Sharing the past since 2008
1452 N. Wells – Chicago – WH 4-9231 OLD TOWN’S AUTHENTIC WILD WEST SALOON Western Style Steak, home-made Chili, Steer Berger, Served by Our Pistol Packin Mamas! Featuring Largest Stein in Old Town – 12 oz. Entertainment Nightly The Crystal Pistol opened sometime in the 1960s as a sort of Old West burlesque saloon in…
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The rotary Smorgasphere™ was intended to revolutionize the concept of smorgasbords. The Smorgasphere™ was intended to keep food fresh and hot with a rotating buffet. The Smorgasphere™ was intended to bring the future to the late 1960s. The Smorgasphere™ was the future. In 1966, Donald Wulff, owner of Don’s Colonial House restaurant in Manteno, Illinois came up with…
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Fritzel’s was an incredibly popular place. For more than 30 years, the restaurant at 201 N. State Street in the Loop was the place to be seen. Friztel’s catered to the celebrity, politician, athlete and upper crust of society in and visiting Chicago. Famous sports names such as Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford and Mickey Mantle would visit…
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Mailed from Chicago, Illinois to Lyle Kline of Huron, South Dakota on November 28, 1959: Palos Park, Ill Friday Night Hi! We’re having a good regional council meeting, but I’d much rather be downtown – so many “big name” stars are in Chicago this week! Went to a “real cool” jazz place last night –…
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The Greyhound Bus terminal, located at Clark and Randolph, was originally planned to open in the early 1940s. The land was purchased in 1941 for $2,250,000 but World War II interfered with the plans. In 1945, plans were started again in earnest. It was announced that when the new hub opened both of the Greyhound stops…
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Mailed from Chicago, Illinois to Mr. & Mrs. Burt Cedars of Kokomo, Indiana on August 26, 1940: Greetings! We are way up high! Went to the Brookfield Zoo yesterday – ’twas fun to see all the many animals and a bear fight! I may be home Wed, but am not sure. It is so cool…
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Mr. and Mrs. Frank E. Ross opened the El Rancho Motel at 5508 Rt. 14 in Harvard, Illinois on January 9, 1954. The motel, built in a U-shape, contained a large lobby with a stone fireplace containing rocks from every state in the union. The Ross’ provided a good place to stay for years. The…
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This small pamphlet/brochure, produced around 1959/1960 about the recently opened Prudential Building in Chicago These are just a few facts about Chicago’s first new skyscraper built since 1934. A few more facts (from Chicago Architecture info). Construction started in 1952 and was completed in 1955. The opening date was December 8, 1955 Designed by the…
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Mailed from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Mrs. Doris Butler of East Dedham, Massachusetts on August 31, 1965: The road was rough maybe go home by train or bus. Dam planes anyway. I walked five miles in this terminal to get to the next plane. Love, Sue.
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