Merchandise Mart in Chicago, History and Little Known Facts.

The Merchandise Mart, 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza, a colossal monolith on the Chicago River, boasts a rich history as grand as scale and as vibrant as the city itself. From its Art Deco beginnings to its modern-day transformation as a tech hub, I delve into the whole story of this iconic Chicago landmark:

In the roaring 1920s, Chicago retail titan Marshall Field & Company envisioned a revolutionary concept: a single, centralized marketplace for wholesale goods. Enter James Simpson, the company's visionary President, who commissioned the construction of the 4.2 million square feet Merchandise Mart. 

The Merchandise Mart is under construction, as seen from the Lake Street Bridge in 1929. —Chicago Tribune historical photo.

Transforming the site of the historic Wells Street Station site, construction began in 1928; by 1930, the behemoth stood tall, dwarfing its surroundings. At the time, the Mart was the largest building in the world by floor space, a title it held for over a decade. Its imposing Art Deco facade, adorned with geometric patterns and stylized eagles, reflected the era's optimism and grandeur.

The view of the new Merchandise Mart was still under construction in 1929.
—Chicago Tribune historical photo.

The Mart, designed by Alfred P. Shaw of Graham, Anderson, Probst & White, embraced the Art Deco aesthetic. Its sleek lines, geometric forms, and limestone-terracotta cladding exuded modernity and ambition. 

The Mart wasn't just a building; it was a self-contained city. It housed Field's wholesale showrooms, manufacturing facilities, and a plethora of amenities for tenants and visitors alike. Restaurants, banks, postal services, and even a telegraph office buzzed with activity, making the Mart a bustling hub of commerce.

An aerial view of the Merchandise Mart in 1930.
—Chicago Tribune historical photo.

The Mart's official opening in 1930 was a momentous occasion. It housed Field's wholesale showrooms, manufacturing facilities, restaurants, a bank, a post office, a telegraph office, and a plethora of amenities for tenants and visitors alike. It was a self-contained city within a city. However, the Great Depression soon cast a shadow, making it initially challenging to fill the vast space.

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The Merchandise Mart was once the largest building in the world by floor space, a title it held until the Pentagon's construction in 1943.

The Great Depression threw a wrench in the Mart's initial success. The wholesale market dwindled, forcing the Mart to diversify. Over the years, it transitioned from a purely wholesale center to a multi-purpose complex, welcoming office tenants and diverse businesses.

It housed manufacturing facilities for war materials during World War II (1939-1945). The legendary Kennedy family acquired the Merchandise Mart in 1945, ushering in a new ownership era. Under their guidance, the Mart continued to evolve, adapting to the changing times. 

The Merchandise Mart in 1949.

In the 1950s, it found new life as a center for design and architecture.

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The building's rooftop was used as a landing pad for helicopters during the early days of air travel by helicopter. In 1953, New York Airways became the first scheduled passenger helicopter air carrier in the United States. In the 1950s and 1960s, "helicopter airlines" operated in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, carrying people to and from the airport at high fares. 

Merry Christmas is written in lights on the Merchandise Mart on November 25, 1964. —Chicago Tribune historical photo.

A Top University History Professor Critiques this Article.

INTERESTING MERCHANDISE MART FACTS:

Federal, State, and Local Government Offices:

During World War II, the Merchandise Mart saw declining tenant interest in its original function. The building was converted to house various federal government offices to fill vacancies due to its vast space and central location. This lasted until the 1950s.

The Mart again welcomed several state and local government offices as tenants in 1990.

The CTA's presence in the Merchandise Mart:

The CTA moved its headquarters into the Merchandise Mart in 1942, occupying several floors. The CTA's offices in the Merchandise Mart were home to various departments, including administration, planning, and operations. The CTA relocated its headquarters to a new building at 567 West Lake Street, Chicago, as part of a larger effort to improve its efficiency and customer service.

The CTA sold its remaining office space in the Merchandise Mart in 2006.

The CTA Merchandise Mart 'L' Station.

The Merchandise Mart is still a central CTA transportation hub, with an 'L' station on the Red Line (the North-South line), the Brown Line (the Ravenswood line), and the Purple Line (the Evanston Express line) on weekdays during rush hour.

1970 Merchandise Mart CTA Station. The'L' sign says "Evanston - Wilmette."

The CTA buses that stop at the Merchandise Mart are:

Washington & State (Routes 126, 152, 156).

Michigan & Randolph (Routes 62, 128, 151, 155, 157).

Orleans & Merchandise Mart (Routes 60, 65).

The RTA buses that stop at the Merchandise Mart are:

Merchandise Mart (Routes 27, 36).

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The iconic "heads" (busts) on the roof of the Merchandise Mart building actually had two distinct chapters in the building's history. While neither group currently graces the building's rooftop today, their stories deserve to be told:

Chapter 1: The Native American Chiefs (1930-1961)

A Controversial Adornment: When the Merchandise Mart opened in 1930, its rooftop boasted 56 sculpted heads of Native American chiefs, designed by John Awre. 

Uncertain Names: Not all the chiefs had identified names. Some were assigned names based on tribal affiliations or geographical regions, while others remained anonymous. The identification process was complex and controversial, so some names may be inaccurate or disputed.

Stereotypical Representation: It's important to remember that the sculptures reflected the era's romanticized and inaccurate portrayals of Native American cultures. They did not represent individual historical figures and perpetuated harmful stereotypes.

Legend of the Piasa "Bird," an Ancient Indian pictograph

carved on a bluff in Alton, IL.

1. Apache: "ah-PAH-chee," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
2. Arapaho: "A-ra-pa-ho," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
3. Arikara: "uh-rih-kuh-rah," An Indigenous Tribe.
4. Assiniboine: "uh-sin-uh-boin," An Indigenous Tribe.
5. Blackfoot: "Black-foo-t," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
6. Caddo: "KAH-doh," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
7. Cayuga: "kay-YOO-ga," An Indigenous Tribe
8. Cheyenne: "shy-AN," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
9. Cherokee: "chEH-ruh-kEE," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
10. Chickasaw: "CHIK-ə-saw," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
11. Chinook: "Chok-NOOK," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
12. Chippewa: "chi-puh-waa," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
13. Choctaw: "Chauk taw," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
14. Comanche: "kuh-MAN-chee," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
15. Cree: Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
16. Crow: The crow tribe's name is Apsáalooke "ahp-SAH-loo-keh," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
17. Delaware: A Tribe - called initially the Lenape tribe, aka Munsee and Unami bands.
18. Flathead: A Chief - "Ahl-shah-taa-pee," named by Europeans for Chief (Flat Head).
19. Gros Ventre: "Groh Vahn-truh," ("big belly," French) Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
20. Haida: "Hay Da," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
21. Hopi: "HOH-pee," An Indigenous Tribe.
22. Huron: "Hoo-RON," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
23. Iroquois: "ear-ro-kwa" (French), Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
24. Kalapuya: "Cal-uh-poo-yuh," An Indigenous Tribe.
25. Kansas: "KAN-zəs," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
26. Kiowa: "Hy-oh-wa," An Indigenous Tribe.
27. Kootenay: "KOOT-nee," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
28. Lenape: "lun-NAH-pay," An Indigenous Tribe - aka Delaware Tribe
29. Lummi: "LUH-mee," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
30. Mandan: "mah-N'-DAN," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
31. Menominee: "Meh-NOH-meh-nee," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
32. Miami: Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
33. Micmac: "Meeg-em-ach," An Indigenous Tribe.
34. Modoc: "MO-dock," An Indigenous Tribe.
35. Mohawk: "Mo-hawk," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
36. Navajo: "na-va-ho," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
37. Nez Perce: "Nay Pers-say," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.[1]
38. Nuutka: "Nuu-chah-nulth," aka Nootka, An Indigenous Tribe. 
39. Ojibwe: "Oh-JIB-way," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
40. Osage: "OH-sage," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs. 
41. Ottawa: "Ah-dah-wa," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
42. Papago: "pap-uh-goh," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
43. Pawnee: "PAWN-ee" Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
44. Penobscot: "peh-NOB-skot," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
45. Pomo: "po-MOH," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
46. Ponca: "Pohn-kuh," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
47. Potawatomi: "Boh-da-wah-dmi," (Tribal Pronunciation), An Indigenous Tribe.
48. Pueblo: a group of tribes (i.e., The Illinois), Indigenous Tribes & Chiefs.
49. Quapaw: An Indigenous Tribe.
50. Sauk (Sac) & Meskwaki (Fox): "Mesk-wa-ki," Indigenous Tribes.
51. Salish: "Slah-LEESH," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
52. Seminole: "Sem-uh-NO-le," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
53. Seneca: "Sen-eh-kuh," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.
54. Shoshone: "shoh-SHO-nee," An Indigenous Tribe.
55. Sioux: "soo," (confederation of 7 nations; i.e., Illinois), Indigenous Tribes & Chiefs.
56. Ute: "Yoo-tey," Indigenous Tribe & Chiefs.

[1] The name "Nez Perce" ("pierced nose") is actually a misnomer: It comes from French fur traders who mistakenly applied it to the tribe based on a misunderstanding of their cultural practice of nose ornaments. The tribe prefers to be called Nimiipuu, which means "The People."

This reflected a popular Art Deco motif of the time but also carried problematic connotations of cultural appropriation and romanticized stereotypes. 

Shifting Tides: As social awareness grew in the mid-20th century, the depictions of the chiefs faced increasing criticism for their insensitivity. By 1961, the decision was made to remove them from the building.

What Happened to the "Indian Heads?" In 1961, the heads were deemed outdated and removed from the roof. 

Most were sadly destroyed, but a few found their way to different destinations:

• Two busts were found in the Campia family's home in Lake Forest and auctioned off in 2014.

• January 26, 2024, the exact location of the remaining heads is unknown.

The two auctioned busts might be in private collections, but their specific ownership is not publicly available.

So, while most of the Indian "heads" are unfortunately lost to history, a small piece of their legacy survives in private hands. 

A Top University Professor Critiques this Article

Chapter 2: The Merchandise Mart Hall of Fame

Standing tall as guardians of American commerce, eight colossal bronze busts grace the entrance of The Merchandise Mart, the world's largest wholesale buying center in Chicago. These larger-than-life figures immortalize some of the most influential figures in American retail history, their names and companies woven into the very fabric of consumer culture.

Commissioned in 1953 by Joseph Patrick Kennedy Sr., the 44th U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom, these four-times-life-size busts stand as a testament to the vision and dedication of the men who shaped the American retail landscape. Each bust, meticulously crafted in bronze, captures the essence of its subject, with its determined gazes fixed on the future of commerce.

From Frank Winfield Woolworth's 5 & Dime stores to Marshall Field's luxurious emporiums, these pioneers revolutionized how Americans shopped. Their innovative ideas and unwavering commitment to quality forever changed the face of retail, leaving an enduring legacy that inspires generations of entrepreneurs.

Marshall Field

1. Frank Winfield Woolworth: The founder of F.W. Woolworth Company.
2. Marshall Field: The founder of Marshall Field and Company.
3. Aaron Montgomery Ward: The founder of Montgomery Ward & Company.
4. Julius Rosenwald: Was a Sears, Roebuck, and Company President.
5. Robert Elkington Wood: Was a Sears, Roebuck, and Company President.
6. John Wanamaker: The father of modern advertising.
7. Edward Albert Filene: Preseident of William Feline & Sons. Filene's department stores.
8. George Huntington Hartford: He founded The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. (A&P)

A Top University History Professor Critiques this Article.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

Grant Park Stadium was renamed Soldier Field at the urging of Chicago’s Gold Star Mothers on November 11, 1925.

Opened on October 9, 1924, Grant Park Stadium was designed by the architecture firm of Holabird & Roche. Neo-classical in style, the design pays homage to the ancient Roman Colosseum, creating a venue that exudes strength, resilience, and a sense of grandeur. The original configuration was shaped like a U, with the structure's opening facing the Field Museum. This allowed for easy access to the field and a direct view of the Field Museum for spectators.

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According to the Chicago History Museum, the stadium was never officially known as Municipal Grant Park Stadium. The name was used in some news articles and promotional materials, but it was never officially adopted by the city or the Chicago Park District (founded on July 1, 1934).

Not originally intended to be a football stadium, the idea was to create a space to host various events, including sports, military drills, concerts, exhibitions, and community gatherings, while also serving as a place of remembrance. The design was inspired by classical architecture, featuring a colonnade facade with Doric columns that encircled the stadium. The seating bowl of the stadium was initially built using a wooden grandstand, which could accommodate around 45,000 spectators.

On November 11, 1925, the stadium was renamed Soldier Field to honor the city's World War I veterans. The name change was officially dedicated on November 27, 1926, during a football game between Army and Navy.

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In 1968, Soldier Field hosted the first Special Olympics. The City of Chicago changed the address of Soldier Field to 1410 Special Olympics Drive on June 24, 2018. This was done to commemorate the 55th anniversary of the Special Olympics and to recognize the stadium's role as the birthplace of the movement.

The stadium became the permanent home of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) in 1971.

In 1978, the plank seats were replaced with individual seats. To offer fans a better view, seats were moved closer to the field, increasing the stadium seating capacity to nearly 57,000. 

Throughout the mid-20th century, Soldier Field underwent renovations, including the construction of a grandstand in the open end of the U, the replacement of plank seating with individual seats in 1978, seats were moved closer to the field, a new press box, and the addition of more than 100 skyboxes. This increased spectator capacity to more than 66,000.

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Early  years hosted events included:

• The 1926 Army-Navy Football Game. 
• The second Dempsey-Tunney World Championship boxing match. 
• The University of Notre Dame has played 13 football games at Soldier Field, including. Notre Dame defeated Northwestern 13-6 on November 22. 
• Opening day Century of Progress ceremonies were held in Soldier Field on May 27, 1933. 

Ticket № 3. Opening Day World Fair Ceremonies at Soldier Field.

Major sporting events at Soldier Field include:

• The January 5, 1986, NFL Divisional playoffs and the January 12 Championship games were held at Soldier Field, leading to the Chicago Bears winning Super Bowl XX against New England Patriots, 46 to 10, in the Louisiana Superdome on January 26, 1986.
• Three 1994 FIFA World Cup Games Held at Soldier Field: 
• June 17, 1994: The opening ceremony, emceed by Oprah Winfrey, and the opening game, featuring defending champion Germany.
• June 21, 1994: Germany vs. Spain.
• July 2, 1994: Germany vs. Belgium; Brazil won the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

However, the most controversial chapter in Soldier Field's architectural journey occurred in the early 2000s when the stadium underwent a major renovation. The Chicago Park District, which owns the property, faced substantial criticism when it announced plans to alter the stadium with a design by Benjamin T. Wood and Carlos Zapata of Wood & Zapata in Boston. The stadium grounds were reconfigured by local architecture firm Lohan Associates, led by architect Dirk Lohan, grandson of Mies van der Rohe.

The renovation aimed to modernize Soldier Field while preserving its historic façade. Completed in 2003, the updated Soldier Field retained its classic colonnade while incorporating a bold and contemporary design. Adding a glass and steel structure, known as the "Grand Concourse," brought a jolt of modernity to the stadium, while the two elliptical seating structures on either side of the original colonnades are striking additions to the structure.

While the innovative design allowed for enhanced amenities, increased seating capacity, and improved accessibility for fans, many preservationists, architecture critics and residents were not thrilled about the renovation. The modern additions were seen as incongruous with the stadium's neoclassical origins. "It looks like a spaceship landed." Debates about the design of the stadium continue today.

Despite the controversy, Soldier Field attracts hundreds of thousands of spectators for NFL games, athletic events, concerts and more. As the Chicago Bears look to move their home field to another location, the future of the iconic field by the lake is yet to be determined.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

The Newberry Library and Walter Loomis Newberry's History.

Walter Loomis Newberry died on November 6, 1868, during a return trip from France for medical treatment. His bequest of $2.1 million ($46 million today) would eventually result in the foundation of the Newberry Library on July 1, 1887.

Walter Newberry was a businessman and philanthropist who was a prominent figure in the early development of Chicago, Illinois. He was born in East Windsor, Connecticut, on September 18, 1804, and moved to Chicago in 1833. 

Walter Loomis Newberry (1804-1868)

Newberry quickly established himself as a successful businessman with interests in land development, banking, shipping, and railroads. He was also a civic leader, serving as an alderman on the Chicago Common Council and President (1863-1863) of the Chicago Board of Education.

Newberry was a generous philanthropist, and he donated large sums of money to support education, culture, and social welfare causes. In 1887, his will established the Newberry Library, a research library that is one of the leading independent research libraries in the Nation. 

Postcard of the Newberry Library in Chicago from Washington Square (aka Bughouse Square) c.1910 from the "I Will" series of postcards, Acmegraph Company, Chicago, ca.1910.

Today, the Newberry Library, at 60 West Walton Street, Chicago, stores tens of thousands of digital files from its collection, which consists of over 1.6 million books, 600,000 maps, and 1,300 distinct archival collections containing approximately 5 million manuscript pages. The number of digital image files stored by the Newberry Library is not publicly disclosed, but it will likely be in the millions.

Early Interior of the Newberry Library, Chicago.

Newberry was also a patron of the arts and sciences. He was a founding member of the Chicago Historical Society and the Chicago Academy of Sciences. He also donated money to support the construction of several public buildings in Chicago, including the old Chicago Main Public Library and the Chicago Art Institute. 

Newberry was one of the founders of the First Chicago Bank, which morphed into (The First National Bank of Chicago in the 1860s, which financed the Civil War; Union National Bank in 1900; Metropolitan National Bank in 1902); and today it is the Chase Bank.

The Newberry Library was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1965.

Newberry died at the age of 64. He is buried in Graceland Cemetery, 4001 North Clark Street in Chicago.

Newberry's legacy continues to benefit the city of Chicago and the world. The Newberry Library is a vital resource for scholars, students, and the general public.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

The Legacy of Chicagoan David Kennison, Debunked.

RECORDED HISTORY

Most Chicagoans have likely never heard of David Kennison (aka Kinnison). And yet, when he died here in 1852, his funeral was the largest affair of its sort in the history of Chicago. The city officials paid for the funeral and donated two cemetery lots for a proper burial site, intending to erect a monument in his honor.

When he died, Chicagoans believed David Kennison to be the last Survivor of the Boston Tea Party. In addition to the honor of having such an important historical figure in their midst, early Chicagoans were also proud to claim Kennison as a Revolutionary soldier. To add to the fascination of this man, everyone knew he was old. Really old.

This boulder, honoring David Kennison, is located at the foot of Wisconsin Street at Clark Street. It was placed one city block north of the actual grave site.

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The plaque does not say that David Kennison had fought under General Washington nor that he was a soldier at Fort Dearborn (he avoided the famous massacre because he was a prisoner of the Potawatomi Indian tribe at the time). Furthermore, he claimed to have fought under General Cornwall at the Battle of Bunker Hill. 

The plaque on the boulder in Lincoln Park that commemorates the grave of David Kennison states he died at the age of 115, 3 months and 17 days. It doesn't say that people also knew he had been married four times and had twenty-two children.

The newer plaque also does not say that David Kennison had fought under General Washington and that he was a soldier at Fort Dearborn but avoided the massacre because he was a prisoner of the Potawatomi Indian tribe at the time. He also fought under General Cornwall at the Battle of Bunker Hill. These stories and more have accompanied Kennison's legacy, which was intact for over one hundred years.

DEBUNKING THE DAVID KENNISON STORY

If Kennison's birth year of 1764 is true, he was only nine years old at the time of the Boston Tea Party and twelve at the start of the Revolutionary War in 1776. His years would have precluded the possibility of his participation in the Tea Party and his enlistment in the Revolutionary War…

It is true that after 1812, Kennison gave his age in 1814 as 42 years; in 1818, he said he was 56, while in 1820, he claimed he was 79. Startling conclusions would emanate from these dates, and they would have necessitated his being born on three different dates, 1772, 1762, and 1741, respectively. When making the statement that he was 79 in 1820, he also said that he had a family of young children, 17, 14, 11, 7 and 5. years old.

Setting aside as unanswered whether or not it is remarkable for a man of this age to have so young a family, would it not be possible that the last vestige of memory as to birth year might have been obliterated from the mental tablet of this soldier, who received a severe hand wound from a musket shot, who had both legs below the knee, his collar bone and two ribs broken; and, too, who was wholly illiterate, having learned to read after he was 62 years of age?

Another point involving the question of correct birth data has evolved from anthropometry or the science of measuring the body by regions, but in this case, by stature. Documentary evidence shows that Kennison was 4'9" tall in 1781, while 33 years later, he was 5'6 1/2" tall. How was this done?

Up to about 15, girls grow tall faster than boys. From this time on to 22 and 23, boys sprint up to about the stature they retain for the rest of their days. A boy can increase his height by 9 1/2 inches between the ages of 17 to 23. These deductions are, with few exceptions, quite reliable. This would seem to be in favor of the birth year 1764. David Kennison died in 1852. Was he 115 years old or 88?

Although several gaps in the story are told of a certain soldier who died in Chicago at the age of 115 years, gaps a correct historian might wish were better bridged, nevertheless, after the late Fernando Jones, with others, had pointed out the spot of Kennison's burial place, as best they could, the following organization set up a monument to him.

In conclusion, the doctor said: "Even though metaphorically speaking, the accuracy of 1764 as the birth year would take away one glittering pearl from the crown of our hero, his unusual longevity, we have left two orbs that shine with great brilliancy – these orbs are his services in the war of independence and in the war of 1812. For these services, a grateful people clothe him with an armor that neither jealousy nor envy can tarnish, nor can the shafts of hate penetrate and efface the good work he did in helping to break asunder the throngs that were intended to bind a mighty people in servitude."

The David Kennison chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution was founded in 1921.

The original brass plaque in Lincoln Park, Chicago.

From that time through the 1950s, gatherings were held at the boulder to commemorate Memorial Day, Flag Day, George Washington's birthday, and the Boston Tea Party anniversary. David Kennison was consistently mentioned in various books about the Boston event and Chicago's Lincoln Park throughout this period.

After Kennison was cited in a 1959 Chicago Tribune article on the whereabouts of the remains of Illinois' Revolutionary War veterans, his name did not appear in that newspaper again until 1974. In an excerpt from a question to the Action Line column, someone wrote, "A special marker stone, complete with a bronze plaque, was placed near his grave near the Wisconsin Street entrance to the park. But look at it now! Vandals have stolen the plaque and spray-painted the rock with obscene graffiti. Is this how Kennison's grave should look for our nation's bicentennial?"

The Lincoln Park neighborhood was in a housing slump in the 1970s, and the area was run down. This timeframe coincides with the downfall of the David Kennison legacy. On July 17, 1972, Chicago Daily News reported that "three bronze plaques had been torn from the granite boulder marking the burial spot." The boulder stood bare in the park for two and a half years. The original bronze tablet was replaced with an aluminum replica on December 19, 1974.

The Chicago History Museum's research center has an essay on file with the cataloged date 1973. The report, titled "David Kennison and the Chicago Sting," was written by Albert G. Overton. In this paper, Overton systematically discounts David Kennison's Chicago exploits by explaining, through various primary source documents, that he assumed other Kennison (and Kinnison) men's identities to tell his own story. In five written pages, followed by four pages of cited sources, Albert Overton presented information that historians accepted as the real David Kennison story. Early in the essay, after describing Kennison's funeral procession, Overton writes:

"Muffled drums beat a slow march for this magnificent parade was a funeral cortege to honor a well-known Revolutionary War hero. Actually, they were escorting the mortal remains of one of the most colorful imposters ever to take the City of Chicago."

After listing the battles in which Kennison asserted to have been a participant and citing another Kennison claim, Overton writes:

"Apparently, no one ever questioned his ability to attend the surrender in Yorktown, while at the same time, he was a captive of the Indians in upper New York State."

The charm of his story has endured over 123 years. His claims have never been challenged in all the articles about him, and only a few have suggested he might have bent the truth a little.

Overton then breaks down David Kennison's likely age and military history, citing many National Archives documents, including pension files, census records dating back to the first census of 1790, and Bounty Land files.

Albert Overton acknowledged that David Kennison spelled his family name Kinnison and traces the authenticity of his signature by the distinctively written "K." Overton chooses to refer to Kennison through the Kennison spelling as it had been the accepted name in which the man had been known. After listing dates, supposed ages, and summarizing mathematically, Overton concludes:

"He was about 7 years old at the time of the tea party, saw no Revolutionary War service, and was about 85 years old, not 115 when he died."

Overton continues his paper, parsing through the Kennison family genealogy. Acknowledging that although Kennison may have had four wives, he found documentary evidence for only four children. Of those four, only a daughter, Sarah B. Johnson, had specific documentation. The Overton paper concludes:

"Hopefully, this publication will sometime assist those who may be David Kennison's true descendants, be used as an example of what can be found through proper research efforts, and amuse those who will appreciate the humor of the little old man who conned his way into history and stung Chicago for a most valuable piece of real estate as his final resting place."

CONCLUSION

These stories, and more, have accompanied Kennison's legacy, which was intact for more than one hundred years.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

Emma C. Kennett was a female architect and real estate developer in Chicago. (1885-1960)

Between 1910 and 1920, there was an apartment building boom in the Rogers Park Community of Chicago. Many of the spacious apartments in buildings on Sheridan Road and Estes, Greenleaf, and Lunt Avenues were built at that time. Some had two bedrooms, many had three bedrooms, and some even had three baths.

Emma Kennett was born in Chicago in 1885. She worked in a builder's office before marrying James Kennett, a Chicago building contractor. She reentered the building profession when the marriage ended to support her young family. She founded the Kennett Construction Company in 1923 and began developing apartment buildings in Rogers Park.

Kennett was the active head of the Kennett Construction Company of Chicago, who, with a Black partner, Joseph Frederick Rousseau, built more than 80 buildings in the Howard-Jarvis-Ridge areas of Chicago's Rogers Park community. She designed the buildings in Gothic, French, and Spanish styles. By the mid-1920s, she was worth five million dollars ($89 million today).

Kennett designed and built apartment buildings, townhouses, and commercial properties. She was known for her innovative designs and her commitment to quality construction. 

FIRM HISTORY

Kennett Construction Company, 1923-1952 

Kennett Realty Company, 1952-1960. 

Kennett's buildings were known for their eclectic architectural styles, which reflected the popular trends of the time. She used Tudor Revival, Italian Renaissance Revival, and Spanish Mission Revival styles, among others. She also paid attention to the details of her buildings, using high-quality materials and finishes.

Normandy Apartments, 2300 West Farwell Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, 1920s.

Kennett was a successful businesswoman and a pioneer for women in the construction industry. She was featured in several articles in the Chicago Tribune, which noted her success as a woman in a male-dominated field. She was also a member of the Chicago chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

2320-22 West Farwell Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, 1928.

Kennett continued to develop buildings in Chicago until the early 1950s. She died in 1960 at the age of 75. Her legacy is one of innovation, quality, and perseverance. She was a role model for women in the construction industry, and her work helped to shape the city of Chicago.

2326 West Farwell Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, 1920s.

Most of Kennett's buildings still stand today and are a testament to her talent and vision. Kennett designed all her buildings, assisted only by local architects, including Arthur C. Buckett and Herbert J. Richter, to ensure the correct technical details. 

A PARTIAL LIST OF KENNETT PROJECTS:

• 1141 West Devon Avenue, Sun Parlor Apartments, Chicago, Illinois
• 2020 West Jarvis, Chicago, Illinois
• 2029 West Jarvis, Chicago, Illinois
• 2114 West Arthur Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
• 2300 West  Farwell (Normandy apartments), Chicago, Illinois
• 2308-10 West  Farwell, Chicago, Illinois
• 2314-2316 West Farwell, Chicago, Illinois
• 2320-22 West Farwell, Chicago, Illinois
• 2326 West  Farwell, Chicago, Illinois
• 2332-2334 West  Farwell, Chicago, Illinois
• 6644 North Artesian Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
• 7339 North Seeley Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
• 7349 North Seeley Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
• 7351 North Seeley Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
• 7352 North Seeley Avenue, Chicago, Illinois - razed
• 7354 North Seeley Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
• 7355 North Seeley Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
• 7356-58 North Robey (Damen Avenue today), Chicago, Illinois
• 7358 North Seeley Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
• 7359 North Seeley Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
• 7360 North Seeley Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
• 7360-62 North Robey (Damen Avenue today), Chicago, Illinois
• 7361-7363 North Seeley Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
• 7440-42 North Hoyne Avenue, (Chateau Le Mans), Chicago, Illinois
• 7441-43 North Navarre Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
• 7446-48 North Hoyne Avenue, (Maison Louviers), Chicago, Illinois
• 7447-49 North Hoyne Avenue, (Barcelona apartments), Chicago, Illinois
• 7452-54 North Hoyne Avenue, (Chateau Beauvais), Chicago, Illinois
• 7453-55 North Hoyne Avenue, (Valencia apartments), Chicago, Illinois
• 7536 North Seeley Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
• 1065 Estate Lane, Lake Forest, Illinois
• 1070 Estate Lane, Lake Forest, Illinois
• 1111 Estate Lane, Lake Forest, Illinois
• 1144 Estate Lane, Lake Forest, Illinois
• 1221 Estate Lane, Lake Forest, Illinois
• 136 Custer Avenue, Evanston, Illinois
• 1416 Fairway Drive, Lake Forest, Illinois
• 1433 Fairway Drive, Lake Forest, Illinois
• 810 S. Ridge Road, Lake Forest, Illinois
• 960 S. Ridge Road, Lake Forest, Illinois

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

Cloud Gate, aka “The Bean,” is one of Chicago’s most popular sights.

Cloud Gate, aka “The Bean,” is one of Chicago’s most famous sights. The monumental work of art anchors downtown Millennium Park and reflects the city’s famous skyline and the surrounding green space. 

Sir Anish Mikhail Kapoor, a British-Indian sculptor specializing in installation and conceptual art, is responsible for creating the Cloud Gate.

Cloud Gate was created using computer technology to cut 168 massive stainless-steel plates into precise shapes, piecing them together like a puzzle and welding them shut. Once fully assembled, the 12-foot-high central arch provided a “gate” to the concave chamber on the underside of the sculpture prompting Kapoor to formally name the piece Cloud Gate. A network of two large internal rings connects a truss, assembling the sculpture and directing the weight to two points at the base. The stainless-steel skin was attached to the internal structure with flexible connectors that allowed it to expand and contract in response to the extreme weather conditions in Chicago. The Millennium Park Foundation completely underwrote the cost of Cloud Gate using funds from private donors.

The Bean is a work of public art in the heart of Chicago. The Cloud Gate sculpture is one of the world’s largest permanent outdoor art installations. The monumental work was unveiled in 2004 and quickly became one of Chicago’s iconic sights. The Bean is 33 feet high, 42 feet wide, and 66 feet long. It weighs about 110 tons.

The Bean’s reflective surface was inspired by liquid mercury. This shiny exterior reflects the people moving around the park, the lights of Michigan Avenue, and the surrounding skyline and green space, perfectly encapsulating the Millennium Park experience. The polished surface also invites visitors to touch it and observe their reflections, giving it an interactive quality.

Today, Cloud Gate is a Chicago landmark.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D. 

The Drake Hotel, Chicago; A National Historic Place Since 1980.

"Aquila Non-Capit Muscas" literally means in Latin, "The Eagle Does Not Catch Flies," or in modern times, "A Noble or Important Person Does Not Deal with Insignificant Matters."

The Drake brothers were second-generation hoteliers. Their father, John Burroughs Drake, was one of America's most noteworthy hoteliers. A native of Lebanon, Ohio, he was born in 1826 and arrived in Chicago while not yet 30. He eventually became proprietor of the Tremont Hotel, which burnt in the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. Not one to wallow in his misfortune, he negotiated for the Michigan Avenue Hotel at Congress and Michigan while the fire was still burning. The panicked owner was only too happy to sell the hotel to Drake, who had the last laugh after correctly predicting that the fire would bypass the hotel. From this hotel, he re-christened the Tremont House. Drake then took control of the venerable Grand Pacific Hotel, where he presided for 20 years and gained an international reputation as a bon vivant, connoisseur, and popular host. Drake died in 1895, but his sons followed in his footsteps, establishing themselves as hoteliers and naming The Drake Hotel in their father's honor. 

Architect Benjamin Marshall conceptualized the Nation's first urban resort that came to fruition on the Magnificent Mile (Upper Michigan Avenue), financed by brothers John B. Drake and Tracy C. Drake in 1919. The Drake Hotel's location opposite Oak Street Beach at Lake Shore Drive & Upper Michigan Avenue allowed the hotel to be billed as one of the Nation's first urban resorts.

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The Drake's architect, Ben Marshall, inspired the hotel's design from the Italian palaces of High Renaissance Rome and Florence. Constructed of smooth limestone, the building is 14 stories high. It rises from a rectangular base, which changes at the third story to an H-shape. A distinctive feature of Italian Renaissance design found in The Drake is the "Piano Nobile," (the main story; the first floor of a large house containing the principal rooms). The base level of the hotel featured an arcade containing several services, such as a barber shop, beauty salon,  high-end  retailers,  and changing rooms so guests could freshen up from their journey to the hotel and look presentable before making their "grand entrance" onto the Piano Nobile.

Like Potter Palmer before the Marshall brothers and Earnest Stevens after them, the Drake brothers built upon their hotel knowledge to create a new structure that would inspire awe and emulation.

When Ben Marshall advanced the plans for The Drake in March 1919, The Economist, a real-estate trade journal of the period, reported that the structure would be "of unusual magnificence, nothing like it in appearance, arrangement or finishings having ever been attempted in this country." Marshall was so enthused about the project that he waved his architectural fees in exchange for an ownership share in the hotel. He remained involved in many aspects of the hotel after its construction, including interior design, entertainment, and the design of employee uniforms.

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Benjamin Marshall, the flamboyant self-taught architect of The Drake and many other notable Chicago structures, including the Blackstone Hotel, the Blackstone Theater, and the Edgewater Beach Hotel, Marshall was instrumental in all aspects of The Drake for 20 years. He initially served as vice president of The Drake's parent company, the Whitestone Company, and subsequently even served as the hotel's general manager and director of entertainment. A close friend of the legendary show business impresario Flo Ziegfield, Marshall had an appreciation of drama and theatrics that he put to excellent use in the events he orchestrated at The Drake.

The hotel cost $10 million ($172 million today), including land, building, and furnishings. Nine hundred employees served its original 800 guest rooms. The Drake opened officially on New Year's Eve 1920 with a gala dinner for 2,000 of Chicago's leading citizens.

Throughout the 1920s, the fame of The Drake spread first across the country and subsequently across the world. WGN's first radio station was perched on the top of The Drake, and it was from here where the famous "Amos and Andy" radio show originated and was broadcast live along with the big bands that performed at the hotel. In 1924, HRH the Prince of Wales (the Duke of Windsor) was a guest at The Drake, thus establishing the tradition of serving as the Chicago home to Britain's royal family. The Drake has always been their official headquarters in Chicago.

September 26, 1926.

The 1930s saw the parade of famous guests continue at The Drake. The onset of the decade, which coincided with the depths of the Great Depression (1929-1933), brought about a change in ownership at the hotel as the property was purchased by the Brashears family of Chicago, which formed a partnership with the ever-present Ben Marshall known as the National Reality and Investment Company.

The Coq d'Or bar (which means a Golden Cockerel or a Young Rooster) opened on December 6, 1933, following the repeal of Prohibition. The second establishment in Chicago to obtain a liquor license (the first being the Berghoff Restaurant). The patina of Coq d'Or blends rich wood paneling, leather accents, live weekend entertainment and a cozy glow to evoke a genuinely nostalgic vibe.

Here, pre-prohibition standbys, eight decades of iconic cocktails and new favorites are mixed, shaken or stirred to astonish the taste buds and amaze the eye. And for those who like it on the rocks or straight up, our branded Rye Whiskey, curated in conjunction with a few Spirits from an award-winning local distillery, is one of numerous batches and blends that will ignite and delight the palette of any whiskey connoisseur.

And the soup . . . is the perfect bowl of tradition. Bookbinders Red Snapper (replacing the snapping turtle meat) soup is named after the restaurant of its provenance, Bookbinders, which opened in 1865 in Philadelphia and has been served at The Drake since the 1930s. A tomato-and-roux-based soup with snapping turtle red snapper chunks and a crystal decanter of sherry for patrons to pour into the casserole became an authentic Chicago tradition among locals.

As the menu reads: "The lines were so long that our bartenders only had time to pour whiskey at 40¢ a glass. Along with the rest of the city, we were ready, however, with an excess of 200,000 gallons of whiskey for the celebration that lasted until dawn." Allegedly, bartenders started serving patrons before the official 8:30 PM repeal.

Coq d'Or transformed by installing one of the first televisions in a Chicago bar. By then, the bar was already a favorite haunt of the Streeterville neighborhood residents, reporters, politicians, and entertainers. The leather-backed chairs and warm wood paneling evoked the feeling of a bygone "gentleman's drinking pub."

The Drake Hotel's Main Entrance is at 140 East Walton Place.

In 1937, Edward L. Brashears Sr., then President of The Drake, leased the hotel to the Kirkeby Brother's Hotel Group, which ran the hotel for nearly a decade until Edwin L. Brashears Sr. returned from World War II military service in 1946

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The Drake Hotel's a-la-carte menu dates back to the 1940s. It is always interesting to note how culinary tastes have changed over the decades. The menu offered such favorites of the period as "Boned Pigs Feet in Jelly," "Tongue Sandwiches," "Sardine Sandwiches," "Mutton Chops," "Welsh Rarebit," "Clear Green Turtle Soup," "Beets in Butter," and a special of "Braised Larded Calf's Sweetbreads (the thymus; throat, gullet, or neck, or the pancreas; stomach, belly or gut, typically from a calf or lamb)," Needless to say these delicacies are long gone from restaurant menus.

In 1940, the larger Gold Coast/Silver Forest room was vacated in favor of the adjacent but smaller Camellia House. 

Here, more intimate shows, usually featuring a chanteuse (female nightclub singer of popular songs), were presented nightly among the fresh white camellias (flowers) and black banquettes (extended bench seating along a wall), and smaller orchestras were used for the floor shows and dancing. Blade had his own NBC radio talk and live music program from Chicago for eight years at The Drake Hotel's Camellia House supper club. 

The orchestra of the pianist-leader-arranger James "Jimmy" P. Blade holds the record for playing the longest engagement at the Camellia House: sixteen years, from 1951 to 1967. Blade died in August 1974. Bill Snyder, another Chicago pianist-leader famous for his 1950 hit record, "♫ Bewitched, ♪" succeeded Blade and remained until 1970, when the Camellia House ended its show policy.

The room went through several revivals, with the local bandleader Dick Judson playing for seven seasons. Paul Meeker and his group also played in the room. Then, in 1975, Victor Lombardo, Guy Lombardo's youngest brother, brought his small group into the room for the season to play for dancing and a small floor show.

Syracuse China dinnerware was designed by Dorothy Draper for the Camellia House restaurant in Chicago's Drake Hotel. First produced in 1940, this beautiful pattern was made with different color ring accents. Postcards of the Camellia House from the 1960s show this pattern on tables. The Drake Hotel retired Draper's China in the late 1960s.

By the mid-1940s, the skyline surrounding The Drake had changed markedly. The Drake Towers apartment building rose to the east of the hotel at 179 East Lake Shore Drive on the inter-drive. At this time, Drake's landmark sign was installed on the hotel's roof.

In the late 1940s, the Brashears family set out to re-establish The Drake as the premiere luxury hotel in Chicago. By 1950, it was the first hotel in Chicago to have air-conditioned guest rooms, and it was the first to have color televisions in all its guest rooms. 

But some seeming anachronisms remained at The Drake simply because it was believed they resulted in better guest service. For example, The Drake was the last Chicago hotel to go to direct dial telephones because it was thought that an operator could do more for the guest at the onset of the 1970s. The Drake was the only hotel in Chicago that still retained elevator operators. In addition, The Drake was the only hotel in Chicago that still made its own ice cubes until 1967, refusing to go to ice machines until the quality of the product that the ice machines produced was deemed comparable to the "handmade cubes."

The hotel's Cape Cod Room was one of the city's most famous themed restaurants that opened in 1933 for Chicago's Century of Progress World's Fair. 

 The Cape Cod Room in the 1930s.

An early brochure highlighting the hotel's dining options describes the restaurant as follows: "When you step into the Cape Cod Room . . . you enter the atmosphere of the New England Coast. Here you find Chicago's finest, freshest and most unusual seafood restaurant." Upon its closing in 2016, little had changed. It was dimly lit, adorned with nautical paraphernalia, exposed wood beams, hanging copper pots, and stuffed sailfish, all tastefully done.

The Cape Cod Room is Fully illuminated. 2004.

Its Coq d'Or was one of Chicago's best-loved bars, and its private "Club International" enjoyed a waiting list for membership. But the decade of the 1960s saw many longtime Chicagoans and regular patrons of The Drake begin to leave the city for the suburbs. 

Noting this trend, the Brashears family, which owned The Drake, decided to build another Drake hotel in the burgeoning western suburb of Oak Brook in 1962, which resulted in the famous Drake Oak Brook.

The downtown Drake could easily afford the financial opportunity for a sister hotel in the suburbs. According to an October 1970 article in Hospitality magazine, between 1963 and 1966, while the average occupancy for Chicago hovered between 63 and 64 percent, The Drake ran an even 80 percent.

In the 1970s, The Drake's occupancy was aided by North Michigan Avenue overtaking State Street as the premier shopping street in Chicago. The "obscure" location for the hotel selected by Ben Marshall was reaping handsome dividends half a century later when the city's downtown indeed "caught up" to The Drake.

 

author's note

Saturday, January 13, 1973, was my Bar Mitzvah party catered by The Drake at the Drake Hotel. The 270 guests chose from fresh Walleyed Pike, Flounder, Chicken Kiev, or an aged 10-ounce Filet Mignon steak. For the adults, there was an open bar with hand-served appetizers, an extra large dessert table with an entire cake of Cashew Halva, and lots of dancing to live music until 1am. What made the evening so special, was my Mom's childhood friend's birthday was also on the 13th. We had the pastery chef make a special birthday cake and when it was brought out of the kitchen, the lights were dimmed and the band played "Happy Birthday" to Mrs. Kerstein. She was floored and cried tears of joy. When a gift-wrapped box (a pendant and gold chain imported from Israel) was delivered to Mrs. Kerstein, all she could muster was to place her head in her hands and cry. It was the pinnacle of my party!

After participating in the Friday night Shabbat service, in Hebrew, which signifies becoming a full-fledged member of the Jewish community with the responsibilities that come with it; in other words . . . at 13, I became a man. 

We had three adjoining rooms at The Drake, and mine was the corner entertainment suite with a sunken living room, a kitchenette/bar, a bedroom, a full-size soaking tub, and a north view up Lake Shore Drive at Oak Street Beach from the 12th floor. How gracious were my parents to give me the suite? Well, it was my Bar Mitzvah, after all. It was an affair so classy that I'll never forget it.

As such, the hotel continued to attract a host of world leaders in the 70s, including H.M. Emperor Hirohito of Japan in 1975 and H.R.H Prince Charles of the United Kingdom in 1977. In 1979, the prestige of The Drake was still such that John Cardinal Cody, head of the Chicago Archdioceses and official host to Pope John Paul II when he visited Chicago that year, requested that they cater the official dinners for Pope John Paul II, which were held at the Cardinal's residence. The Drake obliged, and the Pope was served the hotel's famous Bookbinders Soup, the club's international salad, the tail of whitefish, and California wines. Despite these notable successes, by the end of the 1970s, many venues in The Drake looked highly dated and needed considerable refurbishment. 

Sadly, the 1970s forced changes in dining preferences in menu offerings and was the beginning of the end for supper clubs (Comedy Clubs also served dinner but didn't fall out of favor). The Camellia House closed in 1977.

In 1979, the Brashears partnership created a ground lease for The Drake whereby the family would continue to own the land on which the hotel sits but would lease The Drake building itself to a "tenant" who would own the physical hotel for the duration of the lease. The new owners of the hotel were financiers Jerold Wexler and Edward Ross.

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The Drake Hotel was honored with the placement on the National Register of Historic Places List on May 8, 1980.

On January 1, 1981, United Kingdom-based Hilton International, then operating in the United States as Vista Hotels, was brought in as the management company for The Drake. Hilton International pledged to the City of Chicago to return the hotel to its previous splendor and embarked on a multi-year renovation that cost over $40 million. In May of 1981, the 61-year-old Drake Hotel was honored to be included on the National Register of Historic Places, joining other landmark structures in Chicago, such as the old Water Tower structure and Louis Sullivan's Carson Pirie Scott building.

With Hilton International restoring The Drake to its traditional grandeur, the hotel became a set for several popular movies, including The Blues Brothers, Risky Business, My Best Friends Wedding, and Hero, among others. 

In 1996, Hilton International acquired the lease interest on The Drake from a venture controlled by Edward Ross. Also in 1996, The Drake was front and center during one of the most high-profile visits ever bestowed on Chicago when the late Princess Diana came to the city for three memorable days in June to help raise money for cancer research. 

People Weekly Magazine, July 17, 1996, Cover: DI WOWS CHICAGO.

Like generations of British Royals and family before her, she made The Drake her residence in Chicago.

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Drake Hotel, Chicago, Restaurants: 

The Fountain Court (1920-1940) 

changed to The Palm Court (1940-)

The Cape Cod Room (1932-2016)

Coq d’Or (1933-)

The Camellia House (1940-1977)

Perhaps no other hotel in Chicago inspires more loyalty than The Drake, where different generations of the same family routinely come to continue the traditions their forefathers began so many decades ago.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

Contributor, The Drake Hotel