year 1874.

This date seems in reasonable accord with the state of Hyde Park's development and the known history of the CCR. It would also fit with the presumption that a horse car line preceded the steam dummy in time. Uncovering more substantial corroborating information in support of any one of these dates remains a challenge.

Usually overlooked in the few references to this steam car is that of the almost 46 miles of Chicago City Railway Company track existing in 1881, only those three miles of track along Cottage and 55th, the Hyde Park line, were used for steam driven streetcars. These steam dummies may have been an attempt by the CCR to compete directly with the Illinois Central's steam locomotives chat ran along the lake. The one-way nickel fare for a streetcar ride was half chat for a commute downtown from 55th Street on the Illinois Central but it was a much slower trip. In addition, these engines may have been considered somewhat more fitting, modern and substantial for

the prestigious community they served. Hyde Park's Trustees, recognizing the mess that accompanied horse drawn streetcars, may even have insisted on steam power. It was also on this portion of the line that the streets were paved with granite to support the heavier rails and engines required by the steam dummy. As a result, these were among the better-paved roads in the city and its suburbs.

Unfortunately, street locomotives produced a good deal more noise than advertised, frightening horses and annoying pedestrians. Worse, for a variety of reasons, street car companies found chat these steam dummy cars proved to be no less expensive to operate than had been the horse cars. CCR managers were spurred to look at another alternative, one being developed in California. The days of the Hyde Park steam dummy engines were numbered. The last one to run its route did so early in 1887.

THE CABLE CAR

In the early 1870s Andrew S. Halladie, a wire manufacturer in California, developed a system wherein passenger cars ran up and down the hilly streets of downtown San Francisco on rails by means of a moving cable buried under the streets. It began operations in 1873 and its success spurred further expansion there throughout the '70s. Chicago City Railway officers, alerted to that success, traveled to San Francisco in 1880 to study its cable system.

Realizing that if a system like that could operate on such variable terrain, it would probably work especially well upon the gentler topography of Chicago. They returned home and Charles B. Holmes, CCR's president, quickly obtained approval of the company's board and Chicago's city council to begin establishing cable car transport along many of the same Chicago streets on which they had run their horse cars.

Construction began in June, 1881 and by January, 1882, the CCR formally introduced cable cars into Chicago's public transportation system, the second such system in the United States. The first trains, usually consisting of a grip car and one or two trailers, ran on the State Street line; a second line was established on Wabash Avenue. These downtown cable cars traveled over a turnaround that went from State Street to Wabash Avenue via Lake Street and

Madison Street, a layout that Hilton (1954) and others have insisted first gave the "Loop" its name not, as is often assumed, the elevated train loop which came later.

The Wabash/Cottage Grove horse car line was converted in 1882 to cable car use from Madison Street to 39th Street. In 1887, the Cottage Grove line was extended from 39th to 67th Street and 55th Street was converted to cable use. In 1890, after the annexation of Hyde Park, the Cottage Grove cable car system was extended south to 71st Street, the building. In fact, there may have been no thought the Midway. The Hyde even given to constructing such a building in the first Park/5 5th Street line was place. It was only after 1890 when it was clear to all renamed the "Jackson that the Columbian Exposition would actually Park." The extended

cakeplaceinJacksonParkchatplansforthe ,lengthoftheCable

building likely were begun. The Court loop proved a

building itself was almost certainly \ • boon in loading and

built, probably by the Illinois '. #>• unloading passengers. On

Central Railroad itself, \ Chicago Day, October 9, during the year prior 1893, the day of the Fair's highest

to the Fair, that is, attendance, crowds of some 500,000

1892-93, when the people practically overwhelmed the system.

embankment and Many young men, dressed in suits, their heads viaducts elevating the topped by bowler hats, happily climbed up on the

railroad's tracks were roofs of the cable cars to make the trip to Jackson Park. being constructed. As a Cable cars and their associated equipment were on result there was a physical prominent display at the World's Fair but the year

separation of the waiting 1893 also marked the moment when electricity had

rooms and ticket selling sites already been recognized as a more efficient and flexible

for IC commuters and cable car form of power for street railways. Despite appearances, passengers. The great old 12th Street IC depot, now cable was on its way out. The initial introduction of demolished, was built at the same time and the red electricity to power Chicago's streetcars in 1893 led to brick and scone used in its construction may have been a progressive dismantling of the cable car system chat similar to chat used in building our headquarters. The finally ended in 1906. The 55th Street/Jackson Park main point here is simply chat the cable loop was not cable line was among the lase to go having served the a result of the opening of the Fair, but the building community for nearly twenty years. Overhead electric itself was. lines were installed and the cables and gears were

Probably the most vulnerable point in the cable car removed. The cable car era ended and the era of the system was the cable itself. The CCR cable consisted trolley car line began in Hyde Park. (The "trolley" is of a hemp core, surrounded by 96 steel wires wound the pulley attached co the pole chat touches and rolls into six strands of 16 wires each. The 1 1/4-inch chick along the electric wire strung above the street.) Cable line, however, was subject to wear and breakage from Court kept its name and electric streetcars and trolley use, age or accident. For example, the approximate life buses followed its loop well into the present century. It of the 10,856 feet long cable line along 55th Street finally was dismantled during the urban renewal era. was 167 days. If the grip were applied incorrectly it It should be noted that the emergence of each

could slice or dangerously damage the cable. When a succeeding street rail technology did not immediately major problem developed in one segment of the cable, preclude the existence of the ones preceding. By 1892, the entire system of which it was a part ground to an for instance, the year before the Fair, the CCR had abrupt hale while repairs were made. Cables were fixed 2,611 horses, almost double the number it had in

by splices made on site or replaced entirely by splicing 1880. Only one-third of the CCR revenues, however, a new line into the existing line, running it was derived from the horse car lines, the remainder completely through the entire system and then coming largely from its cable operations. Electric splicing together the two ends of the new line. lines, as well, were just being introduced. By 1895,

The impact of the cable car line on the economy of Chicago's streets, particularly in the downtown area, Hyde Park was immediate. The Economist (Chicago) for were filled with a melange of streetcars, some powered December 8, 1888 reported: "The development for by horses, others by cables, and still others by business purposes of Fifty-Fifth Streec... has been electricity. Steam also powered trains on the suburban largely due to the cable car line... The prices for commuter lines and, for several years during the mid- property on Fifty-Fifth have risen from $50 to $100 a 1890s, the city's elevated rail lines. This mixture was foot, and over twenty stores are in process of erection finally resolved in favor of electricity as the

on the street." The street's commercial past was set for predominant power source for streetcars by 1906 and the next sixty-five years. the Illinois Central commuter line, by 1926.

During the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893, Horses, moreover, remained a factor on Chicago's cable cars were a major source of transportation for streets. There were an estimated 120,000 horses in millions of visitors. Cable cars offered close access to Chicago in 1895. Though fading rapidly from use

the Fair'sentrancesat57thStreetand,onCottage,ataftertheturnofthecenturyaspowerforcity streetcars and fire engines, they remained important in the city's private transportation system well into the present century for recreational use and for hauling delivery wagons. Some of our readers may still remember the horse drawn wagons in Hyde Park that delivered ice and fresh vegetables to people's homes. A painting at our headquarters portrays an old horse drawn milk wagon that once operated in Hyde Park. The wagon stood abandoned for many years east of the IC tracks at 57ch Street.

IN CLOSING

While the street cable car today is often viewed merely as a quaint relic of the past, the scuff of charm bracelets, toys, advertising gimmicks and assorted other memorabilia usually associated with San Francisco, it has a quite legitimate and notable role in American, Chicago and, certainly, Hyde Park history. The story of the cable car in Chicago is most obviously tied to the evolution of public transportation and residential, industrial and commercial development in the city, in general, and to Hyde Park and its nearby suburban neighbors, in particular, both before and after annexation. Moreover, it provided the public access to the South Park system and may well have been a factor in establishing some of its boundaries. In essence, the horse-drawn and later the cable car performed the same function for these areas that the Illinois Central Railroad commuter line had played initially in the emergence of Hyde Park. Indeed, together the two spurred the growth of Hyde Park

and the South Side generally throughout that century and beyond.

Chicago has often been referred to as a city of neighborhoods. In earlier periods in Chicago's history, one of the things that helped define chose neighborhoods was the streetcar lines. The unintended effect, however, was, to a certain degree, their influence on the emergence and reinforcement of artificial social, ethnic and racial boundaries. The "other" side of the tracks was given a new, big city twist that could evoke social conflict, at times bitter or even violent. On the ocher hand, the elaboration of the public transportation system opened up to Chicagoans new opportunities not only for better physical mobility but also for enhanced residential, investment, employment and recreational choices as well.

The extension of public street and rail transportation in and around Hyde Park had an impact on the question of the annexation of Hyde Park to Chicago. It had the effect of drawing Hyde Park and its population closer to Chicago, both in a temporal and economic sense, while at the same time enabling the emergence of multiple centers of political, social and economic interests outside of Hyde Park Center. Each new line established, each new set of tracks laid, was yet another direct link between the city and villagers of Greater Hyde Park.

The political power that had been wielded by the pioneers in Hyde Park Center (who opposed annexation) was diluted in the face of population increases and the emergence of new and powerful economic and political interests elsewhere in the suburb. As a result, annexation proponents would claim that the old style of governance was outmoded and simply inadequate to the new situation. One may also speculate that the concentration of more advanced street transport in che northern section of Hyde Park contributed to a sense of deprivation expressed by citizens in the southern portions of the village. It is no surprise that when the annexation question was put to the voters of Hyde Park Village in 1887 and 1889, the voting majority chat decided the issue in favor of annexation came largely from the wards outside the old center of Hyde Park.

The cable car waiting room on Lake Park apparently directly served the transit system for less than a decade, perhaps as few as five years, if our correspondents' date for its conversion into a lunch room, 1898, is correct. The months of the Fair, then, would have been the peak period of its connections to the cable cars. In that sense, the building is a genuine artifact of both the Columbian Exposition and of the Cable Car era.

The building was located near the Illinois Central stops at 55th and 57th Streets, the Cable Court streetcars and the hotels and small shops along Lake Park and 55th and 57th Streets, all of which generated considerable sidewalk traffic. This location provided the logic for its more than half-century of existence as a lunch room. It became a working man's cafe that served large portions to customers at a reasonable price. The demise of the building's use as a lunch room probably was as much a function of residential and commercial changes occurring in Hyde Park as it was sheer obsolescence of the facility as an eatery.

Ownership of the building remained with the Illinois Central Railroad until it was sold to our Society in 1977.

There is something wonderfully resonant, perhaps

even ironic, that this working man's building has become the home of an historical society for a community driven by issues and conflicts generated both by elitist aspirations and social diversity. This same transaction, however, has practical consequences in the present as our Society seeks to respond effectively to the reality and complexity of our community's history.

Finally, assembly lines were offshoots of cable car technology as are ski lifts. A less obvious connection can be drawn between cable cars and another then contemporaneous technological development: the elevator. They had similar components such as cables, pulleys, gears, and rails and, originally, both were run by steam powered engines. The cable car operated horizontally while the elevator ran vertically.

Although cable driven street cars disappeared as a major urban transportation system, the related technology embodied by the elevator continued to power and be shaped by the emergence of new techniques for the construction of taller buildings for offices, commerce and residential living. The skyscraper, in general, and, particularly in HydePark, the large apartment hotel, were two of its results... but that is another story.

Steve Treffman is our Society's archivist and is preparing another exhibition on Hyde Park's hotels for display at 01,r headquarters later this year.

Thanks to the staff from the Chicago Transit Authority for its assistance.

Selected Sources:

Jean Block, Hyde Park Houses, (Chicago, 1977). Daniel

M. Bluestone, Constructing Chicago, (New Haven, 1991). George W. Hilton, "Cable Railways of Chicago," Bulletin Number 10, (Chicago: Electric Railway Historical Society, 1954). George W. Hilton, The Cable Car in America, (San Diego, 1982). James D. Johnson, A Century of Chicago Streetcars, 1858-1958, (Wheaton, Illinois, 1964). Alan R. Lind, Chicago Surface Lines: An Illmtrated History, 3rd edition, (Park Forest, Illinois, 1986). Milo Roy Maltbie, ed. The Street Railways of Chicago, (Chicago, 1901). John A. Miller, Fares Please/, (New York, 1941). Samuel W. Norton, Chicago Traction: A History Legislative and Political, (Chicago, 1907). Bessie Louise Pierce, A History of Chicago, Vol. 2, (New York, 1940). Frank Rowsome, Jr., Trolley Car Treasury, (New York, 1956). Harry Perkins Weber, comp., Outline History of Chicago Traction, (Chicago, 1936). John H. White, Jr., "Steam in the Streets: The Grice and Long Dummy," Technology and Cttlture Vol. 27 (1986), pp. 106-9. John

S. Wright, Chicago: Past, Present, Future, (Chicago: Board of Trade: 1868, Second edition, 1870).

Letter to the Editor

To Whom It May Concern:

In 1898, our grandfather, Turney Keller, opened the "Lunchroom" at 5529 Lake Avenue, which is now the Hyde Park Historical Society. (Ed. note: Lake Avenue was renamed Lake Park Avenue on April 14, 1913.) With the help of his two sons, Hosey (Harvey) and Charles Keller, the restaurant was continuously in operation until 1952. (Ed. note: One of the interviewees for the earlier articles thought that the restaurant had changed hands in 1948.)

Our grandfather with the help of his sons, leased the building for the entire time. We have no idea how much money was involved. He did have an accident on a trolley losing one arm, not two legs. (Ed. note: One of our correspondents in our earlier article had speculated that the IC had leased the building to Mr. Keller at no cost because he had lost two legs in a railroad accident.)

Before 1898, the building was used as a warming house for trolley personnel. The men gathered around the old pot belly stove and, we're sure, told some great stories. The notion that some food could be served came to our grandfather in 1898.

When our grandfather died in 1922, the boys, known as the Keller Brothers, took over the "Lunchroom." Their wives, Louetta and Marsha, also worked in the restaurant.

At the crack of dawn, breakfast was served. We can still remember the many aromas of home cooking.

Bacon and eggs and oatmeal in the morning and if you looked at the wall one could see the specials for lunch, such as vegetable soup and meat loaf. There were no printed menus. The clientele was an integrated mixture of working males in Hyde Park. The counter was in two sections seating about twelve.

Our families spent many long hours making the "Lunchroom" very successful. The information above is correct according to documented papers from this time period. We have included various pictures for a visual remembrance of the times.

Sincerely,

Mary Bell Keller Johnson and Judy Keller Levantino

Ms. Johnson, the daughter of Harvey Ketler, in a phone interview, told us that the lunch room was closed evenings and on Sundays. She herself was born at her family's residence on the 54th block of Harper Avenue. Turney's family was Christian Scientist and probably was a member of the 10th Church of Christ Scientist at 57th and Blackstone, now the vacant St. Stephen's Church. Ms. Levantino, her cousin, is the daughter of Charles Ketler. -S.A.T.

PROPRIETORS OF THE "LUNCH ROOM" AT 5529 S. LAKE PARK AVENUE

Postcard view c.1915 from the Keller family collection.

From left: Turney Keller and his two sons Charles, and Hosey (Harvey), the eldest of the two. Note the wooden plank sidewalk in front of the building. Turney lost his left arm in a trolley accident. Members of the family are buried in Oakwoods Cemetery.

This Newsletter is published by the Hyde Park Historical Society, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1975 to record, preserve, and promote public interest in the history of Hyde Park. Its headquarters, located in an 1893 restored cable car station at 5529 South Lake Park Avenue, houses local exhibits. It is open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays from 2 until 4pm.

Telephone: HYJ-1893

President..... Alice Schlessinger

Editor......... Theresa McDermott

Designer..... Nickie Sage McDermott

Regular membership: $15 per year, contributor: $25, sponsor: $50, benefactor: $100

Mallory Price 3/15/22 Mallory Price 3/15/22

Newsletters 1998

Volume 19, Number 4

HPHS Headquarters Building Becomes Less Endangered by Alta Blakely

Board members are breathing sighs of relief now that the shoring up of the Metra embankment behind our building has been completed.

Bert Benade, Board member in charge of the physical plant, had been particularly concerned that the embankment had been pushing on our roof and gutter on the east side. About sixteen years ago the Illinois Central Railroad had shored up the embankment, but the job had been done with only wood pilings-and those not driven deeply enough into the ground. They have continued to rot away. Devereaux Bowly, co-chair with Bert on the physical plant, had been after the railroad, now Metra, for about four years to replace the rotting pilings. Work was begun last October. For many weeks a large truck crane (and a Port-o-Let) stood on the street in front of headquarters, dwarfing it in size. (The construction work meant that the October 19th program on Robie House had to be postponed.)

The large sign south of Headquarters proclaims that this

"HydeParkRetainingWallRehabilitation"isa"Federal TransitAdministration Project... sponsored bythe NortheasternIllinois Regional Commuter R.A.CorporationD/BIA Metra the U.S. Department ofTransport; and the Regional Transportation Authority(RTA)." It is "Federal Project No. IL-03-0194, RTAProgramNo.CRD-034.}

On one mid-week day in October, when a Board member was entering headquarters, two of the construction crew members asked if they could look around inside. Bob Pritchard, of Hickory Hills, whose job it was to run the air compressor was excited by what he saw. Later, when Bea Blackiston was on duty on Sunday, November 2nd, Mr. Pritchard came in and carefully removed all our pictures off the walls and gently and neatly laid them on a table. He was afraid that the vibrations from his air compressor would shake the pictures off the walls and shatter the glass. "I like things old to be preserved," he said. (The Board, at its November meeting, asked Secretary Margaret Matchett to send him a letter of thanks, which she has subsequently done.)

Thanks to Mr. Pritchard, we were able to contact Harenfra Namgrola of the Sumit Construction Company of Skokie, in charge of the project. He told us that the work on the embankment behind our building amounted to the sum of $150,000. They had been allowed sixty-five working days for the job; however, he said, they finished in far less time. The final phase, the cement work, was laid during Thanksgiving week. The question in our minds has been whether or not this job was part of the larger Hyde Park Retaining-Wall Rehabilitation, --including the Metra embankment from 47th to 57th Street. Mr. Margrola seemed to think not.

Looking our from the windows on the east side of headquarters one dark evening, Dev. Bowly was delighted: "There's a foot of space between the embankment and our roof! I can see the stars!" !

Follow Up:

The Shooting Lodge

The feature on the South Shore Country Club's Shooting Club in our last issue brought forth some relevant material sent to us by Leon Despres. The area where the Country Club was built, around 71st Street and Lake Michigan, was once considered a hunter's paradise said to be virtually unique along the lake shore. Immense flocks of migrating pigeons flew past along with jacksnipe, plover, wild duck and Canadian brant.

When the Club was built in 1906, a small shack was built to accommodate shot gun enthusiasts among its members. A wooden cottage replaced it in 1908 but was razed eight years later for construction of the more permanent and stylish brick "shooting lodge" illustrated in our Fall, 1997-, issue. Reflecting the site's link to an earlier era, the walls of the lodge were hung with antlers, stuffed animal heads and similar trophies. Club members, however, confined themselves to trap shooting, targeting only clay pigeons. This activity lasted until quite late in the history of the club.

Mayor Harold Washington, 1922-1987 On the Tenth Anniversary of his Death

by Stephen Treffman

These political pins from our archival collection date from the triumphant 1983

and 1987 mayoral campaigns of the late Mayor Harold Washington. Mayor

Washington, the only sitting mayor of Chicago ever

resident in the community of Hyde Park, made his home in Apartment 66 of the Hampton House Condominium, 5300 South Shore Drive. Across from that building is Hyde Park's oldest park, established by Paul Cornell, Hyde Park's founder. Originally called East End Park, it was renamed in memory of the late Mayor after his death. Washington had a very substantial and enthusiastic base of supporters from our community's diverse racial, social and economic groups. A number of persons from Hyde Park-Kenwood were recruited into high level administrative, advisory and policy-making roles in city government during his administration.

One of Harold Washington's essential characteristics was his capacity to reach out and engage persons and groups not necessarily considered part of the historic political mainstream but whose goals and principles intersected at some point practically or symbolically with his. It should not be surprising, then, that among his last official acts before his sudden death on November 25, 1987, was a proclamation issued on November 18 declaring November 21 "Oliver Law

andAbrahamLincolnBrigadeDayinChicago."The letter,reproducedonthenextpage,waspublishedinthe program for a 50th Anniversary memorial

celebration of the Brigade held that day in Chicago.

In 193 7, three thousand Americans calling themselves the Abraham Lincoln Brigade (ALB) volunteered to join an international force in defense of Spain's elected government against insurgent Fascist forces militarily supported by Hitler's Germany and Mussolini's Italy. Two hundred of the volunteers came from Chicago, including at least one long-time Hyde Park resident, the late Milton Cohen (1915-1996?), and an African-American by the name of Oliver Law (born c.1900).

Law was one of some one hundred black Americans to join the ABL. He had served six years as a private in the segregated U.S. Army during and after World War I. He then moved to Chicago where he worked as a stevedore, cab driver and small restaurant manager. With the onset of the Depression he was attracted to various organizing efforts among the unemployed in Chicago, ultimately joining the Communist Party and leading public protests of Italy's invasion of Ethiopia. He left with the Brigade for Spain in January, 1937. His previous military experience and demonstrated valor in battle led to his appointment as commander of an ALB battalion made up mostly of white Americans, the historic symbolism of which he was fully aware and to which Washington alludes in his proclamation. On July 9, nearly six months after his arrival in Spain, Law was mortally wounded while leading his forces in a battle near the town of Brunete.

Eight hundred ALB volunteers died in the Spanish conflict. Although many surviving ALB volunteers went on to serve with the American armed forces in World War II, they were deemed suspect by the U. S. government duri,ng and after the war for having been "premature" in their enthusiastic antifascism and, in some cases, their real or supposed radical ideological and political commitments.

It is difficult, if not impossible, to imagine any post-war Chicago mayor before Washington, himself a World War II veteran, issuing such a letter. The proclamation reflects some of the profound values and aspirations that characterized Harold

Washington and made his administration so unusual in Chicago history.

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

CITY OF CHICAGO

HAROLD WASHINGTON

MAYOR

P R O C L A M A T I O N

WHEREAS, this year marks the 50th Anniversary of the entrance of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade as volunteers in defense of democracy in the Spanish Civil War; and

WHEREAS, over 200 Chicagoans joined this international movement to stop the spread of fascism; and

WHEREAS, Oliver Law, a leader of movements for relief of t-h---ec---p"'o=or crm:t eor pu-litical rights for Bracks and working people in Chicago in the early 1930's, was a commander in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, thus becoming the first Black American to lead an integrated military force in the history of the United States; and

WHEREAS, the long-neglected historical significance of Oliver Law is being recognized in a program on November 21, 1987, sponsored by the Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade and the 50th Anniversary Committee, which will honor the continuing legacy of international solidarity represented by Oliver Law and the Abraham Lincoln Brigade:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Harold Washington, Mayor of the City of Chicago, do hereby proclaim November 21, 1987, to be OLIVER LAW AND ABRAHAM LINCOLN BRIGADE DAY IN CHICAGO and urge

all citizens to be cognizant of the special events arranged for this time and the importance of this history. Dated this day of November, 1987

Sources: Peter N. Carroll, The Odyssey of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade: Americans in the Spanish Civil War, Stanford, 1994; John Gerassi, The Premature Antifascists: North American Volunteers in the Spanish Civil War 1936-39, An Oral History, New York, 1986; Arthur H. Landis, The Abraham Lincoln Brigade, New York, 1967. Thanks also to

Alderman Toni Preckwinkle for her assistance in providing information about Mayor Washington's residence.

Letter to the Editor...

We are very grateful to Jim Stronks, author of many outstanding articles which have appeared in this publication, for the delightful and touching letter below:

Dear Edi tor:

I don't know if it is Hyde Park History, exactly, but then isn't almost everything history in some sense? I hope so, because I have read something that I think your readers would find interesting.

In 1895 William Rainey Harper hired a young professor-poet named William Vaughan Moody for the new university on the Midway. And that is where Moody, a bachelor of twenty-seven, lived at first-on the Midway, in the old Del Prado Hotel on 59th Street, where International House stands today.

Late in the afternoon of February 15, 1896, Moody escaped his office for an hour of ice-skating. Later he wrote about it to a friend in a paragraph that reaches across one hundred years to touch us with its humanity.

"DearDan,"Moodybegan."YesterdayIwasskatingonapatchoficeinthepark,underapoverty-strickenskyflyingaragofsunset.Somelittlemuckerswereguyingaslimraw-bonedIrishgirloffifteen,whocircledanddartedunde their banter with complete unconcern. She was in the fledgling stage, all legs and arms, tall and adorably awkward, with a huge hat full of rusty feathers, thin skirts tucked up above spindling ankles, and a gay aplomb and swing in the body that was ravishing. We caught hands in mid

/light, and skated for an hour, almost alone and quite silent, while the rag of a sunset rotted to pieces. I have had few sensations in life that I would exchange for the warmth of her hand through the ragged glove, and the pathetic curve of the half-formed breast where the back of my wrist touched her body. I came away mystically shaken and elate. It is thus the angels converse. She was something absolutely authentic, new, and inexpressible, something which only nature could mix for the heart's intoxication, a compound of ragamuffin, pal, mistress, nun, sister, harlequin, outcast, and bird of God, - with something else bafflingly suffused, something ridiculous and frail and tender."

Fortunately Dan did not throw away the letter, and that young girl is as alive today as she was that afternoon in 1896-because a poet captured her on the head of a pin.

Moody died in 19101 aged 41.

Yours truly, Jim Stronks Iowa City, Iowa

You are cordially invited to attend The Annual Members' Meeting

The Hyde Park Historical Society

Saturday, February 21, 1998 'the Quadrangle Club

57th Street & University Avenue

Paul Cornell will speak about his grandfather:

PaulCornell,VisionaryFatherofHydePark

Special Events coming up:

Robie House: Its History and Its Future

Sunday, March 1st, at 2pm HPHS Headquarters

A slide presentation by Jay Champelli, long-time member of the Speakers' Bureau of the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio Foundation.

Join us to learn more about this historical and architectural treasure presently being restored to its former glory here in Hyde Park.

Free Tours of Robie House for Hyde Park Residents

Saturday & Sunday, February 14 & 15

A Valentine event to convey "Heartfelt Thanks to the Community," tours will be offered continuously from 11am to 3:30pm on each day.
Exhibits in the Months Ahead

An exhibit entitled Hyde Park's Hotels: The Golden Age, 1888-1940 will be opening soon at our headquarters. An exhibit on the White City Amusement Park is also planned for later in 1998. Curated by our archivist Stephen Treffman, both exhibits will be accompanied by programs presented by various members of our board. Further information on these and other events will be forthcoming in Hyde Park History and in other commumty sources.

Readers who have photographs, printed materials or other memorabilia related to any of Hyde Park's hotels or to the White City Amusement park are encouraged to write or to leave a message at our headquarters. Our phone number is 773-493-1893.

Volume 20, Number 1

Mary Todd Lincoln’s Sad Summer in Hyde Park

Abraham Lincoln died April 15, 1865. When Mary Todd Lincoln had to vacate the White House she came to Hyde Park. She arrived in Chicago on May 24. With her on the exhausting 54-hour train trip from Washington came her sons Robert (22) and Tad(12),her dressmaker/confidante Elizabeth Keckley(born a slave), old friend Dr. Anson Henry, and two White House guards, Thomas Cross and William Crook.

The Lincoln parry checked into the Tremont House on Lake Street at Dearborn. When Cross and Crook went back to the White House Mary Todd Lincoln's percs and power as First Lady were suddenly over. Lake Street was populous and loud; Mary Todd Lincoln needed peace and quiet. Io her anguish as widow she felt she could not bear to return to her house on 8th Street in Springfield and its associations. Yet the Tremont House was too expensive for more than a week's stay. Someone evidently gave the Lincolns a good tip, because four days later she wrote to a friend that "Robert went out yesterday to a place called 'Hyde Park,' a beautiful new Hotel, rooms exquisitely clean & even luxuriously fitted up, seven miles from the City-Cars passing every hour of the day "

An advertisement in the Tribune on May 19 tells us more:

HYDE PARK HOTEL Kept by A.H. Dunton

This Hotel has been put in complete order, and is now open, and will be kept, in all respects, as a first-class Hotel.

Persons desirous of making arrangements for the summer months, will find this a very agreeable place. It has all the advantages of a Watering Place Hotel, with almost hourly communication with Chicago by rail, while the distance by the traveled road from the Court House is less than seven miles. Mr. Dunton refers, by permission, to Gov. Gilmore of New Hampshire; Hon. T.F. Chandler, U.S. Navy Agent, Boston; Messrs. W.R. Doggett, S.F. Farrington, and Hoo J.T. Scammon, Chicago.

No doubt Paul Cornell, who had built the hotel, was pleased that the First Family had come to live in his village, and conceivably he had something to do with it. A Chicago lawyer and suburban developer (for whomAbraham Lincoln had done some legal work), Cornell owned 300 lakeshore :acres which he had coolly advertised as "beautifully situated on high ground." In a deal which was all important to Hyde Park, he gave the Illinois Central Railroad sixty acres for its right of way, and in return the ICRR began a commuter service in July 1856 by running the "Hyde Park Special" out to a little frame depot on the east side of the 53rd Street grade crossing. Here, in the summer of 1865, Robert Lincoln would catch the 8:52 mornings for the 30- minute ride in to Water Street and the offices of Scammon, McCagg & Fuller, where he would be reading law.

"This quiet retreat," as Mary Lincoln soon called the hotel, stood near the lake shore at 53rd Street, about where the Hampton House stands today, except that the shore was closer in at that time. (It is not to be confused with the later Hyde Park Hotel standing on the south side of 51st between Harper and Lake Park from 1887 co 1963.)"It almost appears to me that I am on the Sea Shore,'' wrote Mary Lincoln from the hotel; "land cannot be discerned across the Lake, some seventy-five miles in breadth. My friends thought I would be more quiet here during the summer months than in the City."

But in coming to Hyde Park she could not escape her sorrows. "Tell me, how can I live without my Husband any longer?" she cries in a letter at this time. "This is my first awakening thought each morning, & as I watch the waves of the turbulent lake under our windows I sometimes feel I should like to go under them."

At first she had the comfort of her friend Elizabeth Keckley beside her, but Lizzie had to return to Washington and her business of making dresses for wives of cabinet officers.

Soon Mary Lincoln was writing, "I still remain closeted in my rooms, take an occasional walk in the park & as usual see no one." It is not surprising that she adds later in the same letter, "I cannot express how lonely we are." Without TV or rental movies, what did Mary Lincoln- intelligent, nervous, excitable-do with herself through her long weeks shut up in

the Hyde Park Hotel? The answer is, she'. read the newspapers and wrote letters;.

A political wife, she devoL1,ed the gossip frorr. Capitol Hill in the half dozen New York and Chicago papers she regularly

saw. By early June their front pages were black with "The Conspiracy Trial,"and judging from the Chicago Tribune were full of lurid details about the conspirators' planning of her husband's murder-yet she mentions none of this in writing to friends.

For four years Mary Lincoln had been veritably catnip to the gossip columnists, but Chicago papers seem to have ignored her during the summer of 1865, perhaps because she had buried herself out in Hyde Park. There was one unhappy exception on June 14 when she read a spiteful paragraph in the Chicago Journal which said she had

threatened to whip little Tad for damaging his boots. It was untrue-and one more thing to resent in a letter to a friend the next day.

Her letters were many and long. They must have made fat envelopes. When they are printed in a book today, something she never expected, and God forgive us for reading her private mail, some letters fill two pages, and obviously account for hours daily at her desk. They are written, and well written, on black-bordered paper abouc the size of a postcard, showing excellent vocabulary and spelling, with tight, nervous punctuation (which is being edited here for the sake of clearness).

Mary Lincoln may have over-praised the Hyde Park Hotel to her correspondents. Lizzie Keckley claimed later that the Lincolns' rooms were "not first-class" but "small and plainly furnished," with meals sent up from the kitchen. It was far from the Executive Mansion. "I assure you," snaps the First Lady as

early as June 27, "I am growing very weary of boarding. It is very unbecoming when it is remembered from whence we have just come."

She never once complains of summer heat. Hyde Park, at the lakeshore, can be degrees cooler than central Chicago-important in 1865, before electric fans. Already the village, numbering some 500 population, had become a summer escape for affluent Chicagoans. On July 11 Mary Lincoln writes, apparently with approval, that the hotel "has become crowded with some of the very best Chicago people, each family keeping their carriages; & I have, as you may suppose, indulged in my privilege of being very quiet & retired." Virtually a recluse, she did sometimes walk in "the beautiful park adjoining the place" referring to that space now lying between Harold's Playlot and the boulder inscribed to Paul Cornell. She added that "persons drive out [from Chicago} every day to see me; I receive but very few; I am too miserable to pass through such an ordeal as yet. Day by day I miss my beloved husband more & more "

Two weeks later, another mood: "This place has become a complete Babel & I grieve that necessity requires us to live in this way...." No doubt she shunned the hotel's social event of the season on August 11 when, said the Tribune the next day, "the musical elite of Chicago took turns performing." It was fortunate for this Victorian widow of forty seven in deep mourning that she had a grown son at her side. Robert Todd Lincoln had split no rails but instead attended Phillips Exeter, was a Harvard graduate, had been four months at Harvard Law, and briefly, for a few weeks near the end of the war, a captain on Ulysses S. Grant's staff. With the change in his family's fortunes, and in view of his unstable mother's need of him, he would have to forego i- a Harvard LLD. He was the J man in the house now, and since it was the impatient, high-tempered Mary Todd Lincoln's house it was certain to be difficult.

"Robert is so worried chat I am sick so much that he has purchased a neat covered buggy," she writes on July 17. Perhaps Robert took her for soothing rides to see the fine homes in the village, or for a view of the mysterious white rollers off 49th Street. He would have sold his horse as an economy move, she writes, but "as it was his father's last gift, I would not consent to this, although I expect we shall hear remarks about our purchasing a buggy"-a reference to her (justified) reputation in eastern newspapers for mad extravagance.

On July26 she writes of her other son, Tad, until recently the irrepressible imp of the White House. "Taddie has made many warm friends," but because there is Scarlet Fever in the hotel she has sent him to live with friends in the country. Not Scarlet Fever bur TB would kill Tad only six years later, making him the third boy Mary Lincoln had lost.

By late summer 1865 the Hyde Park Hotel was no longer where the Lincolns wanted to be. Indeed Robert was said to have grumbled to Lizzie Keckley as early as his first week there that "I

would almost as soon be dead as be compelled to remain three months in this dreary house." They actually stayed only 2 1/2 months.

In mid-August Mary Lincoln moved into the Clifton House at Wabash and Madison. The Palmer House it was not, but she felt poor. It had in fact become an obsession with her. At his death Abraham Lincoln left some

$80,000 in cash and U.S. bonds, mainly salary from four years as President, but it was not in the widow's hands. Lawyer Lincoln had died without leaving a will, and his estate was

being administered by his old Illinois friend Judge David Davis, against whom Mary Lincoln fumed because of his firm control of the money. Mary,

Robert, and Tad were living on theinterest, split equally among the three of them, and the widow was living on

$1500 to $1800 annually at this time.

On August 17 she wrote angrily about a sense of injury which her letters show had become another mania. "I explain

to you, exactly &

truly, how we are

circumstanced. A greater portion of our means is unavailable, consisting of a house in S. [Springfield] & some wild lands in Iowa. Notwithstanding my great & good husband's life was sacrificed for his country, we are left to struggle in a manner. .. of life undeserved. Roving Generals have elegant mansions showered upon them, and the American people leave the family of the Martyred President to struggle as best they may! Strange justice this." She refers to U.S. Grant, war hero, who was presented with homes in Galena, Philadelphia, and Washington.

So ended Mary Lincoln's sad summer onEast 53rd. Street in Hyde Park. A year later she would settle into a home of her own in Chicago, a row house on West Washington, between Ann and Elizabeth streets, no longer standing. Erratic, she did not stay there long. Scheming ceaselessly to raise cash to pay off $20,000 in shopping debts which she had concealed from her husband, who had been busy with the Civil War, she would later sell some of her Washington Street furniture to the Hyde Park Hotel for $2094.50. Mind the fifty cents. The furniture probably burned up with the hotel in the late 1870s. Mary Todd Lincoln, dressed always in high-fashion black, lived seventeen unhappy, troubled years as a widow. A pathetic ruin by 1882, when she was 64, she died in Springfield in the home of her sister, who had urged her not to marry Abraham Lincoln in the first place.

As Mary Lincoln read the Chicago Tribune in the Hyde Park Hotel in the summer of 1865, her eyes could not have escaped front-page advertisements exploiting her husband's murder. There was an ad for the "New and Beautiful Music" of "Abraham Lincoln's Funeral March." Also a "Beautiful Lithograph," one yard square, of "The Dying President" surrounded by his cabinet (one dollar). She would also see that, despite the nation's woe, the Italian Opera opened in Crosby's Opera House on June 5 with "Faust," followed on the 6th with "Norma." And there was grave news about the national debt. After four years of war it had risen to $2.6 billion. -J.S. When Robert Lincoln rode the ICRR from Hyde Park to downtown Chicago daily in the summer of 1865 he could look out the window at 33rd Street and see Camp Douglas, the Civil War prison where 4500 Confederate soldiers had died in the last 31/2 years. (See Hyde Park History, March 1994.) Six months after Appomattox, 6000 POWs were still there. On May 9 the Tribune claimed that "They have nearly all signified their wish to take the oath of allegiance, and it is expected that all but about 200will be allowed to do so and be discharged." On May 17th the Trib's Camp Douglas reporter, who had been often wrong but never in doubt, added that "Quietly but surely the inculcation of right and patriotic principles is going on among the prisoners of war confined in our /word illegible/ camp. Out of the whole six thousand rebels in the prisoners' square, there are not half a dozen who have not given up every rebel hope and are ready to abandon treason and come out." -J.S.

Hyde Park Hotels: The Early Years, 1880-1915

A New Exhibit

at HPHS Headquarters

On display are 27 large format views of hotels that were once landmark institutions in the communities of Hyde Park, Kenwood and Woodlawn. Many were built for the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893. Some became elegant centers of social and cultural life in their communities and resort destinations for visitors to Chicago from all over the world. Featured are such hotels as the first Chicago Beach Hotel, the early Del Prado and the original Windermere.

The sources of the views used in this exhibit are photographic and printed postcards, most of which were composed and published from the years around 1907 until about 1915. The photographer most represented by these images is Charles R. Childs, one of the more prolific and able photographers and postcard publishers of his day in the Chicago area. They have been enlarged for easier viewing through the use of a laser print copier.

StephenTreffman, HPHSArchivist, prepared this exhibit, and will present a program on Early Hyde ParkHotels on Sunday, June 21, at 2pm.Do plan to come and get acquainted with early HydePark…

by Stephen Treffman, HPHS Archivist

Paul Robeson (1898-1976)

The100th anniversary of the April 9, 1898 birth of the famous African-American singer, actor, and activist is being celebrated throughout the year at hundreds of sites in Chicago and other cities around the world. From 1945 until 1958 Robeson often appeared on stages in or near Hyde Park.Five of his concerts were presented at the University of Chicago's Mandel Hall, 57th Street and University. Four were under the auspices of various student groups and a fifth was sponsored by Earl B. Dickerson (1891-1986) who was an African-American alumnus of the University's LawSchool(1920), Supreme Life Insurance Company executive and a civil rights lawyer who played an historically significant role in overturning the legal basis for racially restrictive covenants.

On September 1, 1940, at the Chicago Coliseum,!Robeson sang for theAmericanNegro Exposition,:major organizers for which had been Dickerson and his!wife,Kathryn. Robeson also performed at several concerts in Washington Park at 53rd Street near Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Drive and in such settings as the Corpus Christi Auditorium at 4600 S. King Drive, the Rose Ballroom at 4724 South Cottage Grove Avenue, Du Sable High School at 4934 S. Wabash Avenue, and the Pershing Hotel at 64th and Cottage Grove Avenue. When in Chicago, Robeson was a guest of the Dickersons, at their home, 5027 S. Drexel Boulevard. At his death, Dickerson lived at 4800 S. Chicago Beach Drive.

Hyde Parkers listed as honorary members of the Paul Robeson 100th Birthday Committee include, Timuel Black, Gwendolyn Brooks, Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, Leon Despres, Ishmael Flory, Harold Rogers, and Dr. Quentin Young, M.D. Anyone with any knowledge about Robeson's Hyde Park connections is invited to call our society or the Paul Robeson committee at 312-344-7114 or its internet home page(http://www.pobox.com/-robeson/).

Frank Lloyd and Japan: A Chicago Celebration

Frank Lloyd Wright's first encounter with Japanese architecture was the Ho-o-den temple which was installed on Jackson Park's Wooded Island for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. This contributed to Wright's life-long fascination with Japanese art and architecture, one of the few influences he ever acknowledged. Although the Ho-o-den no longer exists, its surrounding garden has been renovated by the Park District and Chicago officials have renamed the area Osaka garden in honor of our Sister City.

In recognition of the 100th anniversary of Wright's Oak Park studio and the 25th anniversary of the Osaka Sister Cities program, there will be a special weekend celebration, July 18 and 19, at Wright's Robie House and Osaka Garden.

On Saturday, a family oriented street fair will be held on 58th Street at Woodlawn Avenue in front of the Robie House, and will feature Japanese performing arts, crafts and cuisine. Sunday lectures and films will focus on topics such as the 1893 World's Fair, Wright in Japan and Japanese gardens. Tours of the Robie House and Osaka Garden will be offered in Japanese and English on both days. Transportation between the two sites will be provided. "An Enchanted Evening in Osaka Garden" will be a highlight of the festival. There will be tours of the garden, and Tatsu Aoki, founder of the Chicago Asian American Jazz Festival, will perform jazz music based on Japanese compositions with his trio. A Japanese dinner, a Bento, prepared by Totoya will be served, followed by a traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony in the pavilion presented by the Chicago chapter of the Urasanke Tea School. Reservations for this evening

event are limited. Foundation volunteer Robert W. Karr, Jr. chairs this event which is co-sponsored by the Chicago Park District and others including Friends of the Parks, the University of Chicago and the Osaka Sister City Program. Watch for more information.

Volume 20, Number 2 & 3

Paul Cornell from Chicago and it’s Makers

uccessfullawyer,founderofHydeParkandGrandCrossing,PaulCornellhasleftthroughhisuntiringeffortsabeautifulsystemofparks

to be the playgrounds of the millions who succeeded him as residents of Chicago. What greater tribute can be paid to one of Chicago's pioneers than to say through his efforts we have Washington and Jackson Parks with the system of boulevards and smaller parks that makes the southern portion of the city entitled to membership in the City Beautiful.

Pioneer blood of the earliest in America flowed in the veins of Paul Cornell. Born in White Creek, Washington County, New York, August 5, 1822, his family traced back through the father to Thomas

Cornell who left Essex in 1638 ro settle in Boston. His mother was a descendent of Samuel Robinson, founder of Bennington, Vermont.

Paul's father died during his infancy, and the mother (Elizabeth Hopkins} became the wife of Dr. Jonathan Berry and moved with her son to Adams County, Illinois. Here Paul worked on a farm and attended the public schools in winter. Soon he was able to teach and in 1843 began the study of law, which he continued in an office at Rushville, Illinois and at Joliet. Finally, he was admitted to the bar, and on June 1, 1847, set out for Chicago on a Frink and Walker stage coach.

Carrying his earthly possessions, consisting of an extra suit of clothes, a package of business cards and one and a half dollars, he entered the Lake House at Lake and Clark Streets and applied for lodging. While he registered someone helped himself co the bundle and young Cornell was left without resources. John M.Wilson, an attorney with whom he had studied, however, came to his rescue and he secured his first employment with Wilson & Freer. A very successful career for a young man at law followed, but Cornell saw greater opportunities in real estate. In 1852 he had hired John Boyd co make a topographical study of the district now known as HydePark and the following year he bought 300 acres along the lakefront. Sixty acres of this he sold to the Illinois Central Railroad on condition that they would maintain service of at least one train daily from Chicago and return. He was forced co agree to pay the difference between the cost of operation and the sale of tickets, a sum amounting at one time co $70 for three months. A receipted bill for chat amount is preserved in the Hyde Park Hotel, signed by George B. McClellan of the railroad, who lacer became general-in-chief of che United Scates Army.

Bue Cornell opened a subdivision, and the town, after a few hesitant months, flourished. He built the old Hyde Park Hotel, and when it burned, planned for che present structure, which belongs to his estate.

In the meantime a railroad accident on the south side had led co the general order that all trains crossing an intersection of two lines must come to a full stop. Cornell saw the possibilities in the order and bought land at the intersection of the two roads, subdividing it as Cornell, Illinois, but later changing the name to Grand Crossing.

Possessed of a clear vision Mr. Cornell was one of the original agitators for the South Park System of great playgrounds for the multitudes to come, and of boulevards. The winter of 1867 and 1868 he spent in Springfield fighting against hearty opposition for the South Parks bill. He won and was made one of the first commissioners, serving for fourteen years. He was an organizer of the Chicago Coal and Dock Company, which worked the Calumet.

Mr. Cornell married Helen M. Gray of Bowdoinham, Maine, July 24, 1856, at che home of her brother in-law, Orrington Lune, of Chicago. They had five sons and two daughters, Elizabeth, Walter G. and Orrington, George Kimbark Cornell, John Evans Cornell, Paul and Helen. Mr. Cornell died March 3, 1904.

Another Link with Lincoln:------

Springfield June 2, 1857

Messers Cornell, Waite & Jameson Chicago, Ills.

Gentlemen: Yours of the 29th was duly received. This morning I went co the Register with four hundred dollars in gold in my hand and tendered to che Register of the Land Office a written application co enter the land, as you requested, all of which the Register declined. I have made a written memorandum of the facts,

deposited the gold with J. Bunn (who furnished it

to me on the draft you sent) and cook his Certificate of deposite (sic). which certificate and memorandum I hold subject co your order.

Now, if you please, send me ten dollars, as a fee.

Yours Truly

A. Lincoln

The focus on Paul Cornell (1822-1904) in chis issue of Hyde Park History arises out of Len Despres' presentation co the 1998 annual meeting of our Society and the visit last May by Cornell's grandson, Paul Adrian Cornell, to Hyde Park and his enlightening offering at our program ac Robie House. In this issue's "Notes," we look more closely at aspects of Paul Cornell's life and business career in Hyde Park and Grand Crossing and at responses we received co our Harold Washington memorial issue.

Cornell in Hyde Park

When Paul Cornell came co Chicago in 1847 he lived in the central city. After becoming involved in developing Hyde Park and marrying Helen Gray (b. 1833) in 1856, he and his new wife took up residence in his new community, probably in 1857. Cornell constructed a house for his family on the southwest corner of Laurel (51st Street/East Hyde Park Boulevard) and Jefferson (now Harper) Avenue. The two story frame house, designed in the then popular Italianate architectural style, was essentially rectangular in shape. le was oriented from east co west along 5 lsc Street on a lot that was 50 feet on its east and west edges and 150 feet on its north and south boundaries. In the accompanying illustration, the house's main entryway appears in the forefront, which would indicate that the photograph was taken from Jefferson (Harper) Avenue rather than from 51st Street. The address ultimately became 5104 S. Harper Avenue. The cupola on the roof probably served to draw light into the center of the house. From the porch, Cornell and his family could see the smoke and flames from the Great Chicago Fire of October 9, 1871 that, in the process, also destroyed his downtown office and its records.

The presence of this imposing house so close co the Illinois Central railroad lines meant that early travelers and potential investors in Hyde Park property could easily see it when arriving at or passing Hyde Park by rail. In a sense, it served as Hyde Park's first "model home," an explicit vision of what could be established on this open and essentially empty land that was close enough to downtown Chicago via a short train ride but distant enough to be removed from its congestion. According to city directories and grandson Paul A. Cornell, Paul and Helen continued co live in the house until their deaths, in 1904 and 1914 respectively. It was demolished soon after her death. Commercial structures, once including a branch of one of America's early fast food chains, "House of Wimpy's: The Home of the Glorified Hamburger," now occupy the site. The land remains the property of the Cornell family, making it the oldest parcel of Hyde Park real estate owned continuously to this day by one family.

Cornell built Hyde Park House at a cost of $70,000 around the same time that he constructed his house and may even have been resident in the hotel while the house was being built. When the hotel opened in 1858, it had a capacity for 200 guests and was, as Jim Stronks pointed out in our last issue, an attractive retreat for well-to-do Chicagoans. Because of additions to the Lake Michigan shoreline in lacer years, some confusion has crept into identifying the hotel's original site. A map from 1868 indicates that it stood at the southeast corner of 53rd Street and what is now South Hyde Park Boulevard, where the Del Prado Apartments now stands. The building stretched lengthwise north and south along the lake shore. Its front facade, the long side in the view in the accompanying illustration, faced west toward a landscaped driveway. According to Andreas, Cornell leased the inn co managers in 1858

and then sold it co J. Irving Pearce and Schuyler S.

Benjamin in 1865. Although the new owners enclosed che hotel's wooden frame in brick, the entire building was consumed by fire in 1877 at an estimated loss of some $310,000, most of it uninsured. These owners, it would seem, bore that loss, not Cornell. lncidently, another hotel called "The Hyde Park" existed in the 1870s at the southeast corner of 63rd and Stony Island Avenue in Woodlawn but whether Cornell had a financial interest in it is not known. After Cornell built his new hotel in Hyde Park, the Hyde Park Hotel on 63rd Street ceased co operate under that name.

Paul Cornell and Grand Crossing

By 1870, Paul Cornell and his wife had had five children, two of whom, ac ages four and six, had died of diphtheria early in that year. He was 47 years of age, a well-established lawyer and a South Park Commissioner which, no doubt with some pride, he reported as his occupation in the 1870 U.S. Census. Financially, the 1860s had been quite a boon for Cornell. He cold the 1870 census enumerator that he owned $600,000 in real estate and $6000 in personal property, a combined figure twelve times the amount he had claimed in the 1860 Census. A significant portion of his real estate holdings consisted of hundreds of acres of land chat he had acquired in 1854 and developed around a railroad intersection at 75th street and what is now South Chicago Avenue. In 1853 two trains had collided at this rail crossing with a loss of forty lives and many more injured. This led to legal requirements that, by the mid-1870s, had 210 trains of six different rail companies stopping ac this junction every day. This land became the basis for a new community originally called Cornell, but ultimately named Grand Crossing.

Accordingtotheoriginalplatenteredwiththe CookCounty'sRecorderofDeedsin1872,theborders of Grand Crossing ran essentially from 71st Street on the north to 83rd Street on the south and from Stony Island on the east to Cottage Grove on the west.

The strategy that Cornell used in developing Grand Crossing was roughly similar to the one he used in the town of Hyde Park but with a wrinkle that notably differentiated it from his earlier effort. The center of the new town was arranged around a railroad stop and depot. He built a hotel (the Grand Crossing at 76th and Woodlawn) near the depot, established a small community park (at 76th and Greenwood) and donated land for a church (at 76th and Ingleside) and for a public school (at 76th and Drexel and named for Cornell), all of which was, essentially, a basic review of what he done before in Hyde Park Center. The twist on the model was that, immediately south of the park, Cornell constructed a large watch factory in 1870 that would serve not only as an anchor for Grand Crossing and, perhaps, a rewarding financial investment but also as a defining symbol of the community's character.

Cornell envisioned Grand Crossing as a center for

manufacturing supported by unusually good rail access for shipping and travel and the availability of good housing. Cornell offered manufacturers land at very attractive prices in the expectation that the workers drawn to these factories would then purchase housing on land which Cornell could also provide. The watch factory might help prime the pump, so to speak. In the case of Hyde Park, the direct parallel to the factory, in theory, was Cornell's donation of land for a Presbyterian Theological Seminary south of East End Park, but it was never built. In practice, it would be his house and his hotel that served to identify the town of Hyde Park in its early days as a middle- and upper-class residential suburban community linked closely to Chicago. Grand Crossing, however, was intended to be a far more self contained and self-sustaining economic entity.

The Cornell Watch Factory stood on the south side of 76th Street between Greenwood and Dobson, at what would now be about 1035-53 East. The gray structure, oriented east to west and facing north, was three stories high and perhaps half a city block long. An early example of the so-called American system of mass production, the plant had fifteen separate operating departments and employed perhaps as many as three hundred men using sixty-five different machines, some driven by steam, that Cornell had purchased from a defunct New Jersey watchmaking company or had constructed expressly for his factory. For its time, the building was probably as modern a manufacturing plant as could be found anywhere in the Chicago area. Natural light came through the building's unusually large windows and the landscaped area in front of the building provided a parklike setting. The company prided itself on its policy of employing only men. Women and children, whose labor might have suggested a lower quality product or otherwise possibly been deemed exploited, were expressly excluded from employment.

A singular snapshot of Hyde Park history was captured when the company differentiated among the nine models it offered by identifying them by the names of real people, all of whom, but one, had historic connections to Hyde Park and Cornell. The top of the line model was the Paul Cornell, a nineteen jewel stem winder. More modest models, those with fewer jewels, were identified by the names of friends and business associates, some or all of whom may also have served as directors of the company: C. T Bowen, Chauncey M. Cady, Homer N. Hibbard, George F. Root,John Evans,]. C. Adams, E.S. Williams, and George W. Waite.

Bowen, Cady, Hibbard, and Waite were active early

collaborators with Cornell in the development of Hyde Park. Chauncey T. Bowen is linked to a subdivision in Hyde Park Center that included much of what is now Nichol's Park. He played a major role in lobbying for passage of the South Parks legislation and was, with Cornell, a commissioner on its first board. He was president of the first Calumet and Chicago Dock and Canal Company, in which Cornell was also an investor. The company developed significant portions of the southern part of Hyde Park Village. Chauncey M. Cady (1824-1889) was the vice-president of the Cornell Watch Company. In partnership with George Frederick Root (1820-1895 ), Cady also owned Chicago's largest music publishing firm (founded 1858), with offices at the famed Crosby Opera House. Cady was president of the first Hyde Park Board of Trustees from 1868 until 1874.

Homer Nash Hibbard (1824-1897), Cornell's law partner in the 1860s, led the move to incorporate Hyde Park Village in 1861 and was associated with Cornell in founding its first public school. The present Kenwood Avenue from 51st to 55t·h Street was originally called Hibbard Street or Court. Hibbard also held investment property in Grand Crossing.

George Washington Waite (b.1819) was employed as chief engineer for several railroads and was linked closely to Hyde Park's village government. At various times he held positions as Hyde Park trustee, revenue collector, town clerk, and supervisor. He was Hyde Park's first postmaster and, in 1872, the first Chief Engineer for the South Park Board of Commissioners.

Dr. John Evans (] 814-1897), an obstetrician and active real estate investor, was related to Cornell by marriage. He was associated with Cornell in creating Oak Woods Cemecary in 1853. He lent his name to the town of Evanston, Illinois and was founding president of Northwestern University's Board of Trustees. Cornell named one of his sons after Evans. By 1870, however, Evans was resident in Colorado.

Erastus S. Williams was a lawyer, circuit court judge and, as was Hibbard, an elder in the First Presbyterian Church of Hyde Park of which Cornell was a founding member.

The one model "name" chat does not fie naturally into this group is that of J.C. Adams and his is an interesting story. According to the 1870 Census, John C.Adams, who then lived in Chicago with his wife and three children, was born in New York State in 1835 and had been apprenticed as a watchmaker and jeweler. The first machine manufactured(interchangeable part) watches in the United States were made in1854 by theWaltham(Massachusetts)Watch Company.In1864, Adams, fascinated by the potential of this technology, with associates drawn from the Massachusetts company and monies invested by a group led by a former mayor of Chicago, founded the National Watch Company, in Elgin, Illinois. Cornell somehow became acquainted with Adams and decided to back him financially in establishing a new watch company in Grand Crossing with machinery purchased from a defunct watch company in Newark. Adams left the Elgin company and joined the Cornell Watch Company as its general agent or manager. He likely was the Cornell company's central figure in working out the details of production, employment, and distribution and likely had a hand in aspects of the design of the factory itself. The still existing small park that Cornell established across from the plant, at 76th Street between Dobson and Greenwood Avenues, may well have been named after Adams and retains that name to this day.

Using the names of private individuals to differentiate between a company's watch models was not unusual among manufacturers of that period but most appear to have been of persons involved directly in the business. While it is not known whether the Cornell watch "names" were actual investors in the company, using those names illustrates Cornell's capacity to draw a core of close friends and relatives around him with whom he shared the risks and rewards of his major projects or

otherwise obtained their support

and approval, whether in Hyde Park, Grand Crossing, the South Parks or Calumet. Those connections, however, have led historians to conclude that those behind the campaign for establishing the South Parks system, that is, Cornell and his close associates, were influenced by the prospect of increasing the value of real estate near the parks as well as for providing "lungs for the City." In 1871 the Cornell Watch Company was profusely praised by an editor of a perhaps because of, the new technology, it was still a capital and labor intensive business and efficiencies in production may have been difficult to achieve. In 1871, the company's manager claimed, perhaps overstating reality, that the firm had invested $500,000 building and equipping the factory and planned to devote another $500,000 for further development. Still, investment and labor costs had to have been substantial. As that trade journal editor had warned in 1871, despite a company's willingness to invest large sums to "secure perfection in the manufacture of their goods they may nor at all rimes receive the ample pecuniary return their enterprise deserves."

For Cornell to recover the costs of their manufacture and make a profit, a great many watches would have to be sold and that may have proved difficult to achieve in the face of stiff competition and a deteriorating economy. For example, in that same 1870 to 1874 period, Adams' old company in Elgin probably manufactured as many as four rimes the number of watches Cornell produced Offering nine different watch models, instead of just a few, while flattering to his friends and associates, may nonetheless also have raised Cornell's costs of production and further dampened his company's ability to compete. The Chicago Fire of 1871, in turn, played havoc with Chicago's economy, the closest large market for Cornell watches. Moreover, a sharp economic downturn in the United States watch trade journal for making began in 1873 causing wide "the best watch the ingenuity of man has as yet produced" and for having a "liberal management". A glowing future was predicted. In 1874, however, Cornell suddenly sold controlling interest in the company to a California group headed by Leland Stanford, organizer of the Central Pacific Railroad and the man who hammered that famous spike at Promontory Point, Utah in 1869. Most of the watch factory's machinery was shipped off to San Francisco along with sixty of its skilled workers who had elected to remain with the company.

The reasons for the sale of the Cornell Watch Company have never been fully explained. On its face, the Grand Crossing company seemed to be thriving; from 1870 to 1874 the company may have produced, by some estimates, perhaps as many as ten to twelve thousand watches. The problem was that despite, or spread unemployment and wage cuts for many of those who were employed, particularly railroad workers, a prime market for watches. These factors also would have affected the ability of Cornell to raise funds to keep the company going in difficult times. Cornell's own investments were rather illiquid and his major interests, as well as those of most of his associates, were, after all, far more wedded to real estate than to watchmaking. For his friends Cady and Root, the Great Fire was a disaster. When the Crosby Opera House went up in flames, so did their business, throwing it into bankruptcy. Cady left Chicago in 1873. By 1874, then, in the face of factors internal and external to the company, it is likely that the Cornell Watch Company was experiencing difficulties in achieving profitability, actual or desired. Given these circumstances, Cornell probably welcomed the opportunity to sell control of the company to other players.

The California group apparently believed that the company had a better chance for survival in a different market. Its strategy was to lower its labor costs at its San Francisco plant by hiring Chinese workers, then available in large numbers after completion of the transcontinental railroad line. The skilled workers who had come from Chicago, however, protested and went on strike. Conditions for the company continued to deteriorate and the company closed its doors 10 1876 and sold off its assets to watch companies in other cities.

Back in Grand Crossing, in 1875 Cornell sold his former watch factory building to the Wilson Sewing Machine Company, along with 300 lots of land. By then the community already had over seventy-five dwellings. In 1876, he put his Grand Crossing Hotel up for sale. Although he continued to maintain

• significant holdings in Grand Crossing until the end of his life, Cornell, by the lace 1870s, had probably completed the most active phase of his involvement in development of that community. The factory itself became something of a community landmark, standing until at least the middle of this century. The site is now vacant. J.C. Adams moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania where he organized the Adams and Perry Watch Manufacturing Company only co see it go into receivership in 1876. In 1885, however, he returned to Illinois to organize and presumably make his fortune with the Illinois Watch Company in Springfield, Illinois which made watches there until 1932. The Elgin Watch Company, the one from which Adams left to join Cornell, became the largest manufacturer of watches in the United States and produced watches until the 1950s.

Grand Crossing's contribution to the history of Hyde Park Village lies in its role in encouraging the development of areas to its north and south. This led to an increase in the village's population with accompanying greater social and economic diversity which, in turn, gave rise to political forces competing over community resources, eventually challenging the old line powers in Hyde Park Center, including Cornell himself, in support of annexation to Chicago.

One of the earliest aspects of Grand Crossing's pre development was the establishment, in 1853, by Cornell and others, of Oak Woods Cemetary at 67th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue, today one of the great historic cemetaries of Chicago. Cornell and most of his immediate family are buried there in lot 1-1. In 1888, Cornell installed there a dignified twenty foot tall monument cast by his own American White Bronze Company, then located only blocks from the cemetery at 73rd and Woodlawn in Grand Crossing. A relief of his face is set in place half way up the monument, which is possibly the last surving structure whose construction was personally supervised by Cornell. It has held up very well and is accessible to the public.

The Hyde Park Hotel

When Cornell built his new Hyde Park Hotel on the south side of 51st Street between Lake Park and Harper Avenues (now site of the Village Center Shopping Mall), he did so in two stages. Although sources conflict on the matter, the east half, along Lake Park, was apparently built first, in 1887. The west half, along 51st Street/Hyde Park Boulevard to Harper Avenue, was added in 1890. This may account for early references to two different addresses for the hotel: 5122 Lake (Park) Avenue and 1511 E. Hyde Park Boulevard. An addition to the rear of the building was constructed at some date later than 1907. At the time it was built it was the largest residential structure in Hyde Park with ultimately 300 units of two to five rooms. Framed internally by a metal skeleton, it was proclaimed "fire proof' because of its then new fire restraining wall construction. On its first floor, an elegant marble lobby opened into a well-regarded dining room, various public meeting rooms and a smoking materials and newspaper stand. It also had a barber shop and pharmacy. An elevator took residents to their floors. A veranda that stretched along its north and west facade allowed visitors to relax and enjoy the street scene. Lake Michigan was then only a little more than a block away from the hotel and the large windows in each apartment not only brought in a good deal of natural light but allowed lake breezes to cool the rooms during the summer months. Over the years the well-regarded hotel was host co celebrities and many community social and cultural activities. The Old Settlers Club, something akin to a local historical society, met there regularly during the early years of this century.

Architecrual historian Carl Condit praises the hotel, designed by Theodore Starrett and built by the George

A. Fuller Company, as perhaps the earliest residential example of what has come to be called the Chicago School of Architecture. These innovative forms and structures first emerged in downtown Chicago during the early 1880s as spacious metal framed office and commercial buildings, many of them constructed by the same Fuller Company. Planning for such large buildings, argued its advocates, should be rational, empirical and systematic. The structures that emerged should project simplicity, stability, dignity, and efficiency. Artistry derived from functional elaborations, not from adding on useless embellishments. In other words, it fit important

emergingaspectsoflate19thCenturybusinessphilosophy-andCornell-likeaglove. Condie ignores Cornell when he considers the hotel, preferring to focus on the architect's achievement, the building's influence on ocher hotels, and its divergence from older building traditions. Indeed, its design was decidedly not the reigning architecture of the Columbian World's Expostition although the hotel certainly housed a goodly number of visitors to the fair. The face remains, however, chat Cornell commissioned, approved and financed the planning and construction of chat very special and historically important hotel and his contribution deserves co be acknowledged. Hyde Park House, the watch factory, the lase Hyde Park Hotel, even the American White Bronze Company, seem all of a piece: among the largest and best built buildings of their type in their time and place, reflections of Cornell's commitment to quality and innovation. The Hyde Park Hotel not only belonged to Cornell, it epitomized his values, his career and the identity that he wanted for himself and the community he had founded. While ochers in Hyde Park may have built what were considered temporary structures for the fair, Cornell constructed a hotel whose intended permanence was self-evident. In so doing, he introduced a form of alternative housing into the community-the first class residential hotel-chat would ultimately become very important to Hyde Park's development in succeeding decades. Cornell's funeral was held in the hotel on March 5, 1904. The building itself came down in 1963 during the community's urban renewal era.

Remembering Paul Cornell

Historian Donald Miller appraises Cornell's career and accomplishments sympathetically. "Cornell," he writes, "was more than a building speculator...(He) had a deep interest in the city's betterment and the hope... that parks and cultural institutions would act as restraints on Chicago's runaway materialism." The park system Cornell helped bring into existence "was Chicago's first effort to shape a development process dominated by unruly improvisation and to plan entire areas in advance of settlement for public, not private use. It was also the first successful effort in the city's history to break the monotonous spread of the grid." Mi Iler concludes, "Cornell's career as a town and park builder is an example of the combination of high and low motives, of risk caking in the interests of both personal and civic gain chat had been behind nearly every major municipal improvement since...(che early days of Chicago's history)." As he walked to his car after his visit co Robie House lase May, Paul A. Cornell offered his own down-to-earth assessment of his grandfather, "Given the curbulaoce of 19th century America, he had a lot of guts."

Cornell Avenue and Cornell Drive, of course, are named in honor of Paul Cornell. There is also a park named after him, Cornell Square, at 1809 W. 50th Street. In the main hall of its refectory, there is a painting of Cornell on the wall and a bust of him dated 1900, probably cast by American Bronze. An administrator there cold me the story that, years ago,

The two parks about which I was requesting information turned out to be on one or the other of their lists. In the case of Adams Park, there is another one by that name on Chicago's north side. The District had no historical information in their current files on Grand Crossing's Adams Park but I could share our research, tracing it back at least to the 1872 plat, thus placing it among the older named parks in the over 500 parks currently in their system, and suggesting a possible source of the Adams name. "Harold Washington Park" may be designated as the official name for the area previously categorized as a playloc. Moreover, though raised tentively by a staff member working on this project, there is a possibility that the entire area including the playlot and the park land west to Hyde Park Boulevard, chat is, what once was officially labelled East End Park, might be renamed "The Harold Washington Memorial Park." While such decisions are made ultimately by the Park District Board, with recommendations from the park's cop level administrators, community impuc in chis process seemed genuinely welcomed. Persons wishing to convey their sentiments about these matters should direct them to Dr. Gwendolyn Larouch, Director of External Affairs, Chicago Park District, 425 E. Mcfetridge Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60605.

Incidently, although Harold Washington was che

only sitting mayor of Chicago to have made his home in Hyde Park, in the course of the research for chis

issue, I learned that Edward J. Kelly, while mayor in

the 1930s, lived at 4821 South Ellis Avenue in the Kenwood community.

In 1876, an "old settler," possibly Cornell himself, was asked "what will Chicago be twenty five years from now?" "Why sir, I am afraid to tell you, for fear you will laugh at me, as all my friends did, when I prophesied that in 1865, Chicago would have 100,000 inhabitants; in 1870, 150,000, and in 1886, 200,000; and

yet you see I did not set it half high enough...(By 1900), if manufacturers come in to help us, as I believe they will, I expect Chicago will be built up in that time as compact as she is now, down south to the Indiana State Iine."

From: D.H.Horne, Chicago As It Is To Be, 1876

The Abraham Lincoln Brigade

Another response to our Harold Washington memorial issue came from Charles and Yolanda Hall who have organized the "Chicago Friends of The Lincoln Brigade." They report that honorary Spanish citizenship was granted to surviving members of the Brigade in 1997. Six of chem were Chicagoans, of whom two, Dr. Aaron Hilkevitch, M.D. and Emanuel Hochberg, were Hyde Parkers. Mr. Hochberg died April 28, 1998. Their research, drawn primarily from che Brigade's archives at Brandeis University, indicates that more than a dozen students from the University of Chicago went to Spain, including Nathan Meyer Schilling who was killed in battle there. Schilling had lived at 5610 S. Dorchester. Charles Hall is also a Brigade veteran and he and his wife once lived in Hyde Park. Further information on che plans and activities of the new group may be obtained from the Halls at 5320 N. Sheridan Road, #1902, Chicago, IL 60640 or, by phone, at 773-769-2665.

Selected sources: A.T. Andreas, History of Cook Co11nty (Chicago, 1884); Jean Block, Hyde Park Homes (Chicago, 1978); Chicago Trib11ne, March 4, 1904; Paul Gilbert and C.L Bryson, Chicago and its Makers (Chicago, 1929); Carl W. Condit, The Chicago School of Architecture: A History of Commerical and Public Building i11 the Chict1;:,o Arect, 1875-1925 (Chicago, 1964); John Drury, "Grand Crossing," Landlord's G11ide (Chicago),

Vol. 38, no. 10 (Ocrober, 1947); Dena J. Epstein,

Mmic Publishing in Chicago before 1871: The Firm of Root and Cady. 1858-l 871 (Detroit, 1969); Everett Chamberlin, Chicaf!,O and its S11b11rbs (Chicago, l 874); Paul A. Cornell, Pa11I Cornell: The Father of Hyde Park (Chicago, 1978 and 1998); Donald R. Hoke, The Time Mme1m1 flistorical Cataloiue of American Pocket Watches (Rockford, Illinois, 1991); D.H. Horne, The City of Chicago That ls To Be.' The Village of Hyde Park and her Tou·ns.' Grand Crossing (Cleveland, Ohio, 1876); Hyde Park I-leralcl, August l l, 1938; Ann Durkin Keating, B11ilclinf!. Chicaf!.o (Columbus, Ohio, 1988); Paul Markum, "Village Problems and City Solutions," Hyde Park I-Iistot)' 1 (Chicago: Hyde Park Historical Society, 1980), pp. 5+82; Donald L. Mi Iler, City of the Cent11ry: The Epic of Chicaf!,O and the Making of America (New York, 1996); Cooksey Shugart, The Complete Guide to American Pocket Watches (Cleveland, Tennessee, 1981); The Watchmaker and jeweler, Vol. 2 (May, 1871) and Vol. 3 (September and November, 1871); A.N. Waterman, Historical Revieu1 of Chicago and Cook County (Chicago, 1908) Andrew Yox, "Hyde Park Politics: 1861-1919," Hyde Park History 2 (1980). Thanks to Bernard Edwards and Cooksey Shugart for leads regarding the Cornell Watch Company and to Julia Bachrach and Anita Salazar of the Chicago Park District.

A 1908 post card view of Adams Park and the old Cornell Watch Company in Grand Crossing was a key to identifying the then location of the old watch factory at Ease 76th and Greenwood Avenue. At the time of chis photograph, the building was occupied by A.C. Clark and Company, a dental supply manufacturer. Although the building no longer exists, Adams Park, at least 116 years after it was established, still does, on the north side of 76th Street between Greenwood and Dobson Avenues diagonally across the street from the much larger Grand Crossing Park. Adams Park may have been named after Cornell Watch Company official John C. Adams.

By 1876 Hyde Park Village consisted of twenty-eight towns: Cleaversville, Forrestville, Kenwood, Hyde Park, South Park, Woodlawn, South Shore, Oakwood, Brookline, Englewood,Grand Crossing, South Chicago, Clark's-Point, Irondale, Stony Island, Indian-Ridge, Colehour, Chittenden, Burnside, Roseland, Kensington, Riverdale, Wildwood, Dalton, Kingston, Anthony, Binford, Egandale, and Fernwood.

Volume 20, Number 4

Hyde Park Houses: An Enduring Gift Twenty Years Later from Jean F Block

Written by Steven Treffman

Twenty years have passed since The University of Chicago Press published the lace Jean Friedberg Block's groundbreaking Hyde Park Houses: An

Informal History, 1856-1910 in the Fall of 1978. It is as

well, the tenth anniversary of her death.This presents an opportunity to look back at the significance of this book and at Jean Block's life.

The book, which had a printing of 10,000 copies, was well-received and found wide distribution.

The publication of Hyde Park Houses in 1978 may be

Several hundred small businesses were affected. Many of

Houses and the HPHS

Aside from Jean's personal involvement with the

Who Was Jean Block?

It is instructive to examine Jean Block's life and

Simon Abeles, Jean's great-grandfather on her mother's side, was born in Bohemia in 1817. His father had been a rabbi and his mother the daughter of one.

In the almost two decades before Hyde Park Houses

Photography,though,remained Samuel'sfirst love.Hiscameraofchoicewasatripod-basedlargeformat4x5" Burke and James (Chicago) View camerathatrequiredphotographicplates(ratherthanrollfilm)andtheuse of a black clothhoodby thephotographer.AlthoughhisseeminglystraightforwardphotographsinHydeParkHousesseemintunewiththe"informal nature of the book (e.g., some include automobiles parked on the street), in fact, like the rest of Jean's book, the photographs were carefully planned. Samuel and Jean selected times of the year when foliage did not obscure views of the houses and natural lighting could be optimized to help strengthen the images.

Some of Samuel's Hyde Park House photographs have

I regret that Jean and I became acquainted only in

Steve Treffman is the Society's archivist and a contributing editor of Hyde Park History.

/Posted by Mallory Price 3/4/22 /Posted by Mallory Price 3/4/22

Newsletters 1980

Volume 2, Number 1 February, 1980

POWHATAN, RANNEY, GERICK GET CORNELL AWARDS

For the Society's annual meeting and dinner on January 19, Thelma Dahlberg and Betty Davey created some entertaining, amusing (and humbling) historical quizzes, members were brought up to date on the status of the headquarters building renovation project, the new officers and committee chairmen were introduced,'and--highlight of the evening!--this year's Paul Cornell Awards were announced. Here they are:

e TO THE POWHATAN COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION, "for the sensitive return to the spirit of Art Deco in the renovation of this classic apartment build ing [4950 Chicago Beach Drive], re-using old fixtures and restoring old features wherever possible."

Meet our new officers: President--Clyde Watkins

A native Hyde Parker, he was one of the founders of the Hyde Park Historical Society. Until recently director of development for the University, he is now with the public relations firm of Charles Feldstein and Co.

Vice-President--John McDermott. He has lived here for 20 years, is editor and publisher of the Chicago Reporter, heads the National Catholic Council for Interracial Justice

Secretary--Margaret (Mrs. Lloyd) Fallers. A faculty child, she grew up in Hyde Park, later became a fac ulty wife, Lab School teacher, U High Principal. She now heads the University's affirmative action program.

Treasurer--Gary Husted. A com munity resident for 3 1/2 yrs., he owns the elegant old Roberts house in Kenwood. He is an accountant

e TO VICTORIA POST RANNEY, "for

organizing and directing the Com mittee to Save the Rosenwald House, thereby contributing significantly to community awareness of the con tinuing importance of the historic preservation effort."

e TO JOSHUA GERICK, "for construc ting a scale model of the Rosenwald House which received commendation in a city-wide competition of high

school history projects and was dis played at the Ancona School Kenwood House Tour and the 57th St. Art Fair." Joshua has just left Kenwood Academy for the Parsons School of Design in New York.

(Categories and rules for the Paul Cornell Awards were printed in our last Newsletter.)□

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL WINNERS!

IT'S TIME TO RENEW YOUR MEMBER

SHIP in the HPHS--still only $5.00 per family per year. Send your check, drawn to the Hyde Park Historical Society, to Gerhardt Laves 5553

Kenwood Ave., Chicago, IL 60637.

Early Days at the Lab School and U High

"W.e

She sits relaxed in a living room chair--relaxed Carroll Russell style, that is, which means that her back is straight and her feet are on the floor; dancers don't slump. A trim, small woman with fluffy short hair that is still more blonde than gray, her eyes sparkle as we talk about the Hyde Park she knew as a child.

Born Carroll Adelaide Mason, she lived in the house at 5715 Woodlawn (now Hillel House) which Howard Van Doren Shaw built for her tamily, and kept her pony in a barn at the south east corner of 57th and Woodlawn, (now the site of Meadville-Lombard Theological Seminary).

She had entered kindergarten at the University of Chicago Elementary School in 1904, the year that pioneer of progressive education opened. "I get very excited when I remember it," she says. "We had no strict rules and were as free as birds, yet we were self-disciplined and orderly... We didn't study much spelling or much history but we studied electricity and made a dy namo... There were always chairs in the back of the room for parents

or visiting pedagogues."

In attendance at U High after its merger with the Chicago Manual Training School, she remembers how "we sewed and we cooked--boys and girls both--and hammered and sawed things to give to our mamas for Christmas. I still have some of them."

Next: enrollment in the University of Chicago College and in due course a love affair. Paul (Pete) Russell was a Big Man on Campus--

a star athlete (captain of the foot ball team in 1916), and a Deke. After graduation, he went to work for the Harris Bank and Carroll got a clerical job until "my Peter" saved enough for them to marry.

Harold Swift [see item on p. 7], a fellow Deke but seven years Pete's senior, was already a University trustee. "I remember Harold urging Pete to join the Baptist Church so that he too could be a trustee," Carroll says. "By the 1930's, though, when Pete did become a trustee, one didn't have to be a Baptist."

Harold was Chairman of the Board when Robert M. Hutchins became President of the University. Like William Rainey Harper, Hutchins (in Car roll's opinion) was "a daring, in dependent and creative thinker, especially good at cutting red tape

A very warm friendship developed be tween him and the Russells, and both joined the first Great Books group Hutchins and Mortimer Adler led.

Until Pete's death in the early 1950's, the Russells lived at 49th and Greenwood. Their children went to the Lab School and some attended

S.P.I.A. RECORDS FOUND

In the last issue of the News letter we asked help in locating the records of the South Park Improve ment Association. Thanks to Margaret Walters we now have two photographs

c. 1905, a copy of the 1909 amended by-laws and a number of record books. Alan Barlow also contributed a 1951

list of members and their addresses.□

OUR RESTORATION FUND CONTINUES TO GROW

The goal, remember, was $45,000. We recently received $10,000 from the Field Foundation; earlier, $2500 from the Joyce Founda tion and $250 from Draper and Kramer. Generous individuals con tributed $4625 more. But the largest single arnount--$10,500--came from the Charter Members, each of whom gave $100, (in their own names or to memorialize loved ones); we list them below. We also say a warm "thank you" to all and happily announce that we are within $17,125 of reaching our goal. Renovation of our building at 5529 Lake Park Avenue should be underway by Spring.

Beatrice R. Adams Horace J. Adams Polly Adams

Mr. Adrian Alexander

Mr. and Mrs. A. T. Anderson Anderson Ace Hardware

The Douglas Anderson Family Robert Ashenhurst

W. James Atkins

Roland and Helen Bailey Muriel Beadle

Linda Diann Beeler

Mr. and Mrs. John A. Benade

Mr. and Mrs. Don Topkin Blackiston Robert J. and Alta Blakely

Jean Block

Walter and Natalie Blum

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. Boodell, Jr. Mrs. Devereux Bowly

Devereux Bowly, Jr. Jesse and Carol Bradford

Congregation Isaiah Israel Mr. and Mrs. Arthur L. Conn Michael and Kathleen Conzen Mr. and Mrs. Paul A. Cornell

Mr. and Mrs. William F. Crawford Mr. and Mrs. Charles F. Custer Albert and Thelma Dahlberg Kenneth and Marcia Dam

John and Betty Davey Josephine H. Davis Leon and Marian Despres Erl and Mildred Dordal

Anne C. and Allison Dunham Bernard E. Epton

Dr. and Mrs. A. Faller Martha and Stanton Friedberg William Gastineau

Mr. and Mrs. Paul G. Gebhard Louis and Julius Gerstein Ethel and Julian Goldsmith Mrs. Howard Goodman

Harry and Jean Gottlieb

Mr. and Mrs. Chauncy D. Harris Nadine Hild and Richard Hild Mrs. Ruth Horwich

Lester C. and Jean S. Hunt Gary E. Husted

The Hyde Park Cooperative Society The Hyde Park Herald

The Hyde Park Kiwanis Club The Hyde Park YMCA Center Mrs. Ralph C. James

Mr. and Mrs. D. Gale Johnson Mrs. Coleman J. Kelly Winston and Margaret Kennedy Kennedy, Ryan, Monigal and

Associates, Inc.

Mr. and Mrs. Maynard C. Krueger William and Norma Kruskal

Ross Lathrop

Mr. and Mrs. Gerhardt Laves Noble Wishard Lee

Kate and Edward Levi Mrs. Rose Chin Lipson

Philip R. and Dianne C. Luhmann Janet and David Midgley

Mrs. C. Phillip Miller Hans W. Morsbach

Mr. and Mrs. Victor Obenhaus Mr. and Mrs. Richard Orlikoff Dr. and Mrs. Walter L. Palmer Clarence Edward Parmenter and

Jane Parmenter Wilson

Thomas, Georgene and Gigi Pavelec Mrs. Howard R. Peterson

Robert, Rita and Kathleen Picken Louis B. Potter

Mr. and Mrs. James M. Ratcliffe George Edwin Richards and

Grace Buckle Richards

Dr. and Mrs. Henry T. Ricketts Dorothy Ringer

Jack L. Ringer

Mr. and Mrs. C. Roothaan Harriet W. Rylaarsdam

MORE CHARTER MEMBERS

Alice K. Schneider

Frank and Karen Schneider Elena Gould Schorr

Dr. and Mrs. J. Shanley-Brown Mr. and Mrs. Roger D. Shaw Richardson Spofford

Francis and Lorna Straus Mr. and Mrs. H. Strauss

Frances T. and King C. Stutzman Mrs. Gustavus F. Swift

Stephen and Marieanne Thomas William A. Thomas

L. Kristofer Thomsen Richard B. Truitt Patricia D. Walsh Marjorie Wasserman

Clyde and Cheryl Watkins George and Catherine Watkins Marvin H. Watkins

Mary-Ann Wayne

Mr. and Mrs. Warner Wick Milton W. Wright

Times Art Column, Nov. 15, 1979:

Chicago's latest National Histor ic Landmark is St. Thomas the Apostle Church and Convent, 5472 Kimbark Ave. When it was completed in 1925, it was the first American modern-style Cath olic structure.

Its architect, Francis Barry Byrne, was the only apprentice mentioned by name in Frank Lloyd Wright's An Auto biography. "This boy stayed four years and turned out better than many who had many years the start of him in ev ery way."....

Alfonso Ianelli, who designed ab stract sculpture for Wright's Midway Gardens, worked closely with Byrne on terracotta decorations for the building. Inside, Alfeo Faggi created distinguished Stations of the Cross and a Pieta. D

In archival materials from one of the United Church of Hyde Park's predecessor churches, Carol Bradford found these minutes of the Friday Evening Club (men's literary society), February 18, 1895:

The literary program consisted solely of a debate on the ques tion "Resolved that the extension of the right of suffrage to wo men would be advantageous and expedient." Mr. Rugg opened on the affirmative and the secretary in the negative. Miss Helen Russ followed on the affirmative, but the secretary had been unable

to find any lady to assist him on the negative. A pathetic appeal to the ladies present failed to touch their sympathies and the discussion was thrown open to the house. The members of the club rallied nobly to the support of the secretary. Some of their re marks stirred the righteous indignation of the ladies and from that time on the discussion was quite animated. The President was unable to decide the question and had sufficient gallantry to re frain from putting it to a vote.

The club then adjourned and the members and guests remained to indulge in social intercourse and crown the animosities of debate in some of Mrs. Bender's hot chocolate.

J.C. Russ, Secretary

Historic Sites Council Meets in Hyde Park

By Lesley Bloch

The gracious old Windermere was the perfect spot for December's pub lic meeting of the Illinois Histor ic Sites Advisory Council.

There, for two days and a night, members of the Council listened to presentations, viewed carefully cho sen slides and discussed the merits nets and transports money to its balcony cashiers in baskets swung on pulleys. It is hoped that Na tional Landmark designation will prevent demolition of the building and its replacement by the State

Office Building proposed for the North Loop Redevelopment Project.□

of 43 properties in Chicago and elsewhere in the State. While own

ers, lawyers and interested others awaited the final vote, specialists in the history of nails, woods, saws and Illinois testified as expert witnesses to the worthiness of the nominations.

At the morning session I attend ed, there were about 20 people in the audience. Heated discussion centered on the nomination to the National Register by Devereux Bowly (wearing his Landmarks Preservation Council hat) of the Brooks Building at Jackson and Franklin.

The presence of a court reporter and a request by the building's law yer that action be deferred predict ed a continued fight for the life of the Brooks Building. Since National Landmark status means that proposed changes in the property are subject to Federal review--a situation which may work to the disadvantage of the owner--the owner of the Brooks Build ing wanted time to find an architectural historian who would dis credit the building. But the re quest for a delay was denied and the nomination was approved.

So too was the nomination of the Clark and Barlow Hardware Store, which has been located at 123 w.

Lake St. for the past 85 years. In days gone by, it was famous for its showcase windows on the second floor, their displays directed to the passing parade of El riders.Clark and Barlow still dispenses its wares from grand old wood cabinets

NEW OFFICERS

with the legal firm of Hubachek, Kelly, Rauch & Kirby.

Of new chairmen of standing committees, two in particular should be mentioned:

Membership--Gerhardt Laves. It is his home address--5553 Kenwood- that now appears as the return ad dress on this Newsletter and it is to him that your dues should be sent. Born and raised in Hyde Park, he was a civilian employee of the police department until retirement.

Program--Tom Pavelec. A Continental Can Co. research technician specializing in plastics, he has lived in East Hyde Park for 3 1/2 yrs. and is active in St. Thomas parish.

Their outgoing counterparts- Jean Block, Devereux Bowly, Jr., Christine O'Neill, Richardson Spof ford, Betty Davey and Thelma Dahl berg deserve sustained applause

for their performance in office.□

IN 1905, THE S.P.C.A. MUST HAVE COMMENDED THE S.P.I.A.

By Devereux Bowly, Jr.

The Society has installed a gran ite horse trough, dating from about 1905, on the parkway at 1301 E. 57th St. {near Kimbark).

The trough, which has the letters

Still the best buy in town: Membership in the Hyde Park Historical Society--only $5.00 er year, which covers all members o a household.

Send your $5.00 check NOW, drawn to the Hyde Park Historical Society, to Gerhardt Laves, 5553 Kenwood Ave., Chicago 60637.o

SPIA carved in it, was originally in stalled on 57th St. a little east of its present location by the South Park Improvement Association, to serve the many horses in the area.

Last fall, Mrs. E. Hector Coates

The renovation of the Blackstone Branch Library proceeds more or less on schedule.

spotted the t ough_b hin a building The repairs and additions that n 57th St., ide tified it, and brought will make it function better--the i to he atte tion of the Hyde Park tuckpointing, the re-set masonry,

Historical Society. the new furnace, the air-condition-

The owners of the building, long time neighborhood realtors Margaret and Winston Kennedy, donated it to us. We cleaned it and installed it on a new concrete base in front of Staver Booksellers, itself a Hyde Park insti

tution.□

... from p.2 CARROLL RUSSELL

U High and the University. Carroll herself, now a North Sider, has wide interests and many talents. A dancer and actress of near-professional caliber, she was an enthusiastic participant in the Revels and the Faculty Wives shows. She has been a member of University visiting com mittees and many off-campus cultural and civic organizations.

When she had to give up dancing a couple of years ago and sought another mode of personal expression, she decided to attempt a biographi cal account of Harper and Hutchins. Friends urged her to make it a mem

oir of her own long association with the University and its people. She has found it difficult to write in the first person, however, and she still wants to talk with anyone who has anecdotes of Harper or Hutchins to share. Call her at MO 4-6271.D

ing throughout, the new fire alarm and smoke detector system, the new stage lights and other equipment in the auditorium--are in place or soon will be.

Now the focus has shifted to the ornamental details--to restoring the original beauty of the fabric. Items:

► The Tiffany glass dome {the on ly one in the library system outside the downtown Cultural Center) has been cleaned and backlighted.

► A professional marble cutter has been hired to clean all the in terior marble.

► An expert wood refinisher is undertaking the restoration and re waxing or varnishing of the mahog any wainscoting and library stacks.

► In the Circulation room, the handsome old drinking fountain has been reactivated. The solid mahog any Circulation desk has been dis mantled and the wood saved to use in repairing the wainscoting in the Periodical room.

► The mezzanine, believe it or not, is almost all bronze. {Go see

... to p.8

FROM THE WORLD"S FAIR TO URBAN

RENEWAL: what a nostalgia trip!

By Gladys Finn

"Hyde Park History on Show," held at Hyde Park Federal Savings on Sunday Nov. 11, brought such an outpouring of memorabilia that 3 to

5 p.m. was long enough only to glimpse the collection and leave a longing to see or read more. A sampling:

♦ A copy of the Nov. 1, 1893, Daily Inter-Ocean, headlining "The Story of The Midway Plaisance"; tinted lithographs of the World's Colwnbian Exposition; a colored photo of the 57th St. Art Colony and paintings of the same by Emil Armin and Marcella Lewin.

♦ A collection of photographs of the first-generation Swift family, recording reunions, graduations, an niversary parties, and such, which were collected by the youngest of Gustavus Swift's sons, Harold. In an 1899 family group, Harold him self is seen as an adolescent.

♦ A large and fascinating display of 19th and 20th century postcards of the community and the city; the Lab School Correlator of 1928 (when Janet Bowly and Edward Levi were in the graduating class); the Harvard School Review of May 1906 and an alumni re cord of 1880-1905; a handsome photo of the old, and now vanished, Winder mere West Hotel (first in the United States to have telephones in every room) alongside a photo of the Win dermere East ground-breaking.

♦ Exhibits by St. Thomas the A postle Church, by St. Paul and the Re· deemer and by the United Church of Hyde Park. The latter showed regis ters from the Hyde Park Presbyteri- an Church (founded 1860), the Hyde Park Congregational (1885) and the Hyde Park Methodist (1889), all now merged into the United Church.

An old Methodist ledger record ing a survey of neighborhood church preferences put the Presbyterians in the lead. One family responded to the poll, however, by saying that their preference was "nobody's bus iness," and the pollster dutifully reported the comment verbatim.

♦ A scrapbook documenting Hyde Park-Kenwood urban renewal from its inception; the Feb.25,1959,Hyde Park Herald headlining "Clearance Sched ule Imminent" and in lesser type, "750 Families Hit"; a collection of color slides recording decline and fall and rebuilding; sketches by Vi Fogle Uretz and Muriel Van Sweringin of the rows of doors that became the fencing for demolition areas.

For long-time community residents, the afternoon was an emotional as well as an historical event. One vet eran urban renewal activist was over heard to say, "This stuff makes me absolutely teary-eyed."

Among the exhibitors were these donors of historic materials: the Albert Dahlbergs, Alan and Jane Bar low, Bob and Molly Hauck, Eleanor Swift, Ted Anderson, Clyde Watkins, Alta Blakely, the Charles Borsts, Mrs. Lee B. Carrel, Howard Jackson, Herbert Ehrfurth, John McReynolds, Elizabeth Woellner, Anna Gwin Pick ens, Rosalia Isaacs, and Joe Marlin.

Eventually, these donations will be kept at our headquarters build ing. For now, they are stored else where. Thanks to all! D

Mrs. Miller Honored

Florence (Mrs. C. Phillip) Miller has received one of only 24 awards given nationally by the Interior Department's Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service, this for her work on behalf of restoration efforts in Historic Pullman. Mrs. Miller, a long-time Hyde Parker, is a grand

daughter of George M. Pullman.□

L£909 I 'ofiE rqJ

anuaAV poo ua ·s £SSS %

x arJos TE 1JO S1H JEd apXH dH

.. .

BLACKSTONE LIBRARY IS REGAINING ITS ORIGINAL BEAUTY

from p.6

for yourself.) It was cleaned by hand, a job that took over three weeks. Now, in the words of Librar ian Emma Kemp, "It looks gorgeous."

► Above the mezzanine, extensive water damage to the plaster (from a formerly leaking roof) has been re paired and awaits the delivery of a casting from a section of the orig inal ceiling molding.

The Oliver D. Grover murals in the Rotunda may be restored later. The mosaic floor below them has been well looked after and is in fine condition. When the renovation is complete, this floor will be the only uncarpeted area in the library, so users will continue to enjoy its beauty.

Mrs. Timothy Blackstone, who gave the building to the city's library system in 1904, would be pleased by the loving care that is being given

to the renewal of this memorial to her husband.□

NEXT ISSUE: A report on the ren ovation of the Children's Wing.

--from notes by Irma Strauss

This Newsletter is published quarterly by the Hyde Park Histor ical Society.

Muriel Beadle, Editor Corinne Seither, Typing

Michael Conzen, Graphics

Volume 2, Number 2 May, 1980

We Publicized Hyde Park and Made Money, Too

By Carol Bradford

The Hyde Park Historical Society was one of over 35 community groups represented at the CITY HOUSE Home Improvement Fair at Navy Pier on March 21, 22, and 23. Our booth featured photographs of historic Hyde Park homes and a grid map of the neighborhood. A variety of merchandise was on sale, including several books on Hyde Park and Chicago houses and architecture, note cards, T-shirts, and buttons. A flyer describing the Society and its

activities was available, and new members were solicited. Gross sales

Art Fair Founder Will

Speak at May Meeting

It's been 32 years since Mary Louise Womer organized the first 57th St. Art Fair, which returns again this year on June 7-8.

Mrs. Womer, now a resident of Valparaiso, Ind., is returning to Hyde Park, too--on Sunday, May 11, when she will share her recollec tions of Art Fair beginnings with members and friends of the Hyde Park Historical Society.

Did you know, for example, that the first 57th St. Art Fair (1948)

--which was also the first outdoor art fair in Chicago--occurred in Oc tober? That 50 artists exhibited?

That, as a group, they sold $500 worth of art and were astonished and thrilled to have done so well?

Since May 11 is Mother's Day and many of you will be dining out at noon, we've scheduled our meeting and program for 3 PM. The place, most appropriately, is the Hyde Park Art Center, 5236 s. Blackstone.

COME! Bring friends!

at the booth for the three days ex ceeded $375.

The purpose of CITY HOUSE, now in its second year, is to stimulate interest in and encourage the main tenance and restoration of the older homes (pre-1940) which make up the majority of Chicago's housing stock. The commercial exhibits at the Fair as well as the programs concentra ted on these purposes.

CITY HOUSE 1980 was a huge suc cess; about 40,000 people attended. Two Hyde Parkers were among those who spoke on relevant topics in the auditorium. Eliza Davey read Jean Block's paper on how to research the history of your home, and Alma Lach spoke on planning a workable kitchen in any kind of space.

* * *

As chairman of the CITY HOUSE Booth Committee for the HPHS, I want to thank all the Society members who worked to make our participa tion enjoyable and successful. Other

committee members were Emma Kemp, who set up the display; Lesley

... to page 2

Headquarters Renovation May Be Done by Fall

NOTE: May 11-18 is National Histor ic Preservation Week. This article is therefore especially apropos.

By Devereux Bowly, Jr.

This spring will see the start of renovation of the 1893 cable car station at 5529 Lake Park Ave., our future headquarters. We purchased the building in 1978 but postponed renovation until funds were raised to do most of the work.

The Hyde Park Historical Society will act as its own general contrac tor. We have engaged the Roy Ander son Company to clean and tuckpoint the exterior, repair interior and exterior foundation walls, and build a new chimney at the location of

the original one.

Robert Wolfe has been chosen to do the carpentry work, which is at least half the total job. A plumber has also been se ected and other tradesmen are being contacted. The major sequences of the work will be:

1) demolition of unusable interior components; 2) masonry repair; 3) rough carpentry;4)plurnbing;5)heat ing; 6) finished carpentry; and 7) furnishing.

Work is expected to be done by October, if our continuing fund raising efforts are successful. We are already gathering furnishings.

IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO DONATE a

rolltop desk, wooden file cabinet, or old office chairs, call Dev Bow ly at 667-2244.

HYDE PARK HOUSE TOUR

The Ancona Montessori School sponsors its second annual house tour on Sunday, May 18. Ten Hyde Park houses will be open to vis itors. Costs: $10. ($5 to senior citizens, students with ID, and children over eight. No children under eight will be admitted un less carried.) Get tickets in advance at the school, or at the Hyde Park Neighborhood Club on May 18 between 1 and 5 PM.

This is one of many programs, tours, lectures, seminars and ex hibits scheduled between May 11 and May 18. For a complete list, call or write Greater Chicago Preservation Week Committee, 407

s. Dearborn, Suite 1705, Chicago

60607. Phone: 922-1742.

CITY HOUSE ... from page 1

Bloch, who assembled the photos; Phyllis Levin, in charge of the merchandising; and Jo Davis, who contacted volunteer workers. My special thanks to all of them.

In addition, the following mem bers of the Society worked at our booth: Gary Husted, Clyde Watkins,

CITY HOUSE was also of special val ue to this Newsletter. In addition to this article, you will find oth ers from the same source on pages 4, 5, 6 and 8.

Troy Baresel, Alta Blakely, John McDermott, Berenece Boehm, Paul and Dorothy Johnson, Marie Anne Thomas, Ann Boldenweck, Jesse Brad ford, Sue Davis, Michael and Kath leen Conzen, Bertha Kokurna, Dev Bowly, Betty Davey, Carol and Bert Benade, Ann Stevens, Adrian Alex ander, and Ken Levin.

Growing Up in Hyde Park Before World War I

"The Lake Was Our Constant Companion"

NOTE: Relative newcomers to Hyde Park may find it hard to believe that our popular former alderman wasn't always as awesomely erudite and politically sophisticated as he is today. But in fact, and as this memoir attests, Len Despres was once a child.

By Leon Despres

We were the first tenants in the beautiful new apartment build ing at 5488 Everett Avenue, built in 1911. When my parents took me at age 3 to inspect our new home,

I was disturbed at the prospect

of living in bare rooms with noth ing but carpenters' sawhorses in them. Somehow, though, while I was stowed with my Aunt Jennie, the familiar furniture was moved

from 4127 Michigan, and my parents, sister and I began four glorious years on Everett Avenue.

The shores of the Lake, which had not yet been filled in, reached as far as the present-day alley be tween Everett and South Shore Dr.

East of our home was open space with a few cottonwoods and, near 55th, the fisherman's shack where Captain Stephenson and his family lived. Captain Stephenson made his living from fish, which were still in good supply. In winter, he let his fellow captains beach their commercial fishing boats on the east side of Everett Avenue. The Lake was our constant companion.

All during the shipping season we heard the ore boats' ever-sounding fog horns, now replaced by radar.

For most of the day, the alley back of our building teemed with the movement and sounds of scissor grinders, umbrella menders, hurdy gurdies, German bands, peddlers, and horse-drawn wagons delivering groceries, milk, ice, coal, and de partment store purchases. The mail

came two or three times a day, de livered by Mr. Alexander Kemp.

A year or so after we moved in, East View Park opened, with only the apartment buildings on its west side. It was so attractive that on summer Sundays there was a guard at each sidewalk gate to block stran gers who wanted to use the East View Park beach. Proudly, I had the right to pass through because my aunt and uncle lived there and took me to their beach, where I learned to swim. They kept a canoe in the basement, which was portaged to

the beach.

Soon my parents enrolled me in Miss Thirza Riggs's kindergarten, and each morning a carriage driven by Mr. Brown came by, picking up children and transporting us to the Chicago Beach Hotel, at about 5050 East End Avenue. I have one of Miss Riggs's bills to my parents, which reads: "Kindergarten tuition (with carriage) for Sept. 24 to Oct. 18, 1912--$8.00."

In the fall of 1913, I entered the primer class of Elmwood School, a private enterprise operated by Miss Annie Fellows. Elmwood School boarders lived in an enormous white house at 5491 Cornell. But the day school was on the second floor at 1643 E. 53rd (where the IVI-IPO re cently concluded a successful elec toral campaign? I was taught to

... to page 5

THE HPHS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

thanks Michael Conzen for his contributions to the appearance of the Newsletter, and welcomes Cameron Poulter, who has taken over the setting of headlines and paste-up. Muriel Beadle continues as editor and Corinne Seither as typist. The Newslet ter is published quarterly.

Absent-Minded Dr. Egan Muddles a Prescription

PANES AND PLEASURES

From the 1916 Transactions of the Illinois State Historical Soci ety and via Jean Block, here's an anecdote about Dr. William B. Egan, the first great Kenwood landowner:

"Although by profession a phy sician, he was more given to real estate than to pills and potions. Once when prescribing for an old lady she asked him, 'How often am I to take this, Doctor?' The doc tor, who at the moment was think ing of his real estate, absently replied, 'Oh, a quarter dpwn. The balance canal time, one, two and three years'--the terms then much in vogue for land deals."

By Paul Johnson

Glass--bevelled, leaded, etched, in medieval rose and in late-Victor ian yellow--illuminated the darkened auditorium at Navy Pier and enchant ed hundreds of viewers at the CITY HOUSE exposition in March.

Displaying dozens of remarkable doors and windows, H. Weber Wilson drew on a lifetime of work in Arch itectural Ecology, leaving minds a glow with images--from the Middle

... to page 6

Sorry It Took So Long, Mrs. Dickey

NOTE: When Hyde Park celebrated its 50th Jubilee, a historical exhibit was created by Alice Manning Dickey. She also wrote the following editorial, which was published in the Hyde Park Herald. The date? September 14, 1939.

"Celebrating a community Jubilee turns one's thoughts back ward, and out of Hyde Park's intensive celebration has been born a vivid interest in our beginnings. Our Historical Exhibit ... is being displayed, through the fine and public-spirited cooper ation of the University of Chicago, in the Reynolds Club, Uni versity Avenue and 57th Street ... People have come forward with

... pictures of the first homes, the first church, the first bank, the first post office, the first school, the first store, with furniture of the period, music books, china, costumes, por traits, all of which should bring us a better understanding of the kind of people who were Hyde Park's ancestors, of the fine neighborly responsible life that was lived here and which be queathed to us a progressive growing community ....

"The spirit which has been aroused during this week of cel ebration and reminiscence we hope may result in the formation of a permanent Hyde Park Historical Society in which.......................................... our

knowledge of ... the first residents of Hyde Park, and of all who have come after to work for fuller opportunities and advantages for all its citizens, may be available to the generations which shall follow us. A Historical Society can take and preserve the picture of each phase of a community's life, commemorating its notable citizens and events ... building up a strong civic in terest and a relationship which should be like that of a big but close-knit family. May it come into permanent being."

Dick and Jane Will Like New Children's Wing

By Lesley Bloch Blackstone Library Renovation Nearing Completion Come summer, a spacious, shelf-lined, yellow-walled, air-conditioned

environment will greet the children of our community when they enter the newly refurbished Blackstone Branch Library.

Although only the deacon benches, display cases and the fine oak paneled ceiling remain from the Children's Wing as we have known it, the renovation has retained a feeling of respect for the architects and their conception of a public building.

AT CITY HOUSE, awards were given for noteworthy restoration or adap tive re-use. In the multi-unit build ing category, The Powhatan (4950 Chicago Beach Dr.) received a Merit Award. The HPHS made the nomination, having already given its Paul Cor nell Award to the same project.

The Children's Collection began in 1904 as a non-circulating one. It was located in what later be came the Periodicals Room. Within its first four years, however, a circulating collection and a read ing club came into being.

In 1939, the Children's Wing was added--thanks to the Public Works

DEPRES ... from page 3 Administration and Charles Hodgdon and Sons, architects. Until 1959,

read there, where others have just been taught to vote for Braun, Cur rie, Dobry and Washington.) Grades from primer to third were in the south room under Miss Ryan, while grades four to eight were in the north room under Miss Fellows.

In February, 1914, I transferred to the "Little Ray" school at 56th and Stony Island, a branch of Ray School now supplanted by Bret Harte. It was a four-room school, built for exhibition at the 1893 World's Fair. Since it was not equipped with buz zers, it gave me my first experi ence with the peals of a school bell. How I wished I might be allowed to ring the recess bell, but that nev er happened. The Little Ray gave

me something far more valuable--my first contact with black children as peers. The 1917 residential seg

regation pattern had not yet been im posed on Chicago, and black families who had settled on Lake Park Avenue sent children to public school.

In 1915 we moved to 5509 Hyde Park Boulevard. I missed Everett Avenue, especially the beautiful winter sun rises that streamed into our sunpar lor from the unobstructed horizon over my Lake.

this existed as a separate facil ity for children, with its own en trance, circulation system and li brary cards.

When the current renovation is finished, old programs such as the Buddy to Buddy Reading Program, Sto ry Hour and Children's Films will

be reactivated. Sharon Gunn, the new Children's Librarian, is in the process of rebuilding the collec tion for pre-schoolers, replacing well-worn favorites and stocking new titles.

Armed with books, plans for community outreach, a variety of pro grams and a modernized facility, Emma Kemp and her staff expect to revitalize the community's faith in the Blackstone Branch and make reading a habit for everyone.

FINALISTS in the Chicago Metro History Fair--a program encouraging high schoolers to do research on fam ily or community history--will be on display at the Public Library Cultural Center from May 14 to 18.

A HARD WAY TO MAKE $100

Betty Davey has been reading

T.W. Goodspeed's History of the Hyde Park Baptist Church.(1924) Here's how they raised some mon ey in 1882:

"Someone suggested we open an ice cream parlor on the lot [northeast corner of Lake Park and 53rd]... A large tent was leased for a month and Mrs.R.R. Donnelley, a member of this church and well known in Baptist circles, agreed to take charge of the enterprise. Every afternoon, excepting 'sun days, for a month, she, with the help of other ladies of the church, attended to this business. Some of the men looked after it evenings. Mrs. Donnelley turned over $100...as the net profits of this business."

Ages to Frank Lloyd Wright's "Mission Modern."

For some, the program was a trip in fantasy to what their own house could become. For others, it was a primary education, as Wilson noted that "jewels" are small circles of intense color; distinguished the rectangular "nee-classical" from the flowing and leafy Art Nouveau; differentiated between true stained glass and "silver-stained" glass; and explained the acid-etching pro cess.

For many, it was a first encoun ter with the neglected history of native American residential glass, from 1860 to 1930. Weber is an au thority on that topic and has writ ten Your Residential Stained Glass, A Practical Guide to Repair and Maintenance. For information about its cost and availability, write Mr. Wilson at 447 E. Catherine St., Chambersburg, PA 17201, or call Chicago's Landmarks Preservation Council at 744-3200.

Beware Synthetic Siding Materials on Old Frame Houses

By Bert Benade

Inasmuch as appreciation of old er styles of architecture is more and more reflected in higher real estate appraisals, it pays to know the effects of using modern syn thetic materials on outside walls.

The following notes are from in formation garnered at CITY HOUSE- much of it from a talk by John My ers of the U.S.Interior Dept., an architect with the Technical Pre servation Services.

Siding or sheathing has been a round a long time. Frame buildings normally used only wood covering and in only two ways: long narrow boards mounted either horizontally or vertically, or shingles over lapped in rows. The shapes of the boards and sringles were chosen to complement the architectural fea tures of Lhe building.

When considering what to do with a frame building more than 30 years old, there are two choices: restor ation or rehabilitation. Restora tion means replacing with exact du plication and no compromise; it is the difficult and expensive way to go. Rehabilitation means fixing up as best you can, keeping your aes thetic sensitivity alert. Without sensitivity you will likely lose some economic value. You will also sense the imbalances introduced by ill-considered changes, even if you can't pinpoint them.

Aluminum, vinyl or other syn thetic materials are often used as siding. These come in many differ ent forms, some trying to copy the

THE CHICAGO ARCHITECTURE FOUNDA

TION (phone 782-1776) offers occa sional Loop tours for children 6 to

12. The inspired title: "Put Your Arms Around a Building."

THE MORE THINGS CHANGE ...

NOTE: Robert Todd Lincoln was the eldest and only son of Abraham Lincoln who lived to adulthood. He was an important man in his own right: a successful Chicago lawyer (he was the "Lincoln" of Isham, Lincoln and Beale) and public servant (U.S. Ambassador to the Court of St. James) and a millionaire.

Even so, he watched his expenditures carefully--as the letter below makes clear. For permission to quote it, we are indebted to James T. Hickey of the Illinois State Historical Library in Springfield. The letter was dated Nov. 28, 1899, and was writ ten to H.O. Nourse, Superintendent of Chicago's Water Department.

My Dear Sir:

I think you know that I have been much annoyed by what I think is a great over-rating of the consumption of water at my house, No. 60 Lake Shore Drive. I have had the matter most care fully gone over. In August last, a leak in the supply pipe be tween the meter and the house was discovered and closed. Since then, although my house until recently has not been occupied, ex cept by a care-taker, my monthly bills indicate a consumption of

... about 100 barrels a day at 50 gallons a barrel. This, of course, is impossible.

This morning I had the plumber come again. He carefully saw that all the faucets in the house were closed and ... observed

the meter for fifteen or twenty minutes, during which time it reg istered no flow. He then, under my supervision, filled a bath tub with water. During this operation, the meter was going vigorously. When the tub was filled and the faucet closed, the meter stopped working. It had registered 47 cubic feet, or 352 1/2 gallons. I then measured the bath tub with a foot rule, and calculated that it contained 6 1/2 cubic feet, or 48 3/4 gallons of water. I then

had the water dipped out ... and it measured in this way 48 gallons. This seems to show clearly that the meter is registering about seven times the amount of water passing through it, and its record cer tainly shows that it has been doing the same good work, at least since August.

I will be obliged if you will send an expert to my house, say tomorrow morning at half past eight, ... to repeat the same ex periment I had made this morning. If a similar result is reached,

I suppose that a new meter should be put in, and that I should be given a rebate on my recent bills....

Yours very truly, ROBERT T. LINCOLN

SYNTHETIC SIDINGS MERELY POSTPONE FINAL DAY OF RECKONING

look of wood. They all have draw backs when applied to frame houses. None should be used to cover weak nesses and bad spots in an existing wall, because the basic problems- though temporarily hidden--remain.

Vinyl sidings get very brittle in cold weather and break easily. Aluminum sidings dent easily and soon look banged up. None of the synthetics are cost-effective in insulation value. If you use a va por barrier just inside the new covering, humidity will wreck the interior walls and allow fungus to grow and rot to develop. The much touted new venting techniques are not effective, especially during the winter.

Guarantees should be gone over with a fine-tooth comb. Who honors them, the dealer or the maker?

Volume 2, Number 3 August, 1980

New Publication Debuts

By Lee H. Morgan

Hyde Park History No. 1, an 84- age paperb und volume of essays and excerpts·from primary source materials, made its_debut at he_57th St. Art Fair in June. It is the work of a HPHS committee consisting of Michael Conzen (chairman), Kathleen Conzen, Rory Shan ey- rown, and Albert Tannler. Its objective--and that of other public ti ns planned for the future--is "to further understanding and appreciation of our community's historical development and present character."

In "Electric Commuting and a Cleaner Hyde Park," Paul Stanford notes that the 1926 electrification of the IC (which eliminated from the air the smoke and cinders belched out by steam engines) in creased real estate values in East Hyde Park as much as 500 percent. By 1928 the average rental was more than $50 per month (as opposed

to the citywide average of $17 per month).

In "Hyde Park Versus the Tavern," Damon Darlin introduces the reader to the Hyde Park Protective Association, founded in 1893, its purpose being to get rid of the tav erns that were proliferating in

the community.

The Protective Assn. was canny; it appealed to self-interest rather than morality. It said, "The saloon in residence streets cuts down the market value of our homes [and] en dangers their security. [It] fur nis4e nine-te,pths of the work of our police and justice courts, increases our taxes, is and always has been the center of official corruption."

"HYDE PARK HISTORY NO. l" TELLS OF FIGHT AGAINST TAVERNS; ALSO VOTE ON 1899 ANNEXATION TO CHICAGO

This watchdog group didn't accomplish much more than to contain the taverns within the area on Lake Park between 54th and 56th Streets. There, in the 1920's, a thirsty man could choose among 15 to 20 bars in each block.

Does this have a faintly famil iar ring? It should have, for the South East Chicago Commission [see story elsewhere in this Newsletter]

also took a dim view of taverns. In from Clara Louise Burnham's Sweet Clover: A Romance of the White City (1894). It is part of a long r excerpt, one of several from different sources. Tucked between the essays by Stanford, Darlin, and Markun (all of them recent graduates of the University of Chicago College) these inserts leaven the scholarly prose of the essays.

To order Hyde Park History N

1 by mail, send i:.:1e coupon below, with your check, to our treasurer. If you don't want to cut into the Newsletter, make a facsimile.

To Gary Husted, 4900 Ellis, Chicago, IL 60615

I am enclosing a check for

due course it rid the community of ,drawn to Hyde Park 46 bars.

Historical Society. Please send me copies of Paul Markun's "Village Problems and City Solutions" analyzes the forces at work in 1889, when Hyde Park voted 5-3 for annexation to the city of Chicago.

"Hyde Park" was then composed of 20-odd hamlets under one governmental umbrella. Its area stretched from 39th St. on the north to 138th St. on the south, from State St. on the west to Lake Michiqan on the east. Present-day Hyde Park-Kenwood, then called the Village Center, was a rich suburban enclave, and its res idents voted against annexation.

At opposite social and economic poles were the industrial towns of South Chicago and Grand Crossing, and the agricultural towns of Rose land and Kensington. Hoping they'd get better municipal services if they were part of Chicago, they vo ted overwhelmingly for annexation.

--thereby "placing [the Village Center's] reluctant hand in that of mother city."

The phrase in quotes above is

Hyde Park History No. 1 (at

$3.85 to members of the So city, $4.85 to others).

eral Chicago foundations: a $10,000 challenge grant from the Field Foundation of Illinois (payable when we reach our goal), $5,000 from the Joseph and Helen Regenstein Foundation; and $2,500,from the Joyce Foundation.

We are grateful to all supporters of the Hyde Park Historical Society and look forward to celebrating the successful completion of both the fund drive and the renovation project in October. In the meantime, keep an eye on work in progress at 5529 Lake Park Ave.

By Muriel Beadle

"In 1905, all four of us Lowden children had the measles, and I had pneumonia as well. The doctor urged Mother to take us to Lakewood [New Jersey] to recuperate. Lakewood was part resort and part spa; it was fa mous for its pure air. That's where I first saw Dr. Harper. I remember him sitting in a rocking chair on the veranda of a Lakewood hotel, con valescing from his first cancer operation."

The speaker is Florence Lowden Miller {Mrs. C. Phillip Miller), grand daughter of industrialist George M. Pullman, daughter of a Governor of Illinois, wife of a distinguished scientist and physician, and in her own right one of Hyde Park's {and Chicago's) great movers and doers.

Harper

HEADQUARTERS PROGRESS REPORT

Devereux Bowly, Jr. advises: Don't just drive past our head

quarters building at 5529 Lake Park. Walk there, so you can stop and look and appreciate the restoration of the brickwork to its original color, a lovely coppery rose.

When the building was a hash house, its owners painted the exterior fire-engine red, several thick coats of it. To strip the stuff off required 64 man-hours of hand labor. That job was completed in June, as was the tuckpointing and the replacing of several courses of brick.

By the time this Newsletter is printed and delivered, the back and side windows and the new floor will be in place. When the project is completed, the handsome arched win dow frames will still be there, but the sash will be new and the doors will have been rebuilt.

We're anticipating an· official opening in October and.hope that members and friends will help us furnish the place. We'd like to have, as of the 1890's or early 1900's:

. A roll-top desk

. Wooden office files

. Wooden office chairs

. Wood-burning stove

. Drinking fountain

Her reference above to "Dr. Harper" is, of course, to William Rainey Harper, the Univesity's first President, who died in 1906. Now 82, Mrs. Miller has first-hand recollections of all but one of the University's chief executives. Below, from a recent interview, are more memories:

Judson

Eight or nine years after the Lakewood visit, Florence met Harr·y Pratt Judson, Harper's successor and that meeting wasn't in Chica- go either. It occurred at Pullman Island, in the St. Lawrence River, where the Lowdens were vacation ing. {Their home, earlier.on Prai rie Ave. in Chicago, was by 1913 at Sinissippi Farm on the Rock River.)

Bear in mind that Florence's father, Frank 0. Lowden, was about to run for the governorship, and that Judson was a political scien tist. His wife did not accompany him to Pullman Island, which sug gests that Judson's visit was es sentially a "working" holiday.

But there was time for relaxation too. Judson went fishing one day, and Florence kept him company. Their conversation, as was appropriate for a schoolgirl and a professor, centered on geometry. She remembers Judson as a medium-sized man whose sparse hair was almost

MASON WAS "CHARMING," HUTCHINS "INTIMIDATING," KIMPTON "WARM AND KIND"

white and whose mustache drooped over his upper lip "and sometimes had to be puffed out of the way."

The period just before World War I was quite an era. If, like the Lowdens and the Pullmans, one belonged to Mid-America's aristo cracy, life could be sweet. That

summer, the Lowdens rented a house boat which their yacht (manned by a crew of seven) towed on a cruise

around the Rideau Lakes in Ontario. The children lived on the house

rolled in 1929 as a special stu dent. "I found the collegiate life very exciting," she says, remem bering with pleasure the football luncheons that the Hutchinses host ed before the Maroons' home games. (President Hutchins' antipathy to football developed later.)

The Millers were married in 1931 and became Hyde Park householders in 1937. They dined occasionally at the President's House, but Mrs.

Miller was.not as .comfortable in

boat: the adults, including Pres ident Judson, on the yacht.

Burton

Judson served from 1907 to 1923, the second-longest tenure of any of the University's presidents. His successor, Ernest D. Burton, had

one of the shortest terms (1923 to 1925). He was the only president whom Florence never met. That's odd, for her father was a Trustee and she had wide acquaintance in University circles. One of her best friends was Elizabeth Wallace1 who taught French literature.

Mason

Max Mason also had a short term (1925 to 1928). Mrs. Miller remembers him well, for she "fell vic tim to his charm." He was a dynamic man, "alive-looking" and personable; "he made you feel that University life was fun." He charmed the fac ulty too, by approaching any table at the Quadrangle Club with an emp ty place, saying, "I'm Mason. May

I sit here?"

Hutchins

The president with the longest tenure--22 years--was Robert May nard Hutchins, who was 29 when he took office in '29. Florence Low den was not only his contemporary in age but in formal affiliation with the University, for she en-

Hutchins' company as she might have wished. "He was an intimidating man," she says. "Always ten jumps ahead of you. He made so many quips you felt you had to keep up with him and you tried to be equally clever

yourself. But no one could match him."

Kimpton

Then, in 1951, Hutchins resigned and Lawrence Kimpton became presi dent. As with Judson and Burton be fore him, Kimpton was a member of the faculty and a sometime adminis trator--and this may be why he did not stir people up as Harper and Hutchins had done. Mrs. Miller was fond of him ("He was a warm person, and kind.") and is one of those who feels that local lore doesn't give Kimpton as much credit as ·is due to him for his role in stabilizing the College and safeguarding the Univer sity and the community through the· urban renewal·project.

The presidents who served from 1961 onward are all alive, so this account of Mrs. Miller's recollec tions will end with Kimpton

THIS NEWSLETTER appears quarter ly. We have lost Cameron Poulter1s help with the graphics, but have ac quired the services of Ruth Grodzins. Muriel Beadle continues to edit it and Corinne Seither to type it.

Community Marks End

of Eta as Julian

Levi Leaves SECC

Since 1952, Julian Levi ha been the executive director of the South East Chicago Commission, founded in that year by Hyde Parkers concerned about the deterioration of the neigh borhood. He was a designer of the subsequent urban renewal project and the person most responsible for its success.

Now he has retired from his law professorship at the University (to accept a similar appointment at the Hastings Law School in San Francis co) and from the SECC. His departure is more than Hyde Park's loss. To quote a Hyde Park Herald editorial:

"Levi, one of the most colorful and controversial figures on the public scene, will be sorely missed. He may be one of a dying breed: a man who put his formidable talents and his larger than life personality at the service of the community,

the university and the city without thought of profit."

To pay him homage was the reason for the huge turnout at the SECC's annual dinner on June 9. It would have been impossible to have crammed one more person into Hutchinson Com mons. Among them were city officials, judges, aldermen, leading businessmen

--a significant sampling of Who's Who in Chicago.

A representative of Gov. James Thompson announced that the Governor had proclaimed June 9 "Julian Levi Day" in Illinois. A representative of the Richard J. Daley family read a letter of tribute from the late Mayor's widow. SECC Board member Norman Mac Lean reminisced wittily about the Levi years. Lewis HilL now head of the RTA, claimed Hyde Park as his Second home because of

his former chairmanship of the De partment of Urban Renewal.

The Rev. Arthur Brazier of The Woodlawn Organization, co-recipient with Julian Levi of the 1977 Rockefeller Public Service Award but his bitter foe at one time, spoke

movingly of the growth of their mutual respect and friendship. Bruce Sagan, whose Hyde Park Herald often "fought pitched battles" with Levi, quoted some of his harsher words and symbolically ate them.

In responding to all this, Jul ian Levi charmed the audience with family anecdotes. For example:

"I will never forget Mayor Daley's smile when he recalled that he had learned to swim at old Sinai Community House at 46th and (then) Grand Blvd., when Emil Hirsch [Julian Le vi's grandfather] was the Rabbi. And I was surprised at his knowing that the same Emil Hirsch, as President

of the Chicago Public Library Board, had placed the corner3tone of the building at Randolph and Michigan .'1

Finally, the guest of honor told the crowd that in the late summer of 1952 he and his wife had bought a large trunk in anticipation of

their moving to San Francisco. "That trunk has sat empty for 28 years in a closet on the third floor of our house," he said. "But now t e time has come for it to fulfill its des tiny."

'Twas a grand farewell.

-- Muriel Beadle COMINGS AND GOINGS

After Tom Pavelec resigned as Program Chairman, Thelma Dahlberg and Betty Davey stepped into the breach. Now a new Program Chair man has taken over: Berenece Boehm, known to many of you for her long devotion to the Hyde Park Neigh borhood Club through its Business and Professional Women's Auxili ary. At her office, she1s the Administrative Assistant to the president of Northwest Industries.

October showing planned

United Church Finds 1910 Lantern Slides

By Carol Bradford

In early May 1910, the Hyde Park Presbyterian Church observed its 50th anniversary. Numerous special events were planned, among them several his toric addresses which were illustrated with specially-prepared lantern slides. These slides were recently rediscovered in the archives-of the United Church of Hyde Park.

The church is again planning commemorative activities, this time to celebrate its formation in 1930 as a merger of the Presbyterian Church and the University Congregational Church and the 10th anniversary of its merger with the Hyde Park Methodist Church. The 1910 slides will be shown at the church on Saturday, Oct.4, at 10:30 AM and 2:00 PM,along with highlights of the historic ad dresses they originally accompanied.

Both the slides and the talks include valuable information about ev eryday life in early Hyde Park. In the 19th century, churches were centers of village social activities and the Presbyterian Church and St.Paul's Episcopal were the first churches organized here. They shared a s all

wooden chapel located in a grove of oak trees near what is now 53rd and Lake Park.

DO YOU HAVE a friend or neighbor who might like to join the Hyde Park Historical Society and support our activities?

Membership forms are available at the Blackstone Branch Library or from our Membership Chairman, Ger hardt Laves, 5553 Kenwood Avenue, Chicago 60637.

And if you haven't yet sent him your $5.00 dues for 1980, DO IT NOW. Make checks payable to the Hyde Park Historical Society.

The Presbyterians met on Sunday mornings for worship service, the Episcopalians in the afternoon. In the winter, each group provided its own supply of wood for the stove.

Legend has it that one cold Sunday the Episcopalians were forced to cancel their service because the Presbyterians had burned all their wood. A mock trial was held later, with a prisoner brought in dragging a log to which he was chained.

Every year on the Fourth of Ju ly, there was a picnic·at the foot of 53rd St., at which the Presbyterian Ladies Aid sold lemonade. Once, when the weather was very hot and the supply of ice ran short, the women took some of the ice used to make ice cream to cool the lemonade. Though they washed the salt off as best they could, the lemonade was salty enough to make every one thirsty. So they sold more lemonade than ever before.

Perhaps it was a twinge of con science that motivated the women to alternate the lemonade sale with the Episcopal ladies in following

years.

If you make entries ·on your social calendar two months in advance, jot down Oct. 4, for the historic slide show at the United Church.

Good Show: ''Old House Works''

By Lesley Bloch

To accompany your lunch of a Saturday, there is a half-hour program on Channel 11 at 12:30 called "Old Houseworks" that people interested in do-it-yourself rehabbing might enjoy. The series is produced by the Maryland Center for Public Broadcasting and will be on the air through mid-October.

The host, Bob Callahan--appropriately dressed in work clothes and placed in a dusty "projects to be finished" environment--is very effec tive. He mixes feigned ignorance of remodeling techniques with the knack of asking just the right questions. Here's a summary of one prog am, No.

11 in the series: It began with the questions: Are

there waterproof wood fillers?" and "How do Georgian and Federal archi

A Sharp Man,

Mr. Gray!

Editor's note: Anna (Mrs. Howard) Goodman, when recently sorting fam ily papers, found a manuscript copy of a business history by Bernard Drill. Dated 1939, it is entitled "Herbert Goodman and the Goodman Manufacturing Company." She en joyed this excerpt and so should other HPHS members.

Bear in mind that Herbert Good man was Howard's father; that the "vacant lot" mentioned below is the site of the Robie House; and that Herbert Goodman's house was one of two on the land where McGiffert Hall now stands.

"In the autumn and winter of 1906, Herbert Goodman endured an experi ence that demonstrated the extent

of his community spirit.

"The house which he had recent ly purchased from Charles L. Hunter stood adjacent to a vacant lot on the northeast corner of 58th and Woodlawn Ave. In order to protect his purchase, Mr. Goodman had se cured from Mr. Hunter a pledge that no apartment building would ever be erected on the vacant corner lot.

... to page 8

tecture differ?" These inquirles were thoroughly answered, using demonstrations for the first and photo graphs for the second.

Then Bob Calahan was joined by Gil Brooks, a master carpenter, who knocked out a wall in an older home. If this is something you have been thinking about doing and have put off because it is just too much, be reassured. The job is manageable

if done thoughtfully with the right tools, time and patience in your pockets, and an eye out for salvage able remains.

The concluding minutes of the half hour were given over to a discussion of the dangers of lead poi oning. Lead is found in·90 percent of houses built before 1950. Lodged in paint, varnish and putty, it ap pears in the dust surrounding the exterior of a painted house and can fill the air of a room in the pro cess of being sanded.

Symptoms of lead poisoning can be mistaken for the flu or exhaus tion from a job finally done. A test for lead in the blood is the only way of really knowing. So the best approach is to wear a mask, remove all furniture from the room, ven tilate it well, keep pregnant women and young children away, and never eat on the job.

DID GRAY SERIOUSLY INTEND TO BUILD THOSE SHOPS, OR WAS MONEY HIS GOAL?

"Hunter subsequently sold this land to Mr. John M. Gray, of Chi cago, subject to this restriction. Abiding only by the letter of the proscription, Gray decided to build seven small shops on the property. For this purpose the material was delivered and work on foundations was begun.

"Thereupon the whole neighbor hood became aroused, and Gray, if that had not been his original purpose, sensed the opportunity to make a good thing out of his ven ture. To thwart the consummation

of these plans, Herbert Goodman and one of his neighbors, Mr. Charles Mason, finally bought up the property, though at a price consider ably in excess of its real worth.

"He wished that he could take permanent title to the entire vac ant tract next to his own house but, as he wrote to his brother in-law, 'I am hardly yet able to cultivate a neighborhood park for the benefit of myself and the ad jacent property holders.'"

URBS IN HORTO AS OF 1899

In their 1899 Annual Report, the South Parks Commissioners included these notes: "Owing to the increasing demand for great er lawn area for visitors to Washington Park, the territory on which hay is made is reduced somewhat each year, so that this year the crop yielded only 46 tons of hay.

Volume 2, Number 4 November, 1980

WHAT A PARADE! WHAT A DEDICATION!

By Lesley Bloch

The Hyde Park Historical Society/Community Halloween Parade pulled itself together on the chilly afternoon of Oc tober 26, in the vacant lot adjacent to the Mu'rray School, and marched off in more than 30 groups of participants. Cub Scout den flags fluttering, Children's Choir conductor arms flapping, cold coming through the soles of our shoes, and all

a bit out of step, we paraded behind a fine pair of Police De partment horses and officers.

The Spiritual Reader/Advisor on 53rd near Dorchester looked down from her second floor window to see:

oAn elegant lady of yesteryear in a robin's egg blue chif fon gown, white fur cape, sequined and feathered hat, fan dangling;

oThe familiar meat department man from the Coop in real moustache, white hard hat and apron, accompanied by a little girl in face paint and Halloween costume;

oAn assortment of clowns miming, unicycle riding, waving; and a double-decker bus from McCormick Inn;

oThe School of Hard Knocks in academic robes;

oLoose balloons soaring high, others still attached to wrists; oThe UNICEF man clothed in a violet Moroccan caftan,

capped by Uzbekistan, pursed by Greece, beaded by India and an undefined nation;

oDogs-dogs riding backwards on a three-wheeled bike, sauntering along, waiting on a corner to join up with small sheeted ghosts and black plastic caped and masked witches;

oTwo somber antique automobiles, and a marching band; oThe hardiest majorettes ever, in abbreviated white sleeve

less tops and short red-spangled skirts, twirling, stepping high; oAnother lovely lady all in black and beads;

oThe Gilbert and Sullivan Players regal in stature, yet ever so neighborly in reality;

oAII the rest of us bringing up the rear.

Dedication Ceremonies

When the patriotically crepe-papered and ribbon-barred front door of the HPHS Headquarters came in view, the parade made an easy turn at 56th and Lake Park, protected , from auto traffic by three Kenwood Academy Porn Porn girls at the barricade. The crowd soon grew to 400 cold but cheer ful people, moving closer to that proud little building, once again in good shape.

Speeches by Clyde Watkins (in an impressive derby), by Jean Block and by Leon Despres placed this event in the history of the community. Thanks were given to John Vinci, the restoration architect; to Jane Hood of the Illinois Human ities Council, which financed the current exhibit, and to the people who researched it, assembled the material and mounted it [see story p.3] . Greetings were offered to Larry Bloom,

Carol Moseley Braun, Barbara Currie and Alan Dobry-all present and wearing smiles.

A University of Chicago student purposefully wandered through the crowd selecting persons to be part of a class pro ject in-family history, slipping index cards with a phone num ber and "Please call tonight" into chilly hands on their way to the pockets. The popcorn wagon stoked up its fire. The cider was poured. The sales table (mostly HPHS publications) was set up. People said, "Greetings! greetings! ", "Isn't this ex citing?" and "Let's see what they have with the popcorn."

"Much Good Humor"

The ribbon across the building's door was cut. A group photo of the Society's Board of Directors, and whoever else wanted to be included, was taken. Mrs. C. Phillip Miller, in pink, joined the line to view the building and the exhibit. Bill Veeck dropped by. In the sun-filled main room, the paneling looked splendid. The windows sparkled. The ticket seller's cage appeared to be authentic. And the 36-star Ameri can flag looked just right on the south wall.

Authenticity the Keynote

Headquarters Carefully and Lovingly Renovated

By Muriel Beadle

"It's a little jewel", said one participant in the October 26 dedication of our headquarters at 5529 Lake Park Avenue. Indeed it is-and the credit goes primarily to HPHS President Clyde Watkins, who "found" the place, secured it, and headed the fund-raising campaign; and to Board member Devereux Bowly Jr., who acted as general contractor. His insistence upon authenticity of design and excellence of craftsmanship

is everywhere apparent.

An earlier Newsletter reported on the cleaning of the ex terior brickwork. Here now are some notes on the interior of our renovated 1893 cable car station:

About 10,000 linear feet of 4-inch tongue and groove paneling was used on the walls. Because the or.iginal paneling was fir, seldom used now, ours had to be specially ordered. However, pine was used for the trim. It wasn't easy to blend maple and walnut stains so the two woods would match; in fact, Dev says, it took 12 tries. The effort was more than successfu I.

HEAR YE!

Here are announcements of particular importance to Hyde Park Historical Society members:

DUES ARE NOW PAYABLE. The Board of Directors re grets the necessity but must now ask $10 per year. (The rise in cost of mailings and of Newsletter production is primarily responsible.) Your HPHS membership is still a good buy, how ever, since it includes everyone in your family. Send your check, drawn to the Hyde Park Historical Society, to our membership chairman, Gerhardt Laves, 5553 Kenwood Ave., Chicago 60637. And why not give a membership to a friend?

Incidentally, we have used Gerhardt's address rather than that of our headquarters as this Newsletter's return address. Since the headquarters building is staffed only on weekends, there are bound to be delays on forwarded mail.

MAKE A NOTE on your calendar now: Our Annual Din ner meeting is set for January 17, 1981. Full details will be sent to you later.

Some Things Old, Some Things New The new floor (a beauty I) is red oak.

The rear windows, frames and sash, are custom-made re productions of the originals, but the frames of the front win dows were salvageable and only the sash is new. Thermopane was installed, however, and since it weighs more than glass the original sash weights were too light. Therefore, supple mentary weights have been added.

The light fixtures combine wrought iron parts correct for the 1890s but newly made to our order, plus antique white globes purchased locally. An antique dealer also provided the metal grille (from an old post office in Indiana) which divides the ticket office from the waiting room.

The bathroom includes a toilet with a wooden tank, numerous nice old wall fixtures (lovingly repaired by Board member Ted Anderson), and a marble-decked wash basin.

. he furnace is in the attic. It will be turned low, main taining temperatures in the forties, when the building is not in use. Under the same circumstances, the electric hot water heater will be turned off.

Unobtrusive Meters

Because of the historic nature of the building, the Peoples Gas Co. bent its rules and installed its meter in the attic in stead of on the face of the building. Commonwealth Edison, similarly cooperative, installed its meter on the north wall of the building, higher than is usual.

One of the most appropriate touches is the telephone num ber: HY 3-1893.

The building will be open (at least for now) only on Satur days from 10 a.m. to noon, on Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m., and by appointment. To make an appointment, call Emma Kemp at the Blackstone Library 624-0511.

P.S. We went a bit over our budget. If you can contribute, or know someone who might, call Clyde Watkins.

WINNERS of the Third Annual Paul Cornell Awards will be announced at that dinner. Nominations are now open, and we hope you will make some. Anyone except a currently serv ing HPHS Board member is eligible. During 1980, he or she must have "significantly furthered knowledge, appreciation or preservation of Hyde Park's historical heritage". ["Hyde Park" is defined as the territory encompassed by the original village.]

Such knowledge, appreciation or preservation may have been fostered by authorship of books or articles; the writing and giving of lectures; the creation of exhibits or student pro jects; the restoration of exterior or interior public spaces of commercial, civic or residential buildings, or of buildings which have been sympathetically renovated and successfully adapted to new uses.

HPHS members are invited to submit short written state ments in support of their nominees. Send statements to our secretary, Mrs. Lloyd Fallers, 5840 Stony Island Ave., Chi cago 60637.

VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED to staff our headquarters on Saturdays, 10 a.m. to noon, and Sundays, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. If you can help, call Mrs. John Davey at Ml 3-5943.

HYDE PARK HISTORY NO. 1 was published in June. Its 84 pages contain articles about the effect of IC electrification on Hyde Park, the community wars against the Demon Rum, and background on the annexation vote of 1889. Included too is amusing material from original sources-for example, Chicago's 1926 parade and pageant of railway progress, at which a Hyde Parker was crowned "Miss Transportation". HYDE PARK HISTORY NO.2 is reviewed on the next page. Why not give both to ex-Hyde Parkers on your Christmas list?

Each booklet is $2.50 and may be ordered from Gary Husted, 4900 S. Ellis Ave., Chicago 60615. Make your check payable to the Hyde Park Historical Society. Or pick up the booklets at our headquarters on a Saturday or Sunday.

EXHIBIT TRACES HYDE PARK'S POLITICAL ROOTS

By Lee H. Morgan

Hyde Park's early residents, detesting and fearing the corruption characteristic of urban government in the mid-1860's, persisted in maintaining a political structure featuring a town meeting, elected trustees, and part-time officials. As the village grew, the work-load became too great and the system broke down.

Even splitting the village into three districts didn't help.

The result? By 1885, as Andrew Yox says, Hyde Park had be come "an overgrown and ungovernable village" which "drifted into its only real political alternative-annexation to Chicago." Yox is the University of Chicago graduate student in his

tory who did the research for Hyde Park Politics, 1861-1919: Suburban Protection and Urban Progress. That's the title for both the current exhibit at HPHS headquarters and of the catalog for that exhibit. The latter is the second of the So ciety's 1980 publications under the series title of Hyde Park History.

From the Chicago Tribune, July 14, 1889-one of over 100 items in the HPHS exhibit, Hyde Park Politics: 1861-1919

Of Boodle and Bosses

Yox's article runs to 40 pages and may be more detailed than all readers would demand, yet it is consistently in teresting and informative. (Do you know what a "boodle fighter" was? The early definition of a "gangster"? Of a "boss"?) The appendix, listing Hyde Park Trustees and Al dermen from 1868 to 1919, makes one realize better than a statement of the bald fact that Hyde Park Village in the 19th century was a very large geographic entity.

(Instructions on how to order a copy of the booklet appear elsewhere in this Newsletter.)

Over 100 Items on Exhibit

The exhibit based on Yox's research· was prepared by a committee headed by Jean Block and·including Kathleen Conzen, Jean Gottlieb and Emma Kemp. It contains about 110 items, some under glass (various early documents col lected by the now-defunct Woodlawn Historical Society and normally stored at the Woodlawn Public Library) and others on burlap-covered panels which hang on the walls of our headquarters building.

The viewer progresses from pictures and mementoes docu menting the early suburban character of Hyde Park Center to the trauma of annexation to Chicago [see story at right]

to the ways in which leading citizens thereafter "brought their suburban concern for honest, efficient and economical govern ment into Chicago's political arena, in an effort to reform the city whose embrace they had been unable to evade."

Memorable Photos Included

Among the memorable photos is one of a young Paul Cornell with the painfully fixed gaze typical of mid-19th century Daguerreotypes; a Jackson Park lawn tennis scene, circa 1900; and an unusual picture of William Rainey Harper at his desk in Cobb Hall. Fascinating too is Charles Merriam's campaign literature addressed to Greeks, Italians and Germans, and to "the colored voter of Chicago."

For this opening exhibit, the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners loaned us an old wooden ballot box. Hanging on the wall above it are ballots on which visitors may vote for or against annexation to Chicago. Although a good many ballots were cast on October 26, the polls will remain open for a few more weeks. Our next Newsletter will report the 1980 outcome of a question originally asked-and answered-in 1889. The vote then, incidentally, was 5212 for annexation, 3357 against.

HYDE PARK TOWN HALL

... which has been the scene of so many noted contests and encounters between the taxeaters and the taxpayers. While nearly all the village officials have fallen in with the march

of progress and recognize the inevitable, there are a few who sulk in their tents and submit with sullen but hopeless pro test. In the acquisition of Hyde Park, Chicago gained a terri tory and people of which any city might well be proud.

The Town of Hyde Park was created and separated from the Town of Lake on March 3, 1861, and the Village of Hyde Park [39th St. to 138th St., State St. to the Lake] was or ganized under its last charter in August, 1872. Enthusiastic and patriotic Hyde-Parkers have for several years claimed that their village was the largest in the world, and the present popu lation of the annexed territory is computed at 75,000....

A TRIP THROUGH HYDE PARK

A trip to Hyde Park is full of interest and novelty to the visitor, who may go by the Cottage Grove avenue cable cars, the swifter moving steam cars, or charter a yacht or small steamer and take a sail along the attractive lake shore and disembark at the old pier at the foot of Fifty-third street, populous always with fishermen and youth who tempt the shiny perch or white herring with a forest of rods and laby rinth of lines and hooks.

Pioneers of Park Design

ECKHART AND JENSEN: A WEST SIDE STORY

By Malcolm Collier

How many South Siders have visited Chicago's great West Side parks: Humboldt, Garfield and Douglas, which lie be tween Sacramento and Crawford Avenues? These parks are connected with the South Side (and with Lincoln Park) by a series of boulevards, some hardly deserving the name but none theless linking the North, West, and South parks in a way the early city fathers envisioned and in a way unique to Chicago.

The boulevards are not the only link between the South and West parks. Although originally surveyed, planned and developed in the 1870s by Chicago's famous architect-engineer, William Le Baron Jenney, the parks were later renewed and somewhat redesigned by Bernard A. Eckhart and Jens Jensen, two men with ties to Hyde Park.

Hyde Park Ties

Eckhart, successful and respected business man and civic leader, funded the University of Chicago's mathematics building, Eckhart Hall. Jensen was a close friend of the Univer sity's professor of botany, Henry C. Cowles and, later, of George Fuller. Although Jensen's landscape work was mainly in the parks and on the North Shore, he did also plan East

End Park and the grounds of the original Chicago Beach Hotel.

Starting as a street sweeper, Jensen began to work for the West Parks in 1886. By 1890 he was superintendent of small but prominent Union Park. By 1894 he was superintendent of large and prominent Humboldt Park. In 1900 he was fired for daring to question the weight of coal delivered to the West Parks greenhouses, an action consistent with his character but a political mistake. He turned then to private practice and soon his reputation was firmly established by jobs under taken for prominent Chicagoans and the best architects of

the Chicago School. 4

In 1905, when Bernard Eckhart became president of the West Chicago Park Board, he found that the bookeeping, landscaping, and reputation of these parks were in such dis array that he managed to secure a $4,000,000 bond issue to set things right. He asked Jensen to take charge. The results were beautiful: the spirit and the intention are visible today despite current neglect and abuse of the park lands.

Jensen's Vision

The new park buildings, lighting fixtures and park fur niture were designed by the city's best architects. In Hum boldt Park, Jensen was able to carry out to the greatest extent his vision of the Midwest landscape in a park setting: a "Prairie" river with its natural flora, a "natural" garden with acres of native plants, masses of hawthorn and other native trees. Later, in 1918, he carried this vision even fur ther in Columbus Park, the one park which he planned from the beginning.

All these parks are well worth a visit. All could use our attention and support.

Mallory Price 5/28/19 Mallory Price 5/28/19

Newsletters 1979

Hyde Park Historical Society Newsletters from 1979

Text of Newsletter:

HYDE PARK HISTORICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER

Volume I, Number 1 January, 1979

Herewith we inaugurate a newsletter which will come to you in January, April, July, and October. Your suggestions and contributions will be welcomed; send them to Muriel Beadle at 1700 E. 56th St., Apt. 401, Chicago 60637. The deadline for issue is the 10th of the month preceding publication.

On August 15, 1 75, the Chicago Tribune described a fete given by the ladies of St.Paul's Church. It was attended by about 390 persons, and lighted by locomotive search lights and Chinese lanterns.

On Saturday, January 27,1979 the Hyde Park Historical Society will have its annual meeting--a dinner at the Windermere Hotel. There are no plans to light the scene with anything more exotic than candles. For further details of the event, see p.3 of this newsletter.

Now is the time to renew your Hyde Park Historical Society membership, the best buy in Chicago because our dues are 1) low and 2) cover all members of a family. Send your check for $5 to Mrs.

John Davey, 5748 S. Harper,60637.

JANUARY MEETING FOCUSES ON FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT

From Jan. 10 to Feb. 25, "The Decorative Designs of Frank Lloyd Wright", a Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition, will be on display at the David and Alfred Smart Gallery, 5550 S. Greenwood. (Tues.-Sat.,

10 AM to 4 PM; Sun., noon to 4 PM.)

Hyde Park Historical Society Board member Irma Strauss assisted David Hanks, the Smithsonian's Curator of Decorative Arts, in lo cating obj_ects and researching their history.

She says, "All his interior details--furniture, lamp shades, rugs, windows, and at times fabrics, ceramics, silverware and even dresses of his clients--were designed to complete the architecture. Since most of his interiors have been destroyed or altered, it is only by viewing the objects in this exhibit along with photographs of the original architecture that his work can be properly understood." --2

The Winter Sporting Scene, circa 1912

With our purchase of the old Chicago City Railway Co. station at 5529 Lake Park Ave., people are becoming curious about cable car days in Hyde Park. Gerhardt Laves, who was born here in 1906, recalls how his older brother Ulrich enjoyed exhilarating sled rides down 55th St.,with the help of the cable car machinery.

This is how it was done: Ulrich would position his sled in the middle of the street, directly above the sunken cable which was constantly in motion thanks to the power house at 55th St. and Cottage Grove Ave. He would then reach down into the slot, grab the c ble, and off he'd go!

These adventures were less dangerous than they seemed, Gerhardt says, for the horses pulling other vehicles shied away from the boy on the sled; and following cable cars, being attached to the same cable and traveling at the same speed, never overtook him.

1978 IN REVIEW

On January 17, Mrs. Strauss will give an illustrated lecture, "Frank Lloyd Wright and Hyde Park Kenwood". Time: ts PM. Place: KAM Isaiah Israel Congregation, 5039

S. Greenwood Ave. The program will be co-sponsored by the Hyde Park Historical Society, the KAM-Isaiah Israel Sisterhood, and the Victor ian Society, Chicago Chapter.

Renovation Trade Fair Planned

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, in cooperation with the city of Chicago, is planning an exposition called "City House: A Marketplace of Renovation Ideas for Old.Houses." Scheduled for February at Navy Pier, this exhibit will feature preservation materials, skills, and information sources for home owners seeking to renovate older city dwellings.

Our programs were distinguished by their quality and their variety. Special thanks to Thelma Dahlberg, program chairman, for her fine arrangements. Here's a brief review:

Jan. 29: Arthur Weinberg on "Clarence Darrow As a Literary Figure", at the United Church of Hyde Park. A fresh approach to the biography of a famous lawyer and Hyde Park resident.

Mar. 14: A report on the status of proposals to designate parts of the community as Chicago historic districts or to list them on the National Register.Speakers: Robert Wagner of Illinois Dept. of Conservation, our own Board mem bers Dev Bowly and Michael Conzen. An exceptionally large and keenly interested crowd attended. At International House.

QUALITY AND VARIETY CHARACTERIZED THE SOCIETY'S 1978 ACTIVITIES

April 30: Mini-tour of KAM Isaiah Israel Temple, with Irma Strauss as our tour guide.

June 3 and 4: Members manned a booth across the street from the 57th St. Art Fair, distributed literature about the Society, sold publications, enrolled new members.

July 4: Excursion by bus to the traditional Fourth of July celebration at the Chicago Historical Society, preceded by juice and doughnuts and a quick look

at our just-acquired headquarters building (of which, more elsewhere in this newsletter).

Sept. 17: Excursion by bus--in fact, by three buses--to "Sunday on Prairie Avenue, 1893", the official opening of the Prairie Avenue Historic District. Most popular attraction: that modern rarity, an organ grinder man, complete with monkey.

Oct. 29: Sunday afternoon sherry reception for Paul A. Cornell and other HPHS Charter Members in Fellowship Hall at the United Church of Hyde Park. Speech by Mr. Cornell about his grandfather, the Paul Cornell who founded Hyde Park. At the following social hour, descendants of early Hyde Park families were welcomed as special guests.

Nov.11: Acting President Jean Block autographed copies of her much-praised book, Hyde Park Houses, at Hyde Park Federal Savings, a portion of each sale going to the Hyde Park Historical Society. Our thanks to the Universjty of Chicago Press and to Hyde Park Federal.

Dec. 10: Another workout for Jean Block--this time at the University Church of the Disciples, where she spoke to the topic, "Re searching Your House." For one bit of her advice, and a request, see the next page.

------------------------ti"'- - - - - - - - - - - -

ANNUAL MEETING & Dinner I

AT WINDRMERE HOTEL ON JANUARY 27

By the end of January, John Vinci will have completed his proposal for the renovation of our headquarters, the old cable car station at 5529 Lake Park. At the annual meeting, Dev Bowly will present a detailed re port and show sketches. There will also be entertainment before and after dinner, and a cash bar.

Date: Saturday, Jan. 27. Place: Windermere Hotel. Time: 6:30 PM.

Mr. Thomas J. Pavelec 5539 S. Cornell Ave.

Chicago, Il 60637

I will attend the HPHS annu al meeting and dinner on Jan.

27 at the Windermere Hotel. Please reserve places at $10 each. My check,drawn to the Hyde Park Historical Society, is enclosed.

Name

Cost: $10 per person. Guests are welcome. Use form at right.

CIHSM: Organized Swap Shop

The Hyde Park Historical Society belongs to the Congress of Illinois Historical Societies and Museums (CIHSM). This organization is sponsored by the Illinois State Historical Society in order to "facilitate the exchange of ideas, methods and solutions to mutual problem,s11 among the 135 local historical societies in Illinois who are members. Region al and state meetings are held frequently.

A newsletter, Historically Speaking, is published quarterly. Membership in CIHSM also includes subscriptions to two publications of the Illinois State Historical Society. We expect to print occasional excerpts from these sources.

DO YOU HAVE•. ?

Many Hyde Parkers have old title searches and architectural drawings of their houses. These, Jean Block says, should remain with the houses. But the HPHS would like to know of the existence of such material. Will you tell us what you have? Write Mrs. Samuel Block, 1700 E. 56th St., Chi cago 60637.

HYDE PARK HISTORICAL SOCIETY

N w Il att IT

Volume I, Number 2 April, 1979

Committee Organized to Save Rosenwald House

Whether by accident or a confluence of subliminal forces, the forma tion of the Hyde Park Historical Society preceded by only a few months a move on the part of the Chicago Landmarks Commission to make Kenwood a Landmark District and the nomination of Hyde Park-Kenwood for recognition

by the National Register· f Histor ic Places.

Under these circumstances, the

fi 'FfiMllf GfiTH[ INO

The date was January 27. The place was the Windermere Hotel. The weather was terrible. Yet al

most 200 people attended our annual meeting and dinner-and enjoyed it greatly.

In her welcome, President Jean Block said, "Recently there was a wonderful cartoon in the New Yorker depicting the usual lanky couple conversing over martinis. The wife says to the husband, 'I'd like to join the historical society, but I don't know if I want to be that kind of person.'

"If you look around this room, you will see that she wouldn't have that problem here. There isn't a Hyde Park Historical Society 'type.' In our membership we have all ages; renters and home owners; old-timers and newcomers: a cross-section that truly represents the diversity upon which Hyde Park prides itself "

This is undoubtedly why so many people later praised the "family original objectives of the Society to record Hyde Park's history, to preserve selected documents and artifacts, to promote public interest in Hyde Park and its history, and to educate and involve individuals and groups in an appreciation and understanding of its heritage take on a new and larger meaning.

One of the "artifacts" we are eager to preserve is the Rosenwald House at 4901 Ellis, now threaten ed with demolition if neither a single family nor an institutional purchaser can be found. The house, by Nimmons and Fellows, is an important example of Prairie School architecture, a unique element of our Midwestern heritage. Its own er was one of Chicago's great citizens, a gifted businessman and en lightened reformer and philanthropist. Julius Rosenwald contributed generously to the University of Chicago, Jewish philanthropies, Hull House, and many other organi zations. The Museum of

feeling" of the evening....top. 3

The State of the Station

VINCI PROVIDES RESTORATION PLAN FOR OUR HEADQUARTERS

By Devereux Bowly, Jr.

The Hyde Park Historical Society

has been demolished above the roof line, must be rebuilt. Most of the millwork must be replaced. The tongue and groove paneling on the interior walls and ceiling will be restored or replaced. The office of the Society will be located in what was once the station master's office, at the headquarters, 5529 S. Lake Park Ave., was constructed in 1893 or 1894 by the Chicago City Street Railway, once the most extensive cable car system in the country. The building later served the trolley system and in relatively recent memory housed a tiny lunch counter.

Last fall, the well-known preservation architect John Vinci was hired to prepare a set of measured drawings of the building as well as a plan for its restoration. A grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation covered half his fee. His report and drawings are now complete.

Here's a summary of the plan:

north end of the building. It will have a pullman kitchen and a renovated washroom.

The rest of the space will be out fitted as a station waiting room. It will have movable wooden benches, which can be supplemented for meetings by folding chairs, a wood-burn ing stove, ticket window openings, a sales stand, and facilities for display of historical material.

The building cost the Society $4,000. More than $10,000 was raised by the sale of Charter memberships. Architect Vinci estimates that the renovation will cost $50 per square foot, or a total of about $40,000.

This figure assumes that some of the

Because no original plans or early work will be done by Society volunteers. The building's exterior dimensions are 20 by 40 ft. The chimney, which no photographs of the building exist. Unfortunately, however, most far as is known) and the interior has of the needed work cannot be done by been extensively altered, it will be amateurs impossible to restore the building exactly as it was built. What will be It is hoped that most or all of done, however, is to create an authen the $40,000 can be obtained from tic railroad station appearance as Chicago-area foundations or corpora- of the late 19th century, wilettions, and a fund drive is in pro- the same time adapting the interior gress under the direction of Board to the uses of our Society. member Clyde Watkins, Director of Development of the University of Chicago. Depending on the success of the fund drive, construction is anticipated for the summer of 1979 or for 1980.

May 6: At the DuSable Museum of Afro American History, Dina Epstein and Ruth Fouch will speak on "Myths of Black Music."

May 19: A natural history tour of Wooded Island, with Douglas Anderson.

"City House" Advice: Think it Through, Do it Well

By Lesley Bloch

Twenty thousand people made their way to Navy Pier on the weekend of Feb. 16-18 for "City House", the exhibit sponsored by the Commission on Chicago Historical and Architectural Landmarks and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Passing up the popcorn and the hotdogs for gathering free brochures from many of the 99 exhibitors, I spent 2 1/2 hours listening, watch ing and walking. Looking over the to reinforce the impact of this lecture there was a display of page enlargements from an upcoming book, City House Guide, which tells the correct way to make many home improvements on older buildings.(Call Commission on Landmarks, 744-3200, for price and publication date.)

With new thoughts on restoring our front door to its original handsomeness and getting rid of the storm door, I took my enthusiasm home to our city house.

contents of my free "Make Chicago Great" shopping bag, I found information on shutter dealers, salvage companies, subscription forms for Old House Journal and the Time-Life Handyman series, information on security in the home, near the home, in the car and for the senior citi zen as well as passouts from the neighborhoods of the Highlands, Ken wood, Wicker Park, Pullman, etc.

With a list of all the exhibitors and their phone numbers I now have a ready source for any household improvement or problem.

Lectures were scheduled through out the weekend. Among those I at tended was Harry Hunderman's "Re storing the Historic Details of Your Home's Exterior." He says that

you should THINK before you ruin your house by tearing down, replac ing, repositioning or restoring bad ly. He showed slides of interesting houses which had become less so by the addition of aluminum siding, plastic awnings, glass bricks, etc.

This newsletter is published quarterly. Editor, Muriel Beadle. Typing, Corinne Seither. Graphics, Michael Conzen.

ANNUAL MEETING.... from p. 1

In addition to Irma Strauss's slide show, the President's Report, and the presentation of the first annual Paul Cornell awards, Dever eux Bowly brought us up to date on restoration plans for our headquarters. (His report appears on p. 2.)

The songs and skits which fol owed dinner were, as Ned Rosenheim said, "a reminder of the local tradition of amateur theatricals, those labors of love by writers, producers, directors and performers who make their livings in every possible colorful Hyde Park way except the professional theater."

The songs "Oscar" and "Abe" came respectively from the 1963 Harper Court benefit and the 1958 Revels. The song "In Old Hyde Park" and two monologues--"A Voice from the Past" and "Are You There?"--were written for this occasion. Performers were Helen and Roland Bailey, Pat Billingsley, Mary Schulman, Stephen Thomas and Impresario Rosenheim.

P.S. It would be a worthy HPHS project to collect memorabilia of the amateur theatricals that have flourished here. Anyone interested?

J. DARTER HAPPY HERE

By Malcolm Collier

How many kinds of fish are there in the Jackson Park lagoons? Ask David Gordon, who spoke Feb.22 at the Blackstone Branch Library on the ecology of the lagoons during the past century.

Gordon is on a work-study program at the Field Museum, is a research assistant at the Shedd Aquarium and a student of the lagoon fish population and bottom sediments.

He said there are now about 15 spe cies of fish in the lagoons. Among them are the tiny Johnny Darter andthe yellow perch, whose presence indicates that these waters are reasonably health y despite the loss of two feet of depth during the past decade and other hazards. Science and Industry is a constant reminder of his dedication to the city and its people. He espoused the cause of black education long before others became aware of this need.

The loss of this house would greatly reduce the aesthetic and historic value of the neighborhood. A group of concerned residents is working to prevent this from happening. You can join them by con tacting Victoria Post Ranney, 4919 Woodlawn Ave., 548-0017.

HYDE PARK HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Volume I, Number 3 July, 1979

f much reading as the Newsletters J

/ we have published previously. Designed to entertain and inform @

{ you while you laze in hammock or J

1 porch chair, it is also substantial enough to prop tent-like :)

@over your face as a shield from the summer sun. :::::

::::: Our special thanks go to the authors of our signed articles. t

{Any reader who would enjoy an occasional writing assignment ::::: comparable to these is invited to telephone Muriel

)Beadle at 493-2119, 9 a.m.-5 p.m {

JOYCE FOUNDATION GRANT

The campaign to raise the money necessary for the renovation of the Hyde Park Historical Society head quarters, the 19th century cable car station at 5529 Lake Park Ave., is going forward.

To date our efforts have been re warded with a $2500 grant from The Joyce Foundation. Proposals are be ing sent to other foundations, and fund-raising activity will continue

throughout the summer. o

Henry Who?

PUNNY PARTIES HONOR NOVELIST FULLER

GUEST OF HONOR'S GHOST HASN'T YET MANIFESTED ITSELF

By Mary Hynes-Berry

Early this year, the Committee for Fuller Recognition of the Deservedly Obscure sent out invitations to honor the 122nd birthday (Jan. 9) of Henry Blake Fuller, the mildly well-known Chicago author and Hyde Park resident. The appointed night (Jan.13) came, along with the Blizzard of '79 and 40 guests.

This was the third birthday party given by my husband and me since we discovered that, 50 years ago this summer, Fuller died of a heart attack in a room he rented in our house. Before happening by chance on this information, we had never heard of Fuller. Since then, we have learned a lot.

One delightful source, which we acquired, is a 1927 letter from Fuller to Mrs. Lorado Taft. In it, he mentions moving to 5411 So. Harper Ave., with "Mrs. Ryan, but American" as his landlady.

After reading all the way through some of his eight novels (including the two he wrote in our upstairs bed room), we decided that Fuller was a competent not brilliant writer of some historical interest. It was One faction argued heatedly that the man who wrote the first realistic novel with Chicago as its set ting (With the Procession), who wrote exciting to discover that one's house another which became the name of a had had a brush with history. It was somehow realistic to learn that the brush was-like life is so of ten-of passionate interest to those involved and forgotten by everyone else.

The most appropriate reaction was to celebrate the Deservedly Obscure. Although Henry was a notoriously shy bachelor, there was always the off-chance that his ghost might join in the festivities. But, alas, Henry didn't manifest himself at the first party. Nor, at the second, did he attend the premiere performance of a hitherto undiscovered manuscript entitled The Brushman Cometh (which bore a remarkable textual resemblance to the letter in the Berrys' possession).

It was on the agenda of this year's gathering to decide if Fuller should be promoted to the status of Free Spirit. The title is granted to only the most deservedly obscure. So, once the evening had sufficiently progressed, the group was asked to debate before voting a recommendation to the Powers-That-Be. Debate they did. famous club (The Cliff Dwellers), who was admired by such writers and critics as Hamlin Garland, Theodore Dreiser and Edmund Wilson, who greatly aided Harriet Monroe in the editorial work of Poetry magazine, and who counted Lorado Taft as a close friend--such a man did not deserve obscurity.

Others argued that perhaps obscurity was deserved when academics who had devoted their careers to the man made comments like: "Whenever a critic needed another example of arrested literary development, all he had to do was to point to Henry B. haunting the fringes of literary recognition." (Charles Silet)

Still a third set pointed out that the previous birthday parties had seriously threatened Fuller's obscurity, no matter how well deserved.

The secret ballots were counted. A majority had voted to make Henry a Free Spirit. Even so, when the lights were dimmed and the 122 candles lit, Henry still didn't feel free to waft down the stairs and blow them out.

Maybe next year

AT SPRINGFIELD -

At 9 PM every evening except Mondays until September 8 (weather

2- permitting), "Sound and Light at the Old State Capitol" will be presented free of charge at the handsomely restored Old State Capitol

building in Springfield. The 45-min. electronic production, now in its fourth season, was narrated by the late Lee J. Cobb and focuses in on the fateful issues facing Abraham Lincoln and the nation in 1860. "Your Obedient Servant, A. Lincoln" is also in its fourth season

@ at Kelso Hollow Theater in New Salem. The play is presented nightly except Mondays through August 25. For ticket information, write The

.· Great American People Show, Box 401, Petersburg, IL 62675, or tele- phone 217-632-7755. □

WEDDING BELLS rang out on June 5, 1885, for Ina Ott, 5146 S.Harper Ave.,

CALL FOR GIFTS!

Many libraries store historical material

By Victor Dyer

What sort of historical materials should community libraries or his orical societies collect? What should the relationship be between historical society and library, especially when the one collects and the other stores the material?

At a May 16 conference on local history, sponsored by the Chicago Historical Society, speakers included Susan Prendergast Schoelwer, Assistant Archivist in the Special Collections Division of the Chicago Public Library.

She reported that 15 major historical collections-most of them dating from the 1930's-are now housed in branch libraries. Typically, these collections originated with neighborhood historical societies, some of which have gone out of existence. (The Woodlawn Historical Society is an example.)

Ms. Schoelwer's remarks stimulated a lively discussion of pub lic library/historical society relationships and obligations. It was evident that clear guidelines are necessary, with special attention given to the disposal of collections if a historical society should become defunct.

Information and ideas from this conference will aid the Hyde Park Historical Society Board of Directors in planning our acquisitions policies. The Acquisitions Committee (Jean Block, Kathleen Conzen, Victor Dyer and Albert architect W. I Beman.

According to the Hyde Park ► Herald, "Presents included an ► upright piano, an elegant oak ► cabinet, a hammered wood hod, ► an oriental water pitcher, a ► decorated French butter dish, ► cut glass and Bohemian glass ► fruit dishes, an embroidered ► piano cover, a French mantel ► clock and a rocking chair."

Rosenwald

Efforts to save the historic and architecturally significant Julius Rosenwald house at 4901 Ellis Ave. have gained momentum in recent months.

Representatives of the Committee to Save the Rosenwald House have met with Fourth Ward Alderman Ti othy C. Evans, Kenwood community leaders and the owner of the property.

The committee has widely distributed a statement contending that the only economically feasible way to preserve the building is to permit it to be sold as three condominium units, one on each floor.

To date, 770 people, more than 270 of whom live in the immediate vicinity of the Rosenwald house, have endorsed the statement and joined

the committee. If you would like to do likewise, send your name and ad dress on a postcard to the head of the committee, Victoria Post Ranney, 4915 Woodlawn Ave.

Early Black Music in U.S. did have Roots in Africa

By Muriel Beadle

"The break from their African cultures was so abrupt and so complete that slaves who were brought to the United States were in effect without any culture. White society, especially missionaries, was the source of whatever music they later developed." True or false? FALSE.

On May 6, members of the Hyde Park Historical Society hea d Dena Ep stein, music librarian at Regenstein Library, and Ruth Fouche, ethnol ogist at the DuSable Museum of Afro-American History, discuss "Myths of Black Music." Our thanks to both for an enlightening presentation.

Our speakers said that the erroneous statement above derives from the fact that incoming slaves had no common languages. What they did have,

however, were mutually comprehen

0 tempora! 0 mores!

Two delightful excerpts from "A Hyde Park Childhood," by Dorothy Michelson Livingston, who is a daughter of the great physicist Albert A. Michelson:

"We children attended the Lab oratory School,[which] was called the University Elementary School when I entered there for first grade in 1912. We were taught the nursery rhymes in Latin, and in sixty-eight years I have not

forgotten: Domina Maria, tota con traria/Quibiti crescit in horto?"

"My sisters and I were taken to hear Frederic Stock conduct the Thomas concerts at Orchestra Hall. We saw Pavlova do her famous 'Dy ing Swan'. We heard Galli-Curci sing and saw Joseph Schildkraut play in 'Lilliam'. But my person al taste was for a more vulgar form of entertainment. Whenever possible I escaped to the Frolic Movie House on Fifty-fifth Street, where for ten cents I saw hero William S. Hart rescue maiden Blanche Sweet from the villain..."

--from the University of Chicago

Alumni Magazine, Winter Quarter 179

sible tonal systems. They also had the traditional musical instruments of their homelands-cannily provided by slave traders to encourage dancing by their human cargo during the long sea voyage. The slaves arrived in better condition if they exercised enroute.

Nor did spirituals make up the bulk of the slaves' later American music. They also had secular music, the "sinful tunes" in the title of Dena Epstein's recent book, Sinful Tunes and Spirituals: Black Folk Music to the Civil War (University of Illinois Press). Until recently, the existence of such music during the antebellum years was so poorly

documented that Mrs. Epstein's book is being highly praised by other experts in her field.

Its site added additional interest to the May 6 meeting. At the turn of the century, when Washington Park was one of the jewels of the Chicago Park District, the building that is now the DuSable Museum was the park's Administration Building.

It overlooked a sunken garden, of which only the formal pathways and edging balustrades remain today.

There is no trace at all of the hand some conservatory that was once sit uated at right angles to the Administration Building, just east of the sunken garden. □

If you have always wanted to know

... where the original Magnificent Mile was

... where there is a statue of President McKinley which-before it was melted down, re-cast, and moved to a new location-depicted Christopher Columbus

... where the garbage dump mentioned in Upton Sinclair's The Jungle used to be...

you should have been on the bus with Dominick Pacyga for the Chicago Historical Society tour, "People and Industry on the South Side" on Saturday, June 9.

The four-hour excursion focused on changes in industry, land use and movements of ethnic groups. In the Near Loop area we looked at the abandoned industrial buildings, wonder ing if plans for Soho in Chicago would attract tenants whose activities will make the area live again.

When passing the old Dearborn St. Station, we heard about the neighborhood of the future which is being built on railroad land, and how the station will be a school and a community center. Viewing these wide open spaces, we found it difficult to visualize the area in the days when the great trains were corning through Chicago and industrialists were benefiting from the closeness of the Loop, the river, the workers and the trains.

Further south, we saw the remnants of Prairie Avenue and understood how encroaching industry and the noise and dirt of the trains closed the grand houses and drove the people away.

On to the Stockyard neighborhoods of Bridgeport, McKinley, Back of the Yards and Canaryville (Irish nick name for hogs). Here we heard about the importance of the parish church, the ward office, the tavern, the drugstore and the funeral parlor in the life of the COillJt.lunity.

A busy Saturday afternoon on West 47th St. attested to ethnic variety, with shop signs in Polish, Lithuanian and Spanish. Only we to rists seemed to be bothered by pungent fumes from a fertilizer plant which has replaced the stockyards and their much heavier odors.

All the live animal pens are gone (except one for animals destined to be koshered in Philadelphia) Land where thousands of people once la bored has been left to go wild or to become sites for small industries or sprawling truck lots employing a few hundred people.

As our tour continued, we learned about physical barriers such as expressways, railroad tracks, sports arenas; and how everything changes once you cross the boundaries be tween them. Each ethnic group is memorialized in churches, synagogues and other institutions. We traced the movements of the Irish, for ex ample, through the architectural grandeur of their buildings as they (and we, in 1979) went west on Garfield Blvd.

Our guide defined a "corridor neighborhood" for us; showed us some streets without character and some with the wrong kind of character (too many fast food outlets, parking blessed with two special treats. The weather was the nicest in memory, and the Hyde Park Historical Society had a patriotic booth selling a full line of "dry goods."

There were items catering to the budget of every age group, from badges to boaters to books. Especially popular were the new HPHS t-shirts, displaying a picture of our headquarters-to-be.

Also available were handsome prints of the building, suitable for framing. These pictorial subjects were particularly appropriate because all profits will go toward the renovation project.

Behind the counter, a progression of volunteers from our ranks handled sales totaling over $800. Our thanks to: Theresa McDermott, Linnea Anderson, Kathleen and Michael Conzen, Tom Jensen, Cheryl and Clyde Watkins, Donald Miller, Christine O'Neill, Tom arid Georgene Pavelec, Margaret Fallers, Betty Davey, and Jean Block. Their enthusiasm also helped recruit 36 new members from among the passing throngs.

Next to our booth was a display on the Rosenwald House, including an excellent scale model by Kenwood Academy senior Josh Gerick. After many hours and repeated explanations of the issues, the Committee to Save the Rosenwald House had secured another 300 signatures!

If you missed your chance to purchase Hyde Park Historical Society paraphernalia, don't fret. We have some left, and will be offer ing them at future meetings and other events.□

HISTORICAL MATERIAL....from page 3

Tannler) is considering several possible locations for future archival and book collections of the Society.

In the meantime we are anxious to begin assembling histories of local institutions, pamphlets, biographical materials on residents of the community, scrapbooks, photographs, posters, etc. The committee would be happy to consider gifts of these and other historical materials relating to Hyde Park-Kenwood.

Call Kathleen Conzen at 285-2181

to describe or discuss your possible contribution.□

AGING

According to the News Service of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, more than a third of the nation's housing was built before World War II.

Of the 80 million year-round housing units, 34% were constructed be fore 1940. Of the 48 million owner occupied units, 29% pre-date 1940.

And 43% of the 26 million renter occupied units are more than 40 years old.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, from the 1976 annual housing survey.□

HONORS LIST

The Chicago Foundation for Literature Award has been given by Friends of Literature to HPHS President Jean Block for "her careful ly researched and handsomely illustrated book Hyde Park Houses , a wonderful source book and guide to the architecture of an area where the past is present to be under

NOW AVAILABLE BY MAIL

CITY HOUSE GUIDE

City House: A Guide to Renovating Older Chicago-area Houses is the printed sequel to the popular "City House" exhibition at Navy Pier in February, about which we had an ar ticle in our last Newsletter.

The Guide, a treasury of infor mation and advice, has been published by the city's Commission on Chicago Historical and Architectural Landmarks, 320 No. Clark St., Room 800, Chicago, IL 60610. It can be

ordered by mail for $5.45. □

stood and enjoyed." The book was

published by the University of Chicago Press.

ROSENWALD ....

Mrs. Ranney is associate editor

The American Institute of Architects this year presented six of its 15 Honor Awards to historical preservation projects. One of them was the Chicago Public Library Cultural Center at Michigan and Randolph.

Tours of this handsomely restored building are offered by the Friends of the Library on Thursdays at 11 AM and 1 PM and on Sundays at 1:30.

Groups of 10 or more may schedule tours at other times. Call 269- 2922 between 10 AM and 4 PM during the business week.

The Illinois State Historical Society gave its Award of Merit for local and regional history to HPHS Board member Devereux Bowly, Jr. for his book, The Poorhouse: Subsidized Housing in Chicago, 1895- 1976 Southern Illinois University Press).

Describing the book as "carefully researched", the citation said further: "Although it deals with the Chicago experience, it has implications for all cities faced with the problem of providing housing for; poor people."

of the papers of famed landscape ar chitect Frederick Law Olmstead and chairperson of the Illinois Humani ties Council. Other organizers of the committee include Edna Epstein, 1120 E. 50th St.; John McDermott, 4811 Kimbark Ave.; and Gary Husted, 4900 Ellis Ave.

The Rosenwald house was open to the public in May as part of the An cona School Kenwood House Tour. Vis itors were glad to see that it is in good condition despite the fact that it has not been occupied for more than two years.

With the increasing interest in local history and in preserving sig nificant architecture, it is hoped by the HPHS Board of Directors that soon the Rosenwald house will again be occupied. Its preservation will give future generations some insight into the life of a most remarkable civil rights leader and philanthro

pist. □

The Hyde Park Historical Society Newsletter is published quarterly.

Muriel Beadle, Editor Corinne Seither, Typing Michael Conzen, Graphics.

Sierra Club Book Tells

the History of the Great Lakes

Reviewing Jonathan Ela's The Faces of the Great Lakes in the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Socie ty, Orvetta M. Robinson of the Illi nois State Museum describes as "ab sorbing" this account of the ecolog ical, geological and human history of our great inland "river of lakes."

Published by the Sierra Club and priced at $24.50, this beautiful book

SOUTH SIDE TOUR...

lots and gas stations are almost sure to ruin the neighborhood); and said that electing to stay in a changing neighborhood can be cause

includes a preface by conservationist Sigurd Olson and 87 pages of photo graphs by B.A. King, "arranged by region from East to West, from the Thousand Islands to Duluth; remark able photographs [which] depict not only the natural landscape but also the cultural phenomena." Ms. Robinson says this is much more than a good coffee table book (although it is

that too).

for growth. Hyde Parkers who lived through urban renewal here would surely agree.

For your own guide to changes in Chicago, look for Dominick Pacyga's and Glen Holt's Chicago-A Histori cal Guide to Neighborhoods, to be published this month by the Chicago Historical Society. Paperbound $7.95

HYDE PARK HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Volume I, Number 4 November, 1979

A Chance to Share, to Observe, to Banquet ·:·::::

Some interesting and instructive events lie just ahead. They include:

► An exhibit called HYDE PARK HISTORY ON SHOW, at Hyde Park Federal, on November 11. You should already have received a mailed announcement and invitation to show your historical treasures. Our next Newsletter will report on the meeting and exhibit.

► On Friday, December 7, the Illinois

NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR THE

the Paul Cornell Awards, which are presented annually by the Hyde Park Historical Society.

Members are invited to submit short written statements commend ing anyone (except a currently serving HPHS Board member) who significantly furthered community knowledge, appreciation, or preservation of Hyde Park's historical heritage in 1979. (For this purpose, "Hyde Park" is the area between 47th St. and the Midway, Cottage Grove Ave. and the Lake.

Award categories are: books and articles; exhibits; lectures;

Historic Sites Advisory Council, meeting at the Windermere Hotel between 9 and 12, 2 and 5, will consider applications for nomi nation to both the National and the Illinois Historic Registers.

According to Council member Michael Conzen (who is also on the HPHS Board), the Council convenes at three-month intervals in different cities in order to encourage greater public knowledge of its activities and procedures. It has not met before in Hyde Park. Interested citizens are urged to come for the entire meeting or any part of it.

► Our Annual Meeting and Dinner will take place on January 19. Full details will come later. D

This Hyde Park Historical Society

student projects; restoration of exterior or public interior spaces of commercial, civic, or residential buildings; and sympathetic

... to page 8

Newsletter is published quarterly.

Muriel Beadle, Editor Corinne Seither, Typing Michael Conzen, Graphics

Library. Renovation well Underway

NOTE: This is the first in a series of reports on the renovation of the Blackstone Branch Library. The following notes were extracted by Muriel Beadle from a conversa tion with architectural historian and HPHS Board member Irma Strauss.

Chicago's first branch library was built in 1904 by Mrs. Timothy

Blackstone to memorialize her husband. Solon s. Beman (who lived in Kenwood) was the architect of this

Greek Revival building. Exclusive of land, it cost $125,000. The renovation is budgeted at $700,000.

Beman's renderings survive in the Burnham Library at the Art Institute but the blueprints are missing. Coping with the resultant surprises are the renovation architect, An drew Heard(he lives in Kenwood, too) and the contractor, R. E. Rudnick.

They are doing a sensitive job. Ac cording to Librarian Emma Kemp, they are keeping as much as possible of the original fabric yet are taking full advantage of modern technology.

In 1904, the site was a cow pas ture. Being on alluvial soil, the building has done much settling.

Therefore, the outside stairs need ed resetting. The sidewalks have been repaved. In back, a concrete ramp has replaced the steps. New windows have been installed. (Not to re-use the original frames is too bad, but it wasn't possible.)

All the wiring has been updated and new fluorescent fixtures, ugly but necessary, are in place wher

ever bright light is essential.□

Next report: Restoring the de tails; modern additions.

TAX RELIEF LAW

MISSES ITS MARK ''--(7

By Carol Moseley Braun Like other best laid schemes of

mice and men, Illinois Senate Bill

244 is a scheme that has gang aft a-gley. It was intended to provide incentive for preservation efforts by granting a 10-yr. tax freeze on single family dwellings in Munici pal Landmark areas or in National

Historic Districts. (There are 26 of the latter in Illinois, among them Hyde Park and Kenwood.)

However, the bill contains many and grave errors. Qualification for the tax freeze depends solely on the house's age and location, not upon the extent of preservation efforts or investment. The owner can take advantage of the tax re lief while allowing the property

to deteriorate for 10 years. He can make "improvements" which funda mentally change the structure, with out loss of tax relief. Wholesale destruction of historic buildings could result from such a loophole.

PAUL CARROLL PAYS FOND TRIBUTE

TO THE IRISH WHO

LIVED HERE IN THE 193O's

By Lesley Bloch

The sanctuary of St. Thomas the Apostle Church was the scene of the Oct. 7 Hyde Park Historical Society meeting. It was an ideal spot for Paul Carroll's recollections, Being Irish in Hyde Park. Sipping "tears of the angels" and speaking from a place normally reserved for saints and priests, he delighted the audience with tales of his family, St. Thomas Church and Grammar School, and Kenwood--"the stronghold of the Irish mafia in the 1930's."

Nineteenth Century Picnic Menu

At our pleasant Sept. 15 outing to Naper Settlement, the bag lunches were prepared by Thelma Dahlberg, Jean Ervin, Gladys Finn and Chris Lehigh. Thanks, ladies.

HPHS members enjoyed reading the explanatory sheet which accompanied each lunch. It explained that every item on the menu--plum jam sandwiches, deviled eggs, pickles, apple and black walnut cookies, butter cookies with hazelnuts, fresh picked grapes, cider--could have appeared at an early 19th century pic nic.

This bread too was made by "set ting the sponge" from a carefully kept "starter." The cookie recipes came from century-old cookbooks.

The jam and pickles were homemade. Only the butter was "modern"--i.e., store-bought, not churned at home.

Our 20th century cooks also used plastic bags and paper products- much more convenient than following the 19th century practice of wrap ping sandwiches in a damp cloth, then packing them in a tin or wicker box. There's a limit to one's yearning for authenticity.□

The relatives living together at 51st and Kenwood were a marvelous crew. The spinster sisters, Nellie and Catherine Rose, attended 6 a.m. Mass, stirred pots of stew and read only the parish obituaries. The four bachelor brothers, aloof from work of any kind, sat behind their news papers--except on the occasions when they came before J.A. Carroll (real estate developer, builder of the Hyde Park Bank, father of Paul) with candidates for marriage, his approv al being required. The candidates were generally unsuitable.

Among young Paul's favorite spots in the neighborhood was the room above the garage at the home of Big Jim McKay. Here, the boy got to see and talk to three pistol-toting bodyguards who played cards continu ally but were always ready for trou ble. A shotgun was a fixture in a corner of the room. Mr. Carroll al so recalled with relish the "Friday night fights with the Protestants from Ray School."

For more Irish wit and wisdom from Paul Carroll, listen to WFMT on Sundays at 10:30 p.m., and look

for his forthcoming book, Chicago, Magic City of the West.□

NOTE: This and the story of Joe Hill (facing page) are corrrplementary. One is written from the viewpoint of a modern day union syrrrpathizer, the other reflects the anti-labor sentiment of many members of the Chicago Establishment in 1886

By Jean Block

Starting with the depression of the 1870's, strife between labor and management was almost constant as workingmen struggled for better wages and working conditions. The Haymarket Riot in 1886 followed a strike at the McCormick works: an apparently peaceable mass meeting was charged by the police, a bomb was thrown into the crowd, and many people were killed or wounded.

Nine anarchists were arrested and hastily tried. Seven were convicted and sentenced to hang. Although no one was ever to know who threw the bomb, the charge was that the thrower was incited by the inflammatory speeches of the accused.

An eyewitness account of the night before the execution as well as the execution itself appears in the papers of J. Frank Aldrich at the Chicago Historical Society. Attached to the account is a finely engraved invitation to the hanging.

Aldrich lived at 5649 Blackstone and then at 4800 Kimbark. A crusading Republican, he was elected President of the County Board in

1886 as part of a reformers' effort to rid the Board of the graft and corruption that were leading the County to bankruptcy.

Because of his office, Aldrich could visit the jail at will. On the eve of the hanging, he talked with August Spies and later wrote:

"Speaking in a well modulated but rather low tone, Spies said he believed he had done no wrong, that all they were contending for was the right of free speech, it was the struggle of the masses against the capitalists who had decreed that they should be 'put out of the way'.... I do not recall that we shook hands when I left him; probably not."

As for the execution, Aldrich wrote: "When the caps were adjust ed, Spies said, 'There will be a time when our silence will be more powerful than the voices you strangle today.'... Engel cried, 'Hurrah for Anarchy!' ...Fischer said, 'This is the happiest moment of my life.' Parsons said, 'Will I be allowed to speak Omen of America? Let me speak, Sheriff Watson. Let the voice of the people be heard.

Aldrich concluded (with a final sigh of relief) that the event "gave anarchism in this country a set back from which it has never recovered.

Amen." □

U.S.S. NAUTILUS JOINS ELITE GROUP Evidence that a historic place can move around is provided by the listing of the U.S.S. Nautilus on the National Register of Historic Places. This, the world's first atomic powered vessel and the first submarine to circumnavigate the globe at high speed while it was submerged, dates--how time flies!

--from 1951.

The Navy hasn't decided whether or not to put its historic place

on public display.□

By Lee H. Morgan

A historical society like ours is, by its very nature, specialized in its interests and program. Even more specialized, however, are the labor history societies which exist in thirteen Sta.tes. For example:

The Illinois Labor History Soci ety is among groups trying to se cure a posthumous pardon for Joe Hill, executed for murder in Salt Lake City in 1915 but whose convic tion is felt by many to have been due to anti-labor sentiment.

Joe Hill, born Joel Hagglund in Sweden in 1879, emigrated to the United States in 1910. Here, he joined and became an organizer for the militant Industrial Workers of the World (Ir-m, whose members were popularly known as "Wobblies").

Also a poet and balladeer, he was the great troubadour of the early 20th century labor movement. The following lyrics are typical of his work; this and other of his songs are still popular with folk-singers.

If we workers take a notion,

We can stop all speeding trains, Every ship upon the ocean

We can tie with mighty chains. Every wheel in the creation, Every mine and every mill, Fleets and armies of all nations Will at our command stand still.

Hill's way with words did not desert him upon his arrest for the murder of a Salt Lake City grocer and his son, during the trial, and later. Shortly before his execu tion, he sent to 'Big Bill' Hay wood, the IWW leader, this tele gram: "Good-bye, Bill. I will die as a true-blue rebel. Don't waste time mourning. Organize." And on the night before he faced the fir ing squad, he wrote:

My will is easy to decide,

For there is nothing to divide.

My kin don't need to fuss and moan--

"Moss does not cling to a roll- ing stone."

My body? Ah, if I could choose, I would to ashes it reduce, And let the merry breezes blow My dust to where some flowers

grow,

Perhaps some fading flower then Would come to life and bloom again. This is my last and final will, Good luck to all of you--Joe Hill.

On November 19, 1915, he died, despite pleas for a pardon from thousands of people. As for a post humous pardon, Utah's attorney gen eral says that neither Utah law, fed eral law nor English common law pro vide for it. The Illinois Labor His tory Society is sending its petitions anyway. Its president, Lester Orear, says, "The Utah ruling isn't final; it's only a skirmish."

FUNDS SOUGHT; GIFT RECIEVED

The drive to raise funds to re store our headquarters building at 5529 Lake Park Ave. is fully under way. Applications for major grants are pending before several founda tions and others are being prepared for banks and corporations.

The first donation of a fixture for the building has been received from Dr. and Mrs. Albert Dahlberg, both HPHS Board members. It is a late 19th century water closet, complete with a mahogany water tank with tin lining.□

Where are the records of the South Park Improvement Association? They must be in someone's basement, but whose?

If you know, or can provide a clue, get in touch with Jean Block

at 1700 E. 56th St., Chicago 60637i phone 363-9093. □

Strolling along Lake Parl( in days gone by

NOTE: Lake Park Ave., formerly Lake Ave., is now--thanks to urban renewal--hard by the west side of the I.e. embankment. But fragments of the original thoroughfare remain: for example, the section of today's Lake Park between 56th and 57th; the block that abuts the Hyde Park Bank on the east between 53rd and 54th; the driveway and parking lot east of Hyde Park Federal; the roadway which the Blackstone Branch Library faces.

According to a memoir written by a pioneer settler here, Mrs. Homer Nash Hibbard, Hyde Park in 1860 "was a cluster of scattered houses, less than a score, dropped down among the oak trees. There was no store, no postoffice, no market, and a single passenger car on the Illinois Central, three times a day, was the only connection with the city except Purcell's ox-cart, which served as an express to bring from the city barrels of flour and groceries. The one sidewalk, a board walk on Lake Avenue, was fringed with ferns and violets, wild flowers and strawberries."

--from the 1910 history of the Hyde Park Presbyterian

Church (now the United Church of Hyde Park)

About 1925, an 11-year-old youngster named Fred Sherwood lived at 5442 Dorchester, attended Ray School, and roamed the community during his leisure hours. A little over 50 years later, this is how he remembers Lake Park Ave. (from which the ferns and violets had certainly departed):

"There was still a livery stable there; also a wholesale butcher and a cigar shop where the owner sat in the window, hand-rolling ci gars. There were several horse troughs with semi-circular basins, one of which also had a slow-flowing 'people' spout."

--from a 1979 letter from Fred Sherwood, who now lives in Sawyer, Michigan.□

HAVE YOU EATEN AT THE COLLEGE INN?

Where students meet and eat. Best food at best prices.

READERS CAMPUS DRUG STORE.

61st and Ellis Avenue Fairfax 4800 ( also on campus exchange)

ADVERTISING IN THE NEWSLETTER?

Not yet. Older Hyde Parkers may re member Readers Campus Drug Store and correctly date the ad as circa 1935. (HPHS Board member and Uni

City House

March 21-23, 1980 are the dates for Chicago's second annual "CITY HOUSE: A Home Improvement Fair of Older Houses," at Navy Pier. If you want to exhibit, call Edward Jeske at 744-3200. University Archivist Al Tannler dug it out for us.)

The half-timber and stucco shops and gas station at 61st and Ellis were built in 1931. The University owned other commercial property in Hyde Park-from offices let to the Anti-Saloon League to shoe shining parlors-but the stores at 61st and Ellis were the first it had built for the benefit of students.

As the University Record said, these shops would make it easy for students "to buy a linen collar or obtain a 'permanent wave'". It was expected that dormitories for wo men would be erected near the existing College Residence Hall for Men (now Burton-Judson). Its Goth ic splendor was, of course, the reason for the Olde Englishe architecture of the retail shops.

Although the women's dorms never materialized, the stores long did well. The University still owns them but, alas, only the gas sta tion is open. The shops are boarded up, waiting for a revival of the economy south of the Midway. D

--Muriel Beadle

SENATE BILL 244

Governor Thompson signed the bill into law on Sept. 22, but used his amendatory veto to postpone the effective date of the legislation from January 1980 to January 1981. This, he said, was to give preservationists a chance "to work with the sponsors to improve the bill."

Anyone who cares about the preservation of our architectural heritage should send his or her suggestions for the amendment of Senate Bill 244 to its sponsors, Sen. Jeremiah E. Joyce and Rep. Daniel P.

O'Brien, care of their respective legislative bodies in Springfield.

NOW IS THE TIME TO MAKE NOMINATIONS FOR THE PAUL CORNELL AWARDS

renovation or adaptive re-use. Our awards may be made in any, all, or none of those categories, but only one award will be made in each cat egory. Recipients of awards will be announced at our annual meeting in January. Send your nominations by Dec. 1 to Kathleen Conzen, 1333 E. 50th St., Chicago 60615.

To refresh your memory, our 1978 awards went to:

0 George Cooley, "for leadership in researching and preparing a plan for the restoration of the Wooded Island to its former glory."

0 Mr. and Mrs. Victor Barcilon, "for their sensitive exterior res toration of the Heller House [5136 Woodlawn Ave.], tuckpointing it in the unique manner initially speci fied by its architect, Frank Lloyd Wright."

0 Eliza Davey, "for developing an architectural outdoor study-game, Queen Anne Meets the Greek, which heightens the observational skills of parents and children."

Incidentally, there's a nice se quel to this one. Mrs. Davey, Ancona School's Art Center Coordina tor, will produce three similar Streetgames during 1979-80, thanks to a $26,000 grant from the Nation al Endowment for the Humanities.

The Games will be tested city-wide by 12 to 17 year olds. □

Newsletters 1999

Hyde Park Houses: An Enduring Gift Twenty Years Later from Jean F Block

Volume 21, Number 1 & 2, Spring/Summer 1999

Volume 21, Number 3 & 4, Winter 1999-2000

HYDE PARK AND ITS STREETCARS

HORSE DRAWN CARS

Newsletters 1998

HPHS Headquarters Building Becomes Less Endangered by Alta Blakely

Volume 20, Number 1

Mary Todd Lincoln’s Sad Summer in Hyde Park

Volume 20, Number 2 & 3

Volume 20, Number 4

Hyde Park Houses: An Enduring Gift Twenty Years Later from Jean F Block

Newsletters 1980

We Publicized Hyde Park and Made Money, Too

Art Fair Founder Will

Headquarters Renovation May Be Done by Fall

HYDE PARK HOUSE TOUR

Absent-Minded Dr. Egan Muddles a Prescription

Dick and Jane Will Like New Children's Wing

Beware Synthetic Siding Materials on Old Frame Houses

WHAT A PARADE! WHAT A DEDICATION!

HEAR YE!

Hyde Park Ties

Jensen's Vision

Newsletters 1979

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