Hello From Chicago - Part 4 - A Personal Tour Of The Chicago Cultural Center

Chicago, Arlington House, Sunday, October 23,Exposition held in Chicago in 1893.
2005, 6:15 amTo start off, Don told us that the name of the
Yesterday, after our lovely Austrian breakfast wecity of Chicago is an Indian word for "stinky onion
went downtown to the Chicago Cultural Center,swamp". He also explained that Chicago is a city
the main downtown information hub for tourists,of superlatives: 3 of the world's 10 highest
to ask some questions about the Pullman Historicbuildings are located here. Chicago is also widely
District, a planned industrial community, built in theconsidered to be the birthplace of modern
1880s by industrial magnate George Pullman,architecture and a living museum of architecture,
creator of the famous Pullman sleeper cars. Weshowcasing some of the world's most famous
figured this would be an interesting place to visitarchitects including Frank Lloyd Wright, Daniel
since it brings together architecture, social andBurnham, Louis Sullivan, Mies van der Rohe and
industrial history, and it would really give us insightFrank Gehry.
into one of the most interesting personalities ofChicago likes to do everything big. The world's
Chicago's history.largest public library is located here: the Harold
To get more information about this neighbourhoodWashington Library Center houses 2 million books.
we talked to one of the volunteer greeters whoChicago is also home to the largest building in the
staff the Chicago Cultural Center and offer theirUnited States (excluding the Pentagon): the
local expertise to visitors free of charge. TheMerchandise Mart has 90 acres of floor space,
Chicago Greeter program today offers 150housed in an Art Deco landmark. Buckingham
greeters speaking 20 languages and the GreeterFountain in Grant Park is one of the world's
program is one of the best ways of getting tolargest fountains. Chicago also has the only river in
know the city through the eyes of a localthe world that flows backwards. Engineers
resident.reversed the Chicago River in 1900 for sanitary
As a matter of fact, I had registered electronicallypurposes. Here's another interesting fact: Chicago
for a Chicago Greeter Tour prior to myalso has the largest Polish population outside of
departure, but something had gone wrong withWarsaw.
my registration and as a result I was not assignedOur local expert Don took us through the building
a greeter. The good thing is that the City ofand showed us the two stained glass domes, the
Chicago also offers "InstaGreeters" - localexhibit halls, the photo collection of Chicago
volunteers / experts who take people onlandmarks, and to keep going along the line of
downtown walking tours without the necessity ofsuperlatives, Don gave us a brief synopsis of
a prior registration.Millennium Park, located right across Michigan
This is how we happened upon our very ownAvenue from the Chicago Cultural Center. The
personal InstaGreeter tour: Chicago Greeter andidea for Millennium Park was conceived by famous
local expert Don talked to us a bit about themayor Richard M. Daley, and with the help of
Pullman Historic District, but the more we talked,private sector donations Millennium Park has
and the more he saw that we were reallybecome one of the most impressive outdoor
interested, he asked us whether we wanted a 20venues anywhere. The project cost $495 million,
minute tour of the Chicago Cultural Center.of which $220 million were financed privately.
Considering that this is a Chicago landmark weOur Chicago Greeter Don, a former vice-president
readily agreed.at Motorola, is very knowledgeable about the
The Chicago Cultural Center was originallyhistory of Chicago and very passionate about his
dedicated in 1897 as the city's original Publiccity. His pride in his city is obvious, and there is a
Library. It is an impressive limestone-faced buildinglot to be proud of. For me, Chicago's waterfront
with intricate details, marble staircases, patternedincluding Grant Park, the lakefront trail and its
ceilings, beautiful floor mosaics and two impressivebeaches are some of the most awesome
stained glass domes. The cupola on the south sidefeatures of this city. In total Chicago has more
of the building is the world's largest Tiffanythan 7300 acres of parkland, 552 parks, 33
stained-glass dome.beaches, nine museums, two world-class
Today the Cultural Center houses one of theconservatories, 16 historic lagoons, 10 bird and
city's Visitor Information Centers , variouswildlife gardens, and it's not surprising that Chicago
galleries, exhibition and meeting spaces, thehas won numerous awards including "Best City in
Landmark Chicago Gallery which displaysthe World" and other accolades.
photographs from the permanent collection ofWith Don's help we got a great overview of the
Chicago landmarks, the 294-seat Claudia CassidyCultural Center and a bit of insight into Chicago's
Theater as well as the Studio Theater and variousinteresting history. It was the perfect preparation
other facilities. You can even get married insidefor our tour of the Pullman Historic District, an
the Chicago Cultural Center.industrial community created by George Pullman,
Designed in the beaux-arts style by the Bostonan industrial despot, yet a foresightful social
firm Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge, the Chicagoentrepreneur who, according to Don, was
Cultural Center was completed in 1897 anduniversally despised.
dedicated as the city's original Chicago PublicArmed with a bit of background knowledge we
Library. Completed at a cost of nearly $2 million,were looking forward to our exploration of
this remarkable monument was inspired by thePullman's social experiment.
neo-classical style of the World's Columbian