This post just has photos I took of some of the more unusual sites I came across. Click on any of them to see a larger version.
I stumbled on this after I landed while looking for someplace to eat driving through Des Plaines. This is McDonald's #1 Store Museum. It's a recreation of the first McDonald's Restaurant opened there in 1955. There's even a mannequein dressed like a worker inside.
In Grant Park, I found this stone arch entrance to the old Chicago Stock Exchange. Designed in 1894, the Exchange was torn down in 1972, but they salvaged some portions of the building.
Buckingham Fountain is a landmark in the center of Grant Park. Dedicated in 1927, it is one of the largest fountains in the world.
Standing at 1,450 feet and 110 stories high, Willis Tower is the tallest building in the western hemisphere (formerly known as the Sears Tower.)
The real name of this newer landmark is called Cloud Gate, but everybody just calls it The Bean. Finished in 2006. It's made up of 168 stainless steel plates welded together. But there are no visible seams!
A New Jersey artist made a 26-foot tall sculpture of Marilyn Monroe's iconic pose from the movie "Seven Year Itch". No one knows why it's here. She and the movie had nothing to do with Chicago. But's it's a very popular stop now.
The Chicago Theatre, originally known as the Balaban and Katz Chicago Theatre, is a landmark built in 1921. It seats 3,800 people. The marquis is only a few years old. They gave the original to the Smithsonian. But the look mimics the original sign.
Chicagoan's love to take photos in front of the landmarks. All day long we ran into wedding and teenage debut parties (quinceanera's) walking from site to site with their photographer.
Wrigley Field has been the home ballpark of the Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League team called the Chicago Whales. It was called Cubs Park between 1920 and 1926. Then they renamed it for then Cubs team owner William Wrigley. Between 1921 and 1970, they also played football here as the home of the Chicago Bears. Here's a front and back view.
The biggest surprise sight was on the way to the airport on the road cutting through Niles, Ill. near Skokie. The Leaning Tower is a replica of Italy's Leaning Tower of Pisa. It is roughly half-sized -- 94 feet, vs. the authentic's 177 feet, and leans about 7'4" off plum (vs. Pisa's 15 foot tilt).
This was built in 1934 (600 years after the original). It was a utility tower designed to store water at first. Now it's just another photo stop in the Windy City.
No comments:
Post a Comment