After I learned the hard way that the South Side Community Art Center and the Bronzeville Visitor…read moreInformation Center were BOTH closed on a frosty January Sunday, my botched attempt to observe the spirit of Martin Luther King Day by learning about African-American history culminated with a misguided visit to Douglas Tomb. From a few blocks away I looked up in awe at the 9' bronze statue atop a towering 46' monument. It wasn't until I entered the park gate that I realized my latest mistake: not only did this guy spell his last name with one 's', but he was also white. I.e., not Frederick Douglass. [smacks self on forehead] The man who holds a high perch on the eastern fringe of the Bronzeville neighborhood goes by the name Stephen A. Douglas. Douglas was a prominent white local landowner in the area long before Bronzeville became known as the mecca of African-American history. A lifelong politician, he played a significant role in establishing America's western territories and railroads before losing the presidential election to Abe Lincoln in 1860. Douglas' belief in popular sovereignty, i.e. the notion that new territories should be allowed to individually decide on slavery by popular vote, ultimately led to his political downfall. Here at the monument, one can stand over the sarcophagus containing Douglas' dead body and carry on the longstanding scholarly debate about whether Douglas was *personally* opposed to slavery; some argue his name and monument should be removed, while others are dedicated to preserving his legacy. Even on Yelp, if you search for either the community area Douglas or the neighborhood Bronzeville, you'll see the two names superimposed on top of each other. We all know that nice guys don't get statuized, though, and with Douglas' gaze fixed at more than 50' above ground it's impossible to look him in the eye to properly judge the nuances of his character. Only one fact was and remains as true as this monument is high: the guy was prominent.

I have visited Douglas Park many times because I'm a historian of Douglas and a board member of the…read moreStephen A. Douglas Association. It's a beautiful park, very peaceful, and for several years now it has been home to the Bronzeville Historical Society, which is headquartered there. You can learn a great deal about African-American history in Chicago by talking with the charismatic founder and CEO of the society, Sherry Williams, or by settling into the upstairs library and picking out a good book. Sherry is also very knowledgeable about Douglas, his family's slaves, and the underground railroad. As an additional bonus, the park is only a short walk from the lakeshore because it is the terminus of a pedestrian bridge that runs over the railroad tracks and the highway (the bridge is currently in the process of being replaced by a spectacular suspension bridge for both bikers and pedestrians). Moreover, since October 2014, the park features a feature-length film on Douglas that can be seen at the site if the Bronzeville Historical Society is open. I produced and directed the film, which is titled "Stephen A. Douglas and the Fate of American Democracy," and which interweaves the story of Douglas' life and that of the nation from the Revolution to the Civil War. The film was made with the cooperation of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, and received a 2015 Award of Superior Achievement from the Illinois State Historical Society. It features voice acting from leading Douglas and Lincoln reenactors, clips from five historians, and several hundred images drawn from several dozen archival collections, including the Stephen A. Douglas Papers at the University of Chicago. There is no charge to enter the park, to watch the film, or to visit the Bronzeville Historical Society. All are welcome! If possible, however, come when Sherry is on site. She's a truly engaging human being. The phone number of the society is 312-428-8033. Graham Peck

Drove by on a Thursday afternoon. I thought it was a private home but it appears that there are…read moretours every last Saturday of the month. This is fantastic! There is only street parking so it will probably be hard to park. Best to uber or lyft if coming. The outside area seems to be well maintained. Goigle their website to plan ahead and see more info.

No tour was available. Looks well maintained. Not worth the trip unless you are in the immediate…read morevicinity.

Went to visit the mini Leaning Tower. A Historic place. Went early Saturday morning and no one was…read morethere. Glad to have gone during the summer. As the water was filled, grass was green, and green trees/bushes. Area was clean. Very small area. Lots of seating though facing the tower. We walked the area and took pictures 5-10min. Parking is at the wholesale warehouse or the Aldi parking lost next to the Tower.

It was so cool to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa replica right here in Niles! The entire area was…read morevery clean and nice to walk around. We visited at a time when there were no other people there, which made it a very peaceful experience. They have nice seating options and a water fountain on-site if you want to sit and take it in. The only minor issue was parking. There is currently some construction going on around the site, so it wasn't completely clear where we were supposed to park. Once we figured that out, it was a great quick stop. Definitely worth checking out for a fun photo op and a bit of unique local history!

My first visit to Chicago I went to see the Wrigley Building. After that I found more non tourist…read moretype places to visit during trips to Chicago. It is certainly a historic landmark. You must go at least once. I'm in for anything with the Wrigley name!

Built in the 1920's for Wrigley the gum magnet in downtown Chicago. It's known for its Spanish…read moreColonial Revival style, featuring 2 towers & a distinctive white terra cotta facade. It was the first air conditioned building in the city. In the 1957 science fiction film Beginning of the End, giant grasshoppers attack downtown, are shown climbing up the side of the Wrigley Building.

One of the many Frank Lloyd Wright houses on our list, we bought tickets while in town…read more I will say apart from the house being somewhat contradictory to many attributes that make up a Wright design, the house was very nice. The tour however was probably one of the weakest I have been to. Our guide was forgetful and really didn't go over the basics with the house as we are accustomed to with Wright tours: commission of the home, Wright himself, change of hands with home, and while walking thru it- design aspects chosen inside the home. There's three levels - you only get to see two, and the second floor is currently an office so it is hard to get a real feel for the place. Easily the weakest tour we have been on

I love the work of Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright, so touring this house made perfect since…read moreas both were involved in its design. The mansion is located in a gorgeous corner of the Gold Coast and represents an important part of the city's architectural story. That being said, it's not the most impressive historic house I've ever been in. In fact, it wasn't the most impressive one I went in on that day. For me, the things that made this tour worth doing were the small details like the windows, doors, wood screen in the hallway, and the fireplace surround. There aren't many rooms and the furnishings are not original. The textured walls seem odd and the lighting has been altered in several places (like he sconces). The tour guide was very knowledgeable, but they don't know much about the original owners due to their private nature. The building is now used as offices, so the upstairs bedrooms contain desks and bookshelves rather than being set as they were intended. It takes some imagination when you walk though them. The house is only open two days a week - Wed and Sat. I bought tickets I advance, but you can probably get them in person most times. I'm glad I went, it the friend who accompanied me thought it wasn't as impressive as the other houses we toured that afternoon.

Route 66 - Chicago…read more I'm a Route 66 enthusiast. America's most iconic road trip spans over 2,400 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica. I really wanted to see this sign after having been to "The Heart of Historic Route 66" in Kingman AZ and making stops at nearby attractions along Route 66 including Chloride, Seligman, Hackberry General Store, Giganticus Headicus, Sitgreaves Pass, and Oatman AZ. In Tulsa OK we stopped by the 'East meets West' statue. We had a little walk looking for the sign after hopping off Stop #3 at the Millennium Park. The road sign sits just outside a Starbucks shop on either side of E Adams Street. There is also a marker facing Michigan Avenue with a short history (in English facing the road, Spanish translation facing the sidewalk). Hope they clean it up... it's got full of stickers and graffiti LoL Route 66 (aka "The Mother Road") is packed with history, quirky roadside attractions and covers the states of Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and California. Review #3826

While on a mobsters and haunted mysteries walking tour with my son on a cold, rainy, Sunday…read moreafternoon, we stopped here. Per the tour guide, this was the starting location of Route 66 that went all the way to Santa Monica. There's a ghost story behind this as well that was interesting. Apparently, there are multiple signs throughout the city as well. I didn't notice them but then again, I wasn't looking for them either.

Love the views from the Adams Street Bridge to see the river and so many landmarks and Chicago…read moreskyscrapers. Not worth a special visit, but a great bridge to cross when walking in Chicago.

Every time coming across this structure, I have to admire it. If going along the Lakefront Trail in…read moreLincoln Park, it's pretty hard to miss. The Kwagluth Totem Pole is one of the park's many monuments and other things. Carved by an actual tribal chief. You can get close enough to see the craftsmanship and skill. Actual name of it is Kwanusila. It's a 40 foot high totem pole. This was carved by Tony Hunt, who was the chief of the Kwagu'ł tribe. He also carved many others. There's one in Vancouver's Stanley Park. An interesting history about the Lincoln Park one and how it came to be. His ancestor, ethnologist George Hunt, carved one for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Then it was purchased by cheese producer James L. Kraft and placed on this site in 1929. It suffered from weather damage and vandalism over the years, and was moved to the Museum Of Anthropology at the University Of British Columbia. Then in 1986 this one was made by Tony Hunt to replace this one at the same site. It's carved from red cedar. There's a sea monster on the bottom, a man riding a whale in the middle, and Kwanusila the Thunderbird is on top. Conveniently located to the east of Lake Shore Drive close to Addison. It's one of many classic structures in the park. This isn't the original but it still looks pretty impressive and certainly is among the best examples of classic woodcraft.

The very finest Totem pole in Chicagoland! Perfect to visit…read moreon your bike. Tell em Josh sent you.