Your 1904 edition [“Chicago at the Crossroads,” Feb. 8] was well written and edited, and gave a wonderful whirlwind history of Chicago during that particular time. My great-grandparents came over from Sweden in the late 1800s and settled in Andersonville. My grandmother and I had a ritual of the Walnut Room at Marshall Field’s. My history made all your letters and stories rather personal. I especially loved the articles geared toward the “gentle” sex. And the Palmer House brownie recipe–yum!
Actually your special magazine couldn’t have come at a more interesting time, as I am currently reading Erik Larson’s “The Devil in the White City.” Although the book takes place about 10 to 12 years earlier, many of the figures written about in the book were still around in 1904 and mentioned in your magazine. Thanks for the lovely treat.
Patricia A. Korous / Chicago
Riverview memories
Rick Kogan’s “Stopsigns” sidebar about the birth of Riverview evoked a slew of fun memories.
My pals and I would board a “Red Rocket” streetcar at the western end of the Irving Park line (at Neenah Avenue) and ride to Western Avenue. There we transferred to a southbound car and traveled another mile or so. Halfway between Belmont and Diversey, we debarked directly in front of the huge arched gateway.
Riverview’s 76 acres afforded a picnic grove, a roller-skating rink and a penny arcade, in addition to food, funhouses and rides ranging from tame to terrifying. On 2-cent days (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) a couple bucks saved from our allowance would buy us a full day of fun and thrills.
Old-timers will remember Two Ton Baker, “the music maker,” inviting folks to come and “laugh your troubles away” at Riverview. We came and we did.
Dan McGuire / Bensenville
A special street
I enjoyed all the articles in your 1904 special edition. I was surprised to see the item about the “New Row Houses of Alta Vista Terrace.” I grew up at my grandparents’ house at 3823 N. Alta Vista in the late ’50s and early ’60s.
Living on that street was something special. I was crushed when my parents decided to move to somewhere called Elk Grove Village in 1965.
Michael Schorn / Schaumburg
What year is it?
I look forward to reading your magazine each Sunday. I only give a casual glance at the cover and then skip to the “In-box” page. Today, however, I was definitely surprised.
By the end of the first letter and the beginning of the second, by Sir Lewis Morris, I finally figured it out.
However, it wasn’t so much the content of the letters as it was the vocabulary. First there was “subjugate” then “domestic appendage”!
I applaud your traveling back a hundred years and thoroughly enjoyed reading this issue.
John Millen / Dyer, Ind.
Teaching tool
I teach Chicago history in a Chicago public high school and found your Feb. 8 issue extremely valuable. Using the usual layout to inform people about the diversity of century-old issues/interests shows us that daily life is daily life, regardless of the century.
I’ll be using this issue in my classes. It’s a great learning tool for my students as well as anyone who wants to get a feeling for life in Chicago at the turn of the century.
Perhaps this will be the Cubs’ century.
Glen M. Przeslicke
Roosevelt High School
Well-meaning citizens
Your articles spoke at length of the various movers and shakers at that time, and while some of them were less than desirable, most of them really had the best interests of this city in their hearts and minds.
What they accomplished set the stage for even bigger and better things to come after they were gone.
It was a wonderful set of articles and I am keeping it to read again.
Edward Stein / Chicago
Centralia’s girls
It’s worth mentioning [How ‘Bout Those Orphans?” Jan. 25] that Centralia High School’s girls basketball team is called the Orphan Annies.
Len O’Kelly / Downers Grove
A growing plague
John Blades’ “Creature Discomforts” [Jan. 25] on dealing with destructive squirrels mirrors my experience over three years. I too get squirrel gifts from friends who find my war with them pretty amusing. The fact is, Chicago has a major problem with squirrels, which would never be allowed if they were rats, i.e., smaller squirrels without cute bushy tails. [Squirrels] have no natural enemies and proliferate at a frightening rate. I only wish the purpose of Mr. Blades’ article was not simply to amuse but to frighten and educate Chicago on the need to do something about the growing plague.
Terry McGuire / Chicago
Time for a new life
Just wanted to thank you for the piece on Elaine Murphy [“The Cure for Regret,” Jan. 11]. My girlfriend is 34, and taking her first steps toward becoming a veterinarian. She’s had it with corporate life and wants “a job that matters.” I’m so proud of her. The article is up on the fridge, and she reads it daily, and so do I.
Skott Bennett / San Francisco
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