DAY 13 – (30/6/06) – That toddling town…..

Our hotel, the Burnham (one of the Kimpton group) is housed in a former office block – the Reliance Building at the corner of State Street ("That Great Street" as Sinatra sang) and West Washington and built in 1890.



It was the first skyscraper in Chicago and was built with an arts and crafts exterior at 15 storeys high (shockingly tall for 1890’s)! Its interior style is now art deco / twenties and luxury is its key word. Our room is 1107 and it has the original office door with frosted glass panel, painted number and letter box!

INDEX: http://DIBB.in/11466192





The block in front of the hotel has been recently demolished so we have quite a good view across some of the city.

Inside is velvets, brocades, mahogany and marble. We have a gloriously comfortable bed and sleep like babies until 8:00 a.m. (5 hours sleep in all) when we have breakfast in our room.



The beautiful elevator:



The lounge:



Our first port of call is the Sears Tower. (** Now known as the Willis Tower since 2009). At 110 storeys high it is the tallest building in Chicago and up to twenty years ago the world’s tallest. (** 700 feet taller than the Shard in London).



In 1969, Sears Roebuck and Company was the largest retailer in the world, with about 350,000 employees. Deciding it needed a central office space for its many employees, the company hired architects Skidmore, Owings and Merrill to design what would become one of the largest office buildings in the world. After breaking ground in 1970, it took three years to complete and used enough concrete to make an eight-lane, five-mile-long highway. The last beam put in place was commemorated by the signatures of 12,000 construction workers, Sears’ employees, and Chicagoans.

We take the elevator to the 103rd floor – the Sky Deck – in less than 90 seconds! Our stomachs follow about 30 seconds after we have exited the lift. The views are breath-taking. It’s as little hazy but we can see some twenty odd miles out over Lake Michigan to the East and the same distances at all other compass points. We never realised Chicago was so vast. They have a window that juts out and the floor of it is a very thick pane of glass. Stand on it if you dare!

To the north lies Wrigley Field baseball stadium (Wrigley as in chewing gum).It’s home to the Chicago Cubs.



Almost by the shores of Lake Michigan is White Sox Stadium – home to yet more baseball. (**Today it carries the hideous title of U S Cellular Field).



Further north along the shoreline is the Aon Centre at 86 stories high (**Sold in 2012 for $712 million) with the Navy Pier beyond jutting out to Lake Michigan. The pointed roof tower is the Prudential Plaza.



This is Downtown area:



There’s an exhibition on the history of the city and one particular part tells of how the massive and destructive fire of 1871 was started by Mrs O’Leary’s cow kicking over a lantern. It burned from Sunday, October 8, to early Tuesday, October 10. The fire killed up to 300 people, destroyed roughly 3.3 square miles of the city and left more than 100,000 residents homeless.



The name Chicago comes from Algonquian Native American – Chigagou – meaning land of the smelly onion! (Presumably wild garlic ?) It’s nickname, “The Windy City”, is not because of the air currents that (frequently) blow in from the Lake but because of the wind bag showmen and politicians involved with the famous World’s Fair held in the 1890s. It is also home of the Mickey Finn – the drugged drink, the St Valentine’s Day massacre the spot is now a hedgerow), Louis Armstrong, Frank L Baum of Wizard of Oz fame and the Oprah Winfrey show and, of course, Wrigley’s chewing gum.

We are placed centrally and across from the hotel is Marshall Fields (now owned by Macy’s) – the largest department store we have ever visited.



Its ceiling is covered in Tiffany glass “favrile” and it resembles a mosque roof – a temple to retail.





It was the very first store to operate a retail basement. One of its managers would become very famous in the UK. One Harry Gordon Selfridge opened his store on Oxford Street and changed retail therapy forever. Marshall Fields’ wonderful clock actually features on the supposed New York store in the remake of “Miracle on 34th Street”.

Navy Pier is a famous spot for Chicagoans. A kind of shops and Coney Island affair it has a Ferris wheel, a beer garden and lots of boat trips on Lake Michigan.



We opt for the Seadog, a massive speedboat with two 2,000 horse power engines which carries over 100 passengers. She can move at 50 knots but only once we have cleared the wake – free zone.



Boy! Does she move and the spray soaks those sat to the rear.



Our guide points out all the significant buildings in the city.



We then go the north where the rich of this city live and again we are told what areas are what. It was a great 30 minutes out on the water. We also learn that all the drinking water here is taken from the lake, purified and distributed to all buildings and dwellings. So we have drunk from Lake Michigan!

On returning to Navy pier we pass this "yacht" - note the helipad at the rear!





Jealous ? Not one bit!

We attempt to get tickets to see a new musical call “Wicked” but it is totally sold out.



The story is about what happened before Dorothy arrived in Oz. Ah! Well. Maybe one day.

We spend the afternoon having a nap trying to catch up on sleep lost on the 29 hour journey from Colorado.

Disney recently released a new film from the Pixar company called “Cars”. From the reviews we’ve read it sounds an ideal evening’s entertainment. We catch a quick burger and fries type meal and then head to the movie house (as they call them).



The film does not disappoint. I think it would make a great ride at the parks (** Little did we know back then it would become an entire land at Disney’s California Adventure).

We catch a cab back to the Burnham. Despite our afternoon naps we are still fairly tired. “Time for Bed” said Zebedee.

INDEX: http://DIBB.in/11466192

A side of Chicago I never knew existed. Sadly it has become somewhat synonymous in recent years with having a seedy reputation in my mind. Looks like I'm wrong!
The hotel looks lovely, love the letter boxes, elevator and panelling. So much better than the latest clinical glass and concrete edifices.
You live and learn - windy City! I assumed it was the wind coming off the lakes.

My Sister in law worked for a few years on the front desk at The Drake Hotel - Marilyn Monroe and Joe Dimaggio fame!
Her opinion was that it was a lovely City but oh so cold in Winter!

Love the letter boxes in the hotel doors..the ceilings in the shop is stunning...unlike the shops that are built today.

Many thanks for sharing.

Burnham Hotel looks fab and love the doors too. Really thought the 'windy city' was about actual wind - now I know so hoping it comes up in the quiz we are in on Friday night!

We love the ceiling in the Macy's store and your hotel.

Bring back memories of our son's report of Chicago and his visit to the Sear's Tower

We have only landed in Chicago and out again 4 hours later on our way to Florida

Lesley and Melvin

another great hotel