Chicago Walking Tours
by Cynthia Clampitt
Introduction
While New York is considered a great world city, Chicago is often said to be the great
American city. It is where the high-rise was born and American architecture got its start
(try to think of any famous American architect who isn’t associated with Chicago—
we’ve had Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van der Rohe, and Helmut Jahn, to
name a few).
Chicago owes its remarkable architectural history to the Great Chicago Fire, which
destroyed a huge swathe of the city, including all of downtown, in 1871. In the late
1800s, a booming city that needed an entire new downtown seemed like the best place to
start experimenting with new ideas in architecture. Armed with affordable steel, Elisha
Graves Otis’s new elevators, big dreams, and ambition, architects came from all over the
world, ready to rebuild Chicago. And thus was born, not only American architecture, but
also the “skyscraper,” as the tall buildings would be called.
The first skyscraper, the Home Insurance Building, was built in Chicago in 1885. At
ten stories tall, it was the tallest building in the country. With the success of this building,
skyscrapers began to appear all over Chicago, and soon in other cities, getting taller and
taller as people became more confident.
Chicago has a lot more to offer than tall buildings, however. The city’s motto is Urbs
in Horto—City in a Garden—and this is not wishful thinking; the city has more than
7,300 acres of parkland, 552 parks, 33 beaches, 16 historic lagoons, and 10 bird and
wildlife gardens. Among the best known of Chicago’s parks is Grant Park, which
parallels South Michigan Avenue for most of its length.
Partly because of this great architectural history, but also because of the fabulous
stores, monumental artwork, and gorgeous lakefront, Chicago is a wonderful place for a
walking tour. Taking a bus or taxi is always an option, but there are a lot of things worth
looking at up close.
Chicago offers a tremendous array of sights and activities—one could spend weeks
trying to see and do everything—but a lot of the city’s history and beauty can be taken in
within a relatively small, central area. The walking tours below can be broken up or
combined, depending on your timeframe, interests, and stamina. The two Michigan
Avenue tours are about a mile each. The Loop is a little less than one half mile square,
though you may cover more ground than that, depending on which bits you choose to see.
Tips to help you keep your bearings:
The lake is east. If you can see the lake, or have a sense of where the lake is, you can
always figure out the direction you’re going.
The baseline for north/south numbering is Madison Street and for east/west numbering
is State Street.
Each full block is assigned a series of 100 numbers. For example, the Hilton Chicago
is at 720 S. Michigan Avenue, which means it’s in the 700 block, or the seventh block
1
south of Madison Street. The Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers is at 301 East North
Water Street, so it is in the third block east of State Street.
Address numbers are even on the north and west sides of the streets. (If you like
mnemonics, just remember new: north-even-west.) Addresses are odd on the south and
east sides. Therefore, you can tell just by looking at the Hilton Chicago’s address that it is
on the west side of Michigan Ave.
Getting started
Michigan Avenue crosses Wacker Drive at the Chicago River. This is a good point to
start, because it is a defining point in the city’s geography, as well as its history.
On this corner, you are standing on (or, rather, above, as the street is now well above
the river) the site of Fort Dearborn. On the south side of Wacker Dr., on either the west or
east corners, look down, and you will see the outline of the fort in bronze embedded in
the pavement. The fort was built in 1803, shortly after the Louisiana Purchase, across the
river from the cabin of Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable, an African American who was one
of the area’s first settlers. For many years, the fort was a thriving settlement and trading
post. When the War of 1812 with Great Britain began, the government ordered the
evacuation of the fort. As the soldiers and settlers left the fort, they were attacked by
Indians. A large number of settlers and soldiers were killed and the fort was destroyed.
Today, the famous “Fort Dearborn Massacre” is represented by one of the 4 stars in the
Chicago flag. (The other three stars are the Great Chicago Fire and the two Chicago
World’s Fairs.)
On the north side of Wacker Drive is the Michigan Avenue Bridge. The monumental
sculptures on the supports commemorate the experiences of Chicago’s first pioneer
homesteaders, including the Fort Dearborn Massacre. The supports also offer an
impressive entryway to the dazzling “Magnificent Mile” across the river, and it was, in
fact, the opening of this bridge in 1920 that began to transform the northern part of
Michigan Avenue from a quiet residential area into the dazzling thoroughfare it is today.
In the center of the bridge, you are standing above the Chicago River, the only river in
the world where the course was reversed. Because the river was polluting Lake Michigan,
engineers reversed its flow, so it would flow upstream. That would be a pretty amazing
feat with today’s technology, but it was done more than 100 years ago. Looking toward
the lake, you can see the lock system that controls traffic on the river, as well as the flow
of the water.
Like most bridges in Chicago, the Michigan Avenue Bride is a drawbridge. If you
look back toward Wacker Drive, you’ll notice that there is a street below Wacker
Drive—Lower Wacker Driver, which you may remember from the movie The Blues
Brothers.
Looking west, you can see the Marina Twin Towers, one of the modern architectural
icons of the city. These towers have appeared in numerous movies set in Chicago. If you
live in these towers, you can take the elevator to your boat, as there is a marina in the
base of the building complex.
At this point, you can decide whether you wish to walk north, which is covered in tour #2,
below, or turn south, which is tour #1. Or you can go a few blocks south and start the
tour of Chicago’s Loop, which is tour #3.
2
Walking Tour #1: Michigan Avenue South of the Chicago River and Grant Park
At Michigan and Wacker, start on the west side of the street and head south. The highrise on the corner, at 333 N. Michigan Ave., is one of the city’s several Art Deco
landmarks. Next, you will pass Illinois Center, a cluster of tall, dark, glass buildings, once
considered “The Future of Urban Planning.” Underground passages lined with shops
make it possible to move among the buildings without ever going outdoors.
In another couple of blocks, you will reach the Prudential Building at Randolph Street.
This was the first skyscraper built in Chicago after World War II. Behind it is the Aon
Center, originally built as the Standard Oil Building. It is one of Chicago’s three giants,
currently holding the number two position at 1,136 feet tall.
Turn left and head up Randolph Street, then cross to the entrance of Millennium Park,
a corner of Grant Park that offers gardens, monumental sculpture, a concert venue,
terraces, outdoor art galleries, and numerous other opportunities for enjoying oneself.
One of the first things you’re likely to notice is the very sculptural Jay Pritzker Pavilion,
a remarkable “explosion” of brushed steel with a state-of-the-art sound system that is
suspended from an overhead trellis, so no one’s view of the stage is obstructed. It is
considered the most sophisticated outdoor concert venue of its kind in the United States.
East of the pavilion is the massive, shiny, silver, bean-shaped sculpture known as
Cloud Gate. Cloud Gate is British artist Anish Kapoor’s first public outdoor work
installed in the United States. This highly reflective piece of art offers a great photo
opportunity, with reflections of the city’s skyline and the lake against a backdrop of the
real thing.
The Lurie Gardens offer 2.5 acres of flowers, shrubs, trees, and grasses native to
Illinois, and the Chase Promenade is an inviting three-block-long walkway lined by
nearly 200 trees.
At the south end of the park is the Crown Fountain, which was designed by Spanish
artist Jaume Plensa. The fountain consists of two 50-foot glass block towers flanking a
shallow reflecting pool. The towers project video images designed to show the diversity
of Chicago’s citizenry. Water flows through an outlet in the screen, giving the illusion of
water spouting from the mouths of the individuals pictured. In the summer, the fountain
is a favorite spot for children, who can run through the cascading water.
The south side of Millennium Park is bounded by Monroe Street. Crossing the street,
you come to the Art Institute, one of the country’s top art museums. Walk around the
building, both to see the classic old part and more modern addition and to get to the back
of the building. Behind the building, depending on the state of construction at the time of
your visit (they’re adding a new wing), you may be able to see the ornate main arch from
the old Chicago Stock Exchange preserved and ensconced in a tiny park. But even if this
small park is blocked off, continue past the Art Institute and across the street behind it
(Columbus Drive). You will find yourself amid more of the many gardens of Grant Park.
Amble through the gardens toward Buckingham Fountain. This spectacular Chicago
landmark is one of the largest fountains in the world. It was donated to the city by
Chicagoan Kate Buckingham, who built it in honor of her late brother, Clarence.
Completed in 1927, the three-tiered fountain was inspired by the Latona Basin at
3
Versailles. The great, bronze seahorses that adorn the fountain were sculpted by French
artist Marcel Loyau. The fountain operates mid-April to mid-October. Light and water
shows are given each evening, and the central spout regularly shoots up to 150 feet in the
air.
From this vantage point, if you look to the south and east, across the grassy playing
fields you can see, in the not-so-far distance, the Field Museum of Natural History, the
Shedd Aquarium, and the Adler Planetarium, which is on a point of land that extends out
into the lake.
From the fountain, walking back toward Michigan Avenue along Congress brings you
to the grand entrance designed to lead you from the city into Grant Park and toward
Buckingham Fountain. This entrance is flanked by two wonderful 1928 sculptures by
Yugoslav artist Ivan Mestrovic of Native Americans of Illinois. The statues are named
The Spearman and The Bowman.
From here, you have a great view of a stretch of Michigan Avenue that is, in fact, one
of the world’s most-recognized one-sided streets, along with New York City’s Fifth
Avenue and Edinburgh’s Princes Street. Sometimes called the Michigan Boulevard
District, with buildings dating to the late 1800s and early 1900s, this handsome stretch of
road offers examples of the work of many of Chicago’s most important architects,
including Daniel Burnham, Dankmar Adler, Louis Sullivan, Holabird & Roche, Marshall
& Fox, Henry Ives Cobb, S. S. Beman, and Graham, Anderson, Probst & White.
Look to your left (south), and you’ll see the Hilton Chicago. Designed by Holabird &
Roche, the hotel was originally called the Stevens Hotel. It was built in 1927 and was,
when it opened, the largest hotel in the world.
Cross Michigan Avenue, and, at the corner of Michigan and Congress, you’ll be
outside the Auditorium Theater in Roosevelt University. President Grover Cleveland laid
the cornerstone for the Auditorium Building in October 1888, and President Benjamin
Harrison dedicated the completed building in December 1889. It was immediately
acclaimed as one of the most beautiful and functional theatres in the world, remarkable
for its perfect acoustics and for innovative design. The spectacular arched ceiling meant
no internal pillars were needed, so every seat had an unobstructed view of the stage. The
Chicago Symphony Orchestra resided at the theater until Orchestra Hall was completed
in 1904. Roosevelt University moved into the building in 1946. In 1976, the building was
designated a National Historic Landmark. Today, the theater is home to the famed Joffrey
Ballet. If you think the pillars in front of the building, on the Congress side, look like they
have been cut off, you’re right. The street used to be narrower and lower, and great stone
stairs were removed when the street was widened in 1952.
Now, head north (back toward Wacker Drive).
You can continue the tour of Michigan Avenue, or, when you reach Jackson, two
blocks north of Congress, turn left into the “Loop” and begin tour #3, below.
Orchestra Hall (also called Symphony Hall) is another couple of blocks up, at 220
South Michigan Avenue. The home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for more than a
hundred years, the building is an interpretation of Georgian style. As you walk by, look
4
for the names of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, and Wagner above the arched
windows of the second-floor ballroom.
As you continue north, you might also keep an eye out for the Fine Arts Building, the
Chicago Athletic Association, the University Club, the Old Republic Building, the
London Guarantee and Accident Building, and other wonderful, elegant, old buildings.
One newer building worth noting is the Smurfit-Stone Building, a sleekly modern edifice
that contrasts sharply with the antiques around it. Its sharply angled, diamond-shaped
roof is lighted at night, with the colors changing with the seasons or for special events.
Between Washington and Randolph stands the imposing Chicago Cultural Center, a
Classic-Revival building constructed in1897 as the city’s first library. Enter the doors on
the south side of the building and walk up the stairs to the large room on the third floor.
All around you, the stairways, walls, and ceilings are covered with millions of piece of
glass, gold, and abalone shell. This is the largest mosaic in the world, and it is crowned
by an impressive Tiffany glass dome. On the far side of the dazzling third-floor main
room there is an entrance to a long hall that leads to the north side of the building. Look
for the handsome GAR Hall, where another, even larger Tiffany stained glass dome can
be viewed, and tall windows offer splendid views of Michigan Avenue and Millennium
Park across the street. Self-guided tours of the building and its exhibits and galleries are
available, and a docent-led tour is offered every day at 1:15. Also in the Chicago Cultural
Center, on the north side of the building, is the Chicago Visitor’s Center—a most useful
destination, with a nice café, a room full of maps and brochures, and Chicago greeters to
assist you.
Continuing north, you come to the Carbide and Carbon Building at 230 N. Michigan
Ave., which has always been one of my favorites, with its stunning dark green to black
exterior trimmed in gold and bronze. The gold decorations at the top of the building are
actually 24-karat gold. This handsome skyscraper has recently been renovated and is now
Chicago’s Hard Rock Hotel.
You are now nearly back to Wacker Drive and the Michigan Avenue Bridge, from which
point you can start tour #2, below.
Walking Tour #2: Michigan Avenue North of the Chicago River
On the north side of the Chicago River, two of the city’s most glorious buildings are
before you: the Tribune Tower (1922–25) and the Wrigley Building (1920). The
gleaming white Wrigley Building, headquarters of the famous chewing gum
manufacturer, was patterned after Seville Cathedral’s Giralda Tower in Spain. However,
the white terra cotta façade is graced with French Renaissance decorations. It is one of
the most famous office buildings in America. At night, spotlights illuminate the façade,
brightening this entire stretch of Michigan Avenue. (My mother, who grew up nearby,
told me that the signal in Chicago that World War II had ended was these huge spotlights
being turned on again.)
Directly across the street is the splendid Tribune Tower, the result of an international
competition to design “the most beautiful office building in the world.” A magnificently
gothic confection, the building is topped by a tower with flying buttresses derived from
the design of the French cathedral of Rouen. But don’t admire this tower from afar,
5
because the base of the building deserves your attention. It is studded with more than 120
stones from famous places and structures in all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries,
including pieces of the Parthenon, Taj Mahal, Great Wall of China, the Berlin Wall,
Ellsinore Castle (Hamlet’s home), Bunker Hill, the Alamo, and even a moon rock. Then
wander inside, to read the worthwhile inscriptions, see the relief map of North America
made of shredded dollar bills, and enjoy other details of this gorgeous building.
(If you have time, and the weather is fine, you can head down the steps beside the
Wrigley building and catch a Wendella Boat Tour—up the river, then out through the
lock onto the lake, accompanied by an interesting narrative of Chicago’s history.)
From the Tribune Tower, continue north on the east side of the street. You are walking
up what is called “The Magnificent Mile,” a stretch of Michigan Avenue that offers one
of the most dazzling concentrations of retail opportunities in the world, from Burberry to
Nike, Tiffany to Sony, Ralph Lauren to Elizabeth Arden, Neiman Marcus to Banana
Republic, Crate & Barrel to Hammacher Schlemmer, and hundreds more. Nike Town is a
remarkable place, with high-tech gadgets, fish tanks behind the shoes, indoor basketball
court (for trying out your shoes), and vacuum tubes delivering merchandise. It’s hard to
imagine that one product line could sustain an entire store, but it does. Lots of interesting
displays of specially designed Nikes, from those made for Michael Jordon, to those
created for Batman, to pairs created for performing elephants and a goose with an
amputated foot. It’s silly, but it’s entertaining.
At 701 N. Michigan Avenue, you’ll come to the historic Allerton Hotel (1922–24).
This Italian Renaissance-style hotel, with its famous Tip Top Tap, was created to cater to
young professionals and contributed to the conversion of Michigan Avenue into a chic
work and play area.
As you continue north, you will notice ahead of you a tall, tan, stone “needle.” This is
the famous Chicago Water Tower. Built in 1869, the Water Tower and its adjacent
pumping station were the only buildings in the downtown area to survive the voracious
Great Chicago Fire. Built of large limestone blocks in a style adopted from 13th century
castles, it looks something like a gothic rocket. Oscar Wilde thought it a monstrosity, but
it has become a cherished landmark for Chicagoans. The Water Tower is now an art
gallery. The pumping station holds a Tourist Welcome Center, but also still fulfills its
original purpose. Take a look through the pumping station windows; it is amusing to see
the contrast between the vintage architecture and the modern, high-tech water pumping
equipment now in use.
In the next block is Water Tower Place, considered the most beautiful shopping “mall”
in the U.S. Take the escalator up to the “core” of the building, where gleaming, chrome
and glass elevators zip up and down amid the plants and light of the interior. If you’re
hungry, FoodLife is an interesting and innovative dining experience where you’re handed
a “credit card” when you’re seated, and you use it to obtain food at an array of booths
with intriguing goodies—health food, international exotica, or pizza—then turn in the
card at the end of your meal and pay for the total.
One more block north, between Chestnut and Delaware, you come to the Hancock
Building. Look up. This is the third tallest building in the city, standing 1,127 feet tall,
6
and is the tallest residential building in the world. The100-story Hancock Building is
known worldwide for its distinctive X-frame architecture. It’s not as tall as the Sears
Tower, but if you want to do “view,” this is the one to visit. Whereas the Sears Tower
looks down on a lot of other buildings, the Hancock building gives you views of the lake,
shoreline, beautiful Lincoln Park, and Michigan Avenue. There are photos by the
windows that identify all the buildings and locations you can see from the top. The
observation deck is on the 94th floor, so brace yourself for an ear-popping ride. But it is
an amazing view. (Remember: if it’s windy, the building is built to sway—it keeps the
building from “breaking,” but it can be a little disconcerting if you get up there and feel
like the ground is moving.)
A bit farther north, at 919 N. Michigan Ave., is the Palmolive Building (1927-29),
considered one of the premier Art Deco skyscrapers in the United States. Finally, you
reach the Drake Hotel. The venerable Drake has attracted celebrities and heads-of-state
since it opened in 1920. In the beautiful Palm Court, they serve afternoon tea (a formal
affair with finger sandwiches and scones), should you need a break. A piano or harp will
be playing in the background. The Drake is reminiscent of a time now past, with
uniformed doorman, red-carpeted stairs, and a palatial reception area where an antique
table holds a fortune in fresh flowers. So even if you’re not interested in a cup of tea, it’s
fun to walk through.
Cross Michigan Avenue to the other (west) side and start heading south again—or
shop till you drop in the several high-end, high-rise “vertical malls” at this end of the
street.
Opposite the Hancock Building is the handsome Fourth Presbyterian Church, a
splendidly Gothic edifice with a serene courtyard that can be a nice place to rest for a
minute or two, before continuing your walk. Also, on Fridays at noon, there are free
concerts.
At 626 N. Michigan Avenue, you’ll see the classical French-style Women’s Athletic
Club (1928), which was the country’s first athletic club for women.
At Ontario, look to your right and notice the sign for Lawry’s Restaurant. The
magnificent building now occupied by this restaurant used to be the home of the famous
Köngsholm Puppet Opera, and before that, it was the “townhouse” of General Robert
McCormick, who founded the Chicago Tribune. This elegant 1890s mansion, a Chicago
landmark, retains much of its former glory, with sweeping stairways, high ceilings, and a
100-year-old crystal chandelier in what is now the lounge,
Still heading south on Michigan Avenue, at 520 N. Michigan, you’ll pass the
McGraw-Hill Building (1928-29), another splendid example of Art Deco design.
At this point, you’re almost back to the river. If you’ve expended all your energy seeing
the sights and shopping, it’s a good place to get a cab.
Walking Tour #3: The Loop
The Loop is the center of Chicago’s history, business, and politics. It is where the
city’s first high-rises rose, where the first department stores opened, and where much of
the city’s best-known monumental art lives. It is also where the elevated train, or “L”
7
makes a loop around the heart of downtown—though the name “The Loop” predates the
elevated train, coming from a streetcar loop dating to 1882, the route of which the train
simply followed.
The “L” itself is one of the city’s identifying features. The elevated train made its first
full run around the Loop in 1897. (Cheap Thrill: for about $2, you can ride around the
Loop on the L. It offers some great views of the downtown area and lets you see
handsome decorations originally added to buildings at L-level for the benefit of riders.
But pick up a map at one of the stations, so you don’t end up leaving town.)
One can enter the Loop from any point, but Jackson and Michigan Avenue offers the
historic advantage of starting you on “The Mother Road.” This is the beginning of the
famed Route 66, which extends from Chicago all the way to California. While you will
walk west for only a short distance, you will be on Route 66.
Heading west on Jackson, shortly after you cross State Street, you come to the
Monadnock Building (53 W. Jackson). In 1893, when it was completed, it was the
world's largest office building. At the time, it was remarkable for its simplicity of design.
Some say that modern architecture began with the construction of this building. It is also
a “crossroads” of old and new forms of construction. The north part is a masonry, wallbearing structure—the last skyscraper to employ this method of construction. The stone
walls had to support the weight of the building, and they are six-feet thick at the base.
The south addition, however, is an early example of steel-frame construction, its
underlying structure revealed through narrow piers and wide windows.
At 65 W. Jackson, you pass the Union League Club of Chicago. For more than a
hundred years, this has been the place where people have gathered to plan important civic
projects and organize the city’s social and philanthropic efforts.
In two more blocks, you reach LaSalle Street. This is one of Chicago’s most famous
locales—where the money is. At the end of LaSalle, on Jackson, is the imposing Chicago
Board of Trade, one of the city’s finest examples of Art Deco architecture. The Board of
Trade is topped by a statue of Ceres, goddess of grain. On either side of La Salle St. are
the Federal Reserve Bank and Bank of America, with nearly identical, Greek-revival
façades. Turn north on La Salle, and look back to get the full impact of this bastion of
currency.
Continuing north on La Salle, at Adams, you come to The Rookery. Completed in
1888, it is the oldest high-rise in Chicago that is still standing. The lobby was remodeled
in 1905 by Frank Lloyd Wright, who simplified the ornate ironwork and added decorative
touches that reflect his style. An open light court extends through the center of the
building, down to the lobby skylight. On the west side of this court there is a semi-spiral
staircase that is among the most commonly photographed architectural features in the
city.
At Madison, you’ll see the One North LaSalle Building. This is one of the city’s
premier examples of the soaring, streamlined skyscrapers built during the 1920s. It is also
one of the city’s best surviving examples of the Art Deco style, with its dramatic
silhouette and lavishly detailed entrance and lobby.
8
In another block, you come to City Hall. The main entrance on LaSalle Street is
flanked by four relief panels sculpted in granite by John Flanagan and representing four
features of municipal government: city playgrounds, public schools, the park system, and
the water supply system. Inside the entrance, at landings on marble stairways to the right
and left, are bronze tablets showing various city halls from 1837 to the present.
In the next block, at the corner of La Salle and Randolph, you come to the John R.
Thompson Center, the location of the state’s government offices. Completed in 1985, the
building’s futuristic design has long been controversial, drawing both criticism and
praise. In front of the building is the 29-foot-high fiberglass sculpture Monument with
Standing Beast by French artist Jean Dubuffet.
Turn right (east) on Randolph. In two blocks, you’ll reach Dearborn. Turn right again
(south). You will come first to Daley Center. Built in 1965, this was the first major public
building in Chicago to have a modern, rather than classical, architectural design. It is a
particularly good example of International Style, based on the revolutionary steel and
glass designs of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. The Daley Center Plaza is home to the
famous Chicago Picasso. Across the street, in a niche between buildings, Miro’s Chicago
faces the Picasso. Continuing south, at Dearborn and Monroe, you will see the large
Chagall Mosaic, Four Seasons.
At 140 S. Dearborn, you can view the Marquette Building. Built in 1895, it was
remarkable for having a façade that clearly revealed its underlying structure—something
that was not possible before steel became widely available. Its construction, with broad
windows set in a framework of narrow piers and spandrels, was a major influence in the
design of modern high-rise commercial buildings. The lobby is decorated with Tiffany
mosaic panels.
At Adams and Dearborn, Calder’s Flamingo perches in front of the Chicago Federal
Center. The Federal Center was designed by Mies van der Rohe, considered one of the
pioneering masters of modern architecture.
If you still have some energy left, you can turn left on Adams and go to State Street
(“that great street”) and turn north (left) again. This was once the city’s top shopping
street, though it has been eclipsed by North Michigan Avenue in recent years. In two
blocks, you’ll reach Madison. This corner, State and Madison, is where Chicago’s street
numbers start. On this corner, at 1 S. State Street, is the old Carson Pirie Scott building.
The store is now closed, but the building is a must see. This was among Louis Sullivan’s
masterpieces, and the magnificent wrought-iron decoration on the front of the store
appears in most art history books.
Across State Street from Carson’s is the Chicago Building, a well-known example of
the architectural style known as the Chicago School. The building features an innovation
that became known as the “Chicago window,” a window with a large central pane
flanked by two smaller double-hung sash windows.
At 32 N. State Street, you come to the Reliance Building. Started in 1890, this
building was viewed as being revolutionary. Even now, more than 100 years later, it is
still recognized worldwide as the direct ancestor of today’s glass-and-steel skyscrapers.
9
Another block north, you will see a large, green clock that identifies the iconic
Chicago department store formerly known as Marshall Field’s. Now owned by Macy’s,
this is more than a store—it is a Chicago institution. Even if you’re not interested in
shopping, or trying their famous Frango mints, you may still want to step inside. If
nothing else, ask to be directed to the Tiffany ceiling—another dazzling Tiffany mosaic,
this time in white, gold and shimmering blue. (Go to cosmetics and look up—the Tiffany
ceiling is eight stories up.)
In the next block north is the Chicago Theater, sometimes called “The Wonder
Theater of the World.” Opened in 1921, the theater is a palatial, French-Baroque
confection of sweeping staircases, marble, murals, and crystal chandeliers. The façade
reproduces the Arc de Triomphe, while the five-story-high lobby is modeled after the
Royal Chapel at Versailles. The six-story-tall “C-H-I-C-A-G-O” sign and theater
marquee are landmarks and symbols of both State Street and the city.
-•Not far from these walking tours:
Just a few blocks east of Michigan Avenue is Navy Pier. This Chicago landmark,
which extends more than half a mile into the waters of Lake Michigan, offers the glitter
and glamour of a really wonderful fairground. The huge Ferris wheel, impressive in
daytime but magic at night, when it’s outlined with hundreds of lights, will be one of the
first things to catch your eye, but that’s just the beginning of delights. Inside, there are
gardens, shopping arcades, and fun rides. Shops and carts offer Indian jewelry, Russian
dolls, cinnamon almonds, cooking gear, books, clothes, and Chicago memorabilia.
Chicago Shakespeare Theater, one of the world’s great Shakespeare companies, has its
impressive theater here. There is a food court and numerous restaurants, including Riva,
which offers some of the city’s best seafood.
One of the pier’s real surprises is the Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows—the
only museum of its kind in the United States. A gorgeous stroll among vivid colors takes
you through the history of stained glass. (Chicago has long been the world’s center of
stained glass window manufacturing, and this is where Tiffany had his workshops.) If
you make it out to the end of the pier, take a peak at the old Grand Ballroom, which hints
at the pier’s long history. The pier also offers a great view of the city, so take your
camera.
The Adler Planetarium (the oldest planetarium in the United States), the Field
Museum, and the Shedd Aquarium (world’s largest indoor aquarium) are all a short taxi
ride (or a bit more than a 1-mile walk) from the starting point of the walking tours.
Hope this helps you enjoy Chicago a little more.
Cynthia Clampitt is a long-time member of Chicago-area Mensa. She is a freelance
writer who specializes in food, history, and travel. She has lived near Chicago for most of
her life, and delights in any opportunity to share the city with visitors.
10