Chicago History Podcast

More laserdisc goodness on a Friday - Lawrence Kasdan's "Grand Canyon" from 1991. Out of print on blu-ray, not available for streaming. Steve Martin, Kevin Kline, Mary McDonnell, Danny Glover, Alfre Woodard, and others. Newsweek's David Ansen called it "the season's most fascinating failure."

Explosions at fireworks companies were frequent in the early 1970s, including an event at the Melrose Park Display Fireworks Co. in Orland Park in March 1972 in which a series of 12 explosions killed three workers and injured 14 people. Windows were blown out for up to 12 miles around the area.

In the summer of 1910, more than 3,000 federal troops were in place in Grant Park at Camp Dickinson, a temporary military encampment set up for summer drills, training exercises, and public demonstrations of military preparedness.

Ep 814 - The Pain Fireworks Company Explosion of 1914
bit.ly/4pKB0g7

"How do you like your brandy, sir?"

"In a glass."

Humphrey Bogart in the 1946 film "The Big Sleep," based on the Raymond Chandler novel. One of my favorite laserdiscs. Can't wait for Lauren Bacall to glide across the screen.

The Coca-Cola building at 1322-1328 S. Wabash served as the Chicago headquarters for Coca-Cola from 1904 through 1928. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.

Ep 814 - The Pain Fireworks Company Explosion of 1914
bit.ly/4pKB0g7

Cubs Wild Card game? What are people willing to pay on Sheffield just south of Addison? Eek.

On September 30, 1914, electrical workers sparked an explosion at the fireworks factory at 1320 S. Wabash that claimed six lives.

Ep 814 - The Pain Fireworks Company Explosion of 1914
bit.ly/4pKB0g7

The Pain Fireworks Company was responsible for fireworks events at many of Chicago's entertainment venues, including Comiskey Park and Weeghman Park, now known as Wrigley Field.

Ad from Chicago Examiner June 30, 1914

Ep 814 - The Pain Fireworks Company Explosion of 1914
bit.ly/4pKB0g7

Thank you kindly, Skokie Tom!

The new episode is behind schedule but should post tonight. In the meantime, here's a little tease from the 1300 block of South Wabash.

Chicago cop gets street named in honor of Prairie School architect Dwight Perkins It took 30 years, but four blocks of Milwaukee Avenue near the Perkins-designed Schurz High School will get brown street signs honoring the architect next month.

Cool piece in the @chicago.suntimes.com by @leebey1.bsky.social about architecture and persistence. Give it a read.

chicago.suntimes.com/architecture...

The 100th anniversary photo of the Uptown Theatre was unveiled at the Chicago History Museum earlier today. Those in attendance included Uptown owner Jerry Mickelson, 46th Ward Alderwoman Angela Clay, and writers of the Uptown book Andy Pierce and @robertloerzel.bsky.social.

Chicago’s ad-free daily newspaper, The Day Book, was published from 1911 to 1917 and featured Carl Sandburg as a reporter from 1913 to 1917. I found this gem while doing research. I kinda wish news stories were still written like this.

The group photo from the 100th anniversary of the Uptown Theatre will be unveiled tomorrow at 10am at the Chicago History Museum. As an added bonus, the museum will be FREE to Illinois residents all day. See you there.

Also, if you haven't listened to this yet...

www.buzzsprout.com/1022374/epis...

I would stand just like this guy if I wore those cement boxers.

Tim Robbins (as Norville Barnes) demonstrates "The Dingus" (as Paul Newman's character calls it) in "The Hudsucker Proxy." That look of innocent glee cracks me up every time. This 30+ year-old laserdisc is holding up.

Pope Leo celebrates his birthday in a way fitting for a Chicago native Birthday celebrations aren't complete without a cake, and that holds true even for Pope Leo XIV.

Something fun for the weekend.

www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/p...

Excellent.

Think you're ineligible for a COVID vaccine? Think again, Illinois Illinois still offers free COVID vaccines to people with common risk factors.

Missed this the other day. @axios.com and @monicaeng.bsky.social with some helpful news for Chicagoans.

www.axios.com/local/chicag...

Jane Byrne, the first female mayor of any major American city, had the Children’s Fountain commissioned. It can be seen at North Ave. and Clark St. near the Chicago History Museum .

Episode 813 - Lincoln Park's Statues, Sculptures, and Oddities
Listen wherever you enjoy podcasts.

Hew boy. I'd walk around with a pipe at the ready all day long.

A little from column A, a little from column B.

The statue of Italian military hero Giuseppe Garibaldi was unveiled in Lincoln Park in Oct. 1901, moved in 1982 to Garibaldi Park in Little Italy, and installed on a new base. The statue's original 63-ton stone base, inscribed with Garibaldi’s name, remains empty in Lincoln Park to this day.

The bust of Beethoven was unveiled in Chicago's Lincoln Park in 1897 with 1,000 guests in attendance. Sometime in the early 1970s, it went missing (likely stolen for its valuable bronze) and was never replaced.

Thanks for the Sunday laugh, LTC.

The 13-foot-tall bronze statue of Alexander Hamilton at Stockton, Cannon, and Diversey was completed in 1941 by John Angel, an English born
sculptor.

The monument to writer and philosopher Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was unveiled in Chicago on June 13, 1914, just one month before the first World War began.

A little tease as to the topic of tomorrow's new Chicago History Podcast episode.

That's Mr. RoyOko to you, Ms. Marshall.

You see, kids - back when I was young if we wanted to know what Sandy Duncan was up to or whether Charles Bronson was married, we couldn't ask a computer in our pockets. We had to write letters to the Tribune and wait for the answers to be printed (Chicago Tribune - June 29, 1974).