Items | Digital Collections at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library

Chicago's reconstruction plan cover
Image | 1919 | Picture ChicagoText on cover: "Chicago America's Greatest and Most Attractive City Burned 1871 -- Rebuilt as by Magic--Now Her Reconstruction Plan".
Front of the Iroquois Theater
Image | 1903 | Picture ChicagoCaption: "In front of the theater at the time of the fire, December 30th, 1904, 4 p.m."
Chicago Plan street improvements
Image | 1919 | Picture ChicagoCaption: "Map showing the Chicago Plan improvements proposed for the heart of the city in connection with the central street system."
Plan for Michigan Avenue
Image | 1919 | Picture ChicagoCaption: "Plan of boulevard to connect the north and south sides of the city, view looking north from Washington Street. Painting by Jules Guerin. From the collection of the Chicago Plan Commission. Copyright, The Commercial Club of Chicago."
South plaza of new Michigan Avenue
Image | 1919 | Picture ChicagoCaption: "South plaza of the new Michigan Avenue looking south from bridge showing possibilities for attractive development. Drawing by A. N. Rebori."
Scene after shooting of Alfred Lingle
Image | 1930 | Picture ChicagoCaption: "Put On the Spot--Alfred (Jake) Lingle, Tribune reporter, was shot down in a subway, just off Randolph Street and Michigan Boulevard at 1 o'clock in the afternoon as he, with a blond youth, were hurried along with a crowd towards a train bound for the races at Washington Park. The "blond" youth stepped back a few paces, whipped out a snub-nosed revolver, shot Jake i...
Clark Street
Image | 1875 | Picture ChicagoCaption: "Clark Street, south from Randolph."
The Rookery
Image | 1891 | Picture ChicagoFrom text: "The Rookery, twelve stories, corner Adams and LaSalle Streets, one of the chief office buildings of Chicago and one of the most ornate structures erected by private enterprise in the world--159 feet."
Chicago River
Image | 1875 | Picture ChicagoCaption: "Chicago River, from Lake Street Bridge."
Wellington Hotel
Image | 1893 | Picture ChicagoCaption: "[Engraved for The Standard Guide Company.] Wellington Hotel, Wabash Ave. and Jackson St. [See "Hotels."]" From text: "Located on Wabash avenue and Jackson street. This hotel, although only known to the public for about one year is now recognized as one of the ultra fashionable hotels of the city. The hotel is magnificently arranged, decorated and furnished in the h...
Homecoming banquet
Image | 1914 | Picture ChicagoCaption: "Homecoming banquet at the conclusion of the world tour--Congress Hotel, Chicago, March 10, 1914." Photographer name is illegible.
Plan to straighten Chicago River
Image | 1921 | Picture ChicagoCaption: "Plan to straighten South Branch of Chicago River." From text: "By straightening the river, as the city council has very recently proposed to do, the land lying between Clark Street and the present river channel would be capable of harmonious development along normal rectangular lines. ... Briefly, this report recommends the straightening of the Chicago River betwee...
University Club
Image | 1920 | Picture ChicagoCaption: "The Mullion-windowed University Club." Located at 76 E. Monroe St.
Clark and South Water Streets
Image | 1860-1869 | Picture ChicagoCaption: "Corner Clark and South Water Streets Before the Fire. Original owned by Chicago Historical Society".
Terrace Row
Image | 1860-1869 | Picture ChicagoCaption: "Terrace Row on Michigan Avenue Before the Fire". Terrace Row was located where the Auditorium Building now stands (at Michigan Avenue and Congress Boulevard).
Henry Field Room
Image | 1912 | Picture ChicagoCaption: "Henry Field Room, Art Institute: Containing paintings of the Barbizon School"
Women's room in safe deposit vaults
Image | 1902 | Picture ChicagoFrom text: "At the left is a reception room for women, furnished quite in the style of a similar apartment in a luxurious residence. A uniformed maid is in attendance, the huge mahogany table in the center of a splendid rug contains a score of late magazines, and the chairs invite the visitor to rest and read. At one side of the room is an open fireplace topped with a marble...
Peoples Gas Building
Image | 1920 | Picture ChicagoCaption: "Beauty and Business." View is looking northwest, from the Art Institute of Chicago, towards the Peoples Gas Building located at 122 S. Michigan Avenue. The Pullman Building appears at left.
Chicago Opera House
Image | 1893 | Picture ChicagoCaption: "[Engraved for The Standard Guide Company.] Entrance to the Chicago Opera House. [See "Amusements."]". From text: "Located in the Chicago Opera House building, a magnificent structure, southwest corner of Clark and Washington streets, opposite the Court-house ... The theatre was built for Mr. Henderson, and arranged with the idea in mind of the subsequent production...
Chicago The Vacation City book cover
Image | 1930 | Picture ChicagoText on cover: "Chicago The Vacation City Illinois Center The Road of Travel Luxury". From text: "Grant Park, between East 11th Place, Michigan Boulevard, Randolph Street, and Lake Michigan, is Chicago's down-town playground, 303 acres in extent. … In Grant Park are ... Buckingham Fountain ... [and] ... Ivan Mestrovic's bronze American Indians ..."
Chicago from the air
Image | 1930 | Picture ChicagoCaption: "Chicago from the Air, Showing Lake Michigan, Grant Park and Michigan Boulevard". From text: "Europeans have sauntered up Michigan Avenue at theatre time, when the moon was climbing out of the lake, silhouetting the classic lions of the Art Institute against a Maxfield Parrish sky, glorifying the Grecian peristyle with its silver radiance, and they have pronounced i...
South Water Street today
Image | 1919 | Picture Chicagoobstructive to its prosperity, and a conflagration danger to the whole Loop district. South Water Street is a physical misfit. If left as it is, it must forever remain dwarfed, destroying its own usefulness."
Ambulance loaded with fire victims
Image | 1904 | Picture ChicagoFrom text: "While the streets began to crowd for blocks around with weeping and heartbroken persons in mortal terror because of knowledge that loved ones had attended the performance, patrol wagons, ambulances and open wagons hurried the injured to hospitals. Before long they were called upon to perform the more grewsome [sic] task of removing the dead. In wagon loads the la...
Chamber of Commerce
Image | 1869 | Picture Chicagoand above this the grand hall, where the members of the Board of Trade assemble daily. The building is surmounted by a Mansard roof, pierced with oval windows, the corners ornamented with urns. The entrance consists of four handsome Corinthian columns, from which spring three arches supporting a handsome balcony, underneath which a broad flight of stairs leads to the first f...
Chicago harbor
Image | 1869 | Picture ChicagoFrom text: "In 1833 Congress made the first appropriation of $30,000 to improve the harbor. The north pier was run out a short distance and a light-house erected. An embankment was made to cut off the river from her old channel, which had previously emptied into the lake near the foot of Madison street. This work was commenced in the summer of 1833, and vigorously pushed for...
Christian Brothers Academy
Image | 1869 | Picture ChicagoFrom text: "The Academy of the Christian Brothers, on Van Buren street, near Clark, was first opened in the spring of 1868, and has already achieved a very high and deserved celebrity. In the Order of the Christian Brothers, founded for the purpose of devoting themselves to the education of youth, the members are trained especially to fulfill the duties of teachers. How well...
Merchants Insurance Company building
Image | 1869 | Picture ChicagoFrom text: "One of the most stately and beautiful edifices in the United States, is the new building of the Merchants Insurance company of Chicago, on the northwest corner of LaSalle and Washington streets. It is five stories in height, and has a frontage of ninety-six and one-third feet on LaSalle street, and a frontage of one hundred and eleven and a half feet on Washingto...
The heart of Chicago
Image | 1920 | Picture ChicagoBird's eye view looking southeast across the Chicago River towards the Loop. Wolf Point appears in foreground.
Merchants' Farmers', and Mechanics' Savings Bank
Image | 1869 | Picture ChicagoFrom text: "We give a view of the building occupied by the Merchants', Farmers and Mechanics' Savings Bank, No. 13 Clark street. This institution was chartered in 1861, and in 1864 removed to its present very appropriate and convenient edifice. The institution is in a highly flourishing condition, and is deservedly popular.""
George B. Carpenter & Co.
Image | 1893 | Picture ChicagoCaption: "[Engraved for The Standard Guide Company.] Geo. B. Carpenter & Co.--Fifth Ave. and South Water St. [See "Guide."]"
Hooley's Theatre
Image | 1893 | Picture Chicagoheight to 'gridiron,' 62 feet. The theatre is also supplied with the latest patent smoke and fire escape and ventilator. The auditorium is furnished with 'Hooley's Opera Chair,' and lighted throughout by the latest incandescent electric system."
Strauss, Yondorf & Rose building
Image | 1891 | Picture ChicagoFrom text: "Strauss, Yondorf & Rose, Wholesale Clothiers. … They occupy a handsome structure on the corner of Market and Quincy streets, ten stories and basement, being the first actual fire-proof building in the city erected and used for commercial purposes. ... [t]he ninth and tenth stories are used for sample rooms, thus securing on these floors at all times of day an uno...
Delivery room
Image | 1911 | Picture ChicagoFrom text: "The Delivery Room proper, which extends across the entire width of the building, with a length of 134 and a depth of 48 feet, is divided into three parts by a rotunda in the center, surmounted by a beautiful stained-glass dome. Elliptical arches rise from the marble piers at the four corners, and the walls above are elaborately covered with mosaics, into which ar...
Exposition building
Image | 1875 | Picture ChicagoCaption: "Exposition Building, Chicago." This appears to be an image of the Interstate Exposition Building, which was located along South Michigan Avenue, in present day Grant Park. See http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/3516.html
Reception at Court House
Image | 1910 | Picture ChicagoCaption: "Reception of the remains at the Court House"
View south from Court House dome
Image | 1910 | Picture ChicagoCaption: "Views from the Court House dome in 1858 Washington and La Salle Streets (Looking South and Southwest) By Courtesy of the Chicago Historical Society". View appears to be looking nearly due south.
New City Hall and County Building
Image | 1908 | Picture ChicagoFrom text: "On the opposite page is a fine representation in half-tone of the new County Building and City Hall, as the conjoined, magnificent structure will appear when the city half of it shall have been completed. The county half has been officially occupied since July 5, 1907, and it is certain that the officers and employes (sic) of no county in the United States are mo...
Post Office pneumatic tube system
Image | 1906 | Picture ChicagoCaption: "End of the big pneumatic tube system in the basement of the Chicago Post Office." From text: "The underground pneumatic tube system is the largest of the kind in the world. There are three double-tube trunk lines, aggregating over eighteen miles of eight-inch cast iron pipe. Of these lines the stockyards branch is the longest, the station being six and one-half mil...
Michigan Avenue streetwall
Image | 1912 | Picture ChicagoCaption: "Chicago's Sky Line and Water Front of the Down-Town Business District" Caption also identifies buildings in view. They are, from left to right: "Blackstone Hotel", "Harvester Building", "Congress Hotel and Annex"", "Auditorium Hotel", "Fine Arts Building", "Chicago Club", "McCormick Building", "Stratford Hotel", "Railway Exchange Building", "Theodore Thomas Orchest...
Municipal Court and Illinois Athletic Club
Image | 1912 | Picture ChicagoCaption: "Municipal Court and Illinois Athletic Club Buildings" These buildings are located at 116 South Michigan Avenue and 112 South Michigan Avenue.

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