Pictorial Chicago

Before this lovely Beaux-Arts influenced bridge was completed in 1920 and extended Michigan Avenue, what we know today as the Magnificent Mile was Pine Street, a ragged mishmash of warehouses and scrubby, sandy vacant lots. It was only after architect Edward Bennett (and Engineer Hugh Young) built this trunnion bascule* bridge in accordance with Daniel Burnham's great Plan of Chicago that the Wrigley Building, Tribune Tower and all the other edifices we know and love today began springing up. The forty-foot pylons, which anchor each corner of the bridge, are carved with stunning relief sculptures. So stunning and riveting, in fact, that Kate and I neglected to get a full picture of the actual bridge in our zeal to document these beauties (by artists J.E. Fraser and Henry Hering). A more complete picture coming soon!

*There, now you actually know the name of a type of drawbridge, you're ready to be on Jeopardy!

18 files, last one added on Aug 12, 2007

14 files, last one added on Aug 12, 2007

1 files, last one added on Feb 21, 2005

4 files, last one added on Aug 12, 2007

We'd long noticed the replica of Hector Guimard's beautiful Art Nouveau entrances to the Paris Metro (this casting was given to the city in 2001 in honor of the Paris Metro's 100th anniversary) leading to the station, but it wasn't until a recent trip out to Pullman that we discovered the beautiful interior of the Van Buren Metra station. The Brainsnack team is attempting to find out more information on this lovely 1920's train station.

16 files, last one added on Jan 06, 2007