Remembering Chicago 1920s through 1950s | WTTW

WTTW Chicago’s PBS station produced a series of roughly hour long videos under the banner “Remembering Chicago.” The first video covered the 1920s -30s and 40s. In 2004 the year the first of the series was produced many of the people featured like Studs Terkel, Irv Kupcinet, and Johnny Frigo  where getting on in age and have indeed passed on since then.

What I personally like about Chicago history is looking at the businesses, buildings and structures that are still around and think about how they have served and contributed to the millions of people who have lived out their lives or traveled through this geographic locations that is sometimes referred to as “the most American city.”

Places like the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, Art Institute,  Museum of Science & Industry, Cultural Center, Navy Pier and the Opera House as well as many movie palaces, ballrooms, clubs, restaurants,  and bars still bring joy to countless patrons as they have over several generations.

Sure the horses are gone, street cars and trolleys have given way to buses and cars but the old water tower still stands guard over Michigan Avenue and Marshall Field’s clock at the corner of Randolph and State still displays the time even if the store itself has been re-branded. Numerous bridges periodically raise and lower themselves back into place as if by magic over the lazy river that gave birth to this city dividing it in more ways then one.  Elevated trains still rumble overhead and the subway grumbles beneath our feet while the waters of Lake Michigan endlessly lap the shore, doing so presumably as long as there is a sunrise on the horizon to mark the days and a glimmering moon reflected on the waves to mark the passing of the seasons.

This is a city of transportation and commerce fabricated entirely by immigrants who came to trade, using the paths of native peoples to guide them through the prairies, who through brute strength and quick wits fed the world, built towers into the sky and raised generations of children who look back with pride and fondness on the city we love.

*Note: My Boomer friends from South Shore who attended Myra Bradwell Elementary School may recognize Veronica O’Shea one of our crossing guards who saw to it that we made our way safely to school.

The following episode presents Chicago in the 1940s and 1950s including memories of WWII, the beginning of the post war years and the rise of Mayor J. Daley.

Note: My friends from St. Pauls UCC might enjoy seeing retired pastor Thomas Henry.

Keywords: Michigan Avenue, State Street, Riverview, Lakefront, downtown, streetcars, restaurants, Ice Cream, racetracks,  Century of Progress, ballrooms, dancing, Aragon, Trianon, radio, Edgewater Beach Hotel, WWII, Daley, Wrigley Field, Cubs, Sox, Cardinals, Bears, stockyards, high school, public schools, yo-yo, hula hoop, train, clothes, real estate, cars, subway, elevated, polio, drive-in, television, TV, wrestling, baseball, football, beaches, movie theaters, Skyway, victory gardens,