Curt Teich & Company Postcard Factory was founded in 1898 on Irving Park Road and Ravenswood in Chicago, Illinois.

Curt Otto Teich (March 1877–1974) was born in Greiz, Thuringia (modern-day Germany), and, following his family's traditional career as printers and publishers, worked as a printer's apprentice in Lobenstein. He emigrated to the United States in 1895, where he initially worked as a printer's devil[1] in New York, a much lower position than he had held in Germany.

Teich moved to Chicago, Illinois and started his own firm, Curt Teich & Company (C. T. & Co.), in January 1898.

Vintage postcard of the Curt Teich & Company Works. Few people who pass the building today realize that it once housed the largest postcard publishing company in the country.

At the peak of production, the company could print several million postcards in a single day. Curt Teich & Company operated from 1898 to 1978, and saved examples of every image they produced. 

Teich is best known for its "Greetings From" postcards with their big letters, vivid colors which had originated in Germany in the 1890s. Teich successfully imported this style for the American market.

Teich employed hundreds of traveling salesmen, who sold picture postcards to domestic residences, and encouraged business to create advertising postcards; these salesmen also photographed the businesses and worked with the owners to create an idealized image.

The company closed in 1978. In 1982, the bulk of the collection—more than 500,000 unique postcard images relating to 10,000+ towns and cities across the United States, Canada, and 85 other countries was donated by the Teich family to the Lake County Discovery Museum in Wauconda, Illinois.

In 2016 the archives was transferred to the Newberry Library in Chicago.

I own the Chicago Postcard Museum, which presents some rare and interesting Chicago postcards from my personal collection of about 8,000 cards.

Compiled by Neil Gale, Ph.D.

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[1] A printer's devil was an apprentice in a printing establishment who performed a number 
of tasks, such as mixing tubs of ink and fetching type.

A Chicago City Railway cable car being pulled by horse after cable breaks. 1903

Before Chicago inaugurated its famed elevated "L" train system in 1892, Chicago was home to the world’s largest and most profitable network of cable cars.

Cable car bound for Jackson Park making its way down south Cottage Grove Avenue below 39th Street. On this particular day, the cable snapped so the cable cars had to be pulled by horses. (Chicago Daily News Photo) Note the advertisement for the Chicago Auto Show which began in 1901.

The first streetcars were pulled by horses. Cable cars were the next iteration, powered by a single, continuous cable that ran the length of the route. Cars propelled and stopped themselves by attaching and detaching from the moving line.

The first cable car in Chicago ran past expectant throngs on State Street at 2:30 pm on January 28, 1882. In Chicago, cable cars ran at the same speed as their horse-drawn counterparts. But an 1882 article cites the superintendent of one of Chicago’s lines boasting this way: “When we get rid of the horse-cars we expect to make eight miles an hour with ease.”

The cable car lines spanned the length of what was then the city's boundaries. The Chicago City Railway serving the South Side had two lines that both originated in one of the earliest versions of the Loop; The State Street line ran down to 39th Street and was extended to 63rd Street in 1887. The Wabash/Cottage Grove line ran down Wabash Avenue to 22nd Street, then down Cottage Grove Avenue to 55th Street. It was extended to 71st Street in 1891.

The West Chicago Street Railroad ran a Milwaukee line up to Armitage; a Madison line to 40th Street; a Blue Island line to Western Avenue; and a Halsted Street line to O’Neil Street (now 23rd Street).

The North Chicago Street Railroad ran lines on Clark Street up to Diversey; on Wells Street up to Wisconsin; Lincoln Avenue up to Wrightwood; and Clybourn up to Cooper (now Bosworth Avenue - 300 feet east of Ashland).

The last cable car arrived at a powerhouse at State and 21st Streets on October 21, 1906, lucky to avoid the mobs that had ripped apart the cars of the final cable trains that traveled the Madison and State Street routes that summer.

WBEZ
John R. Schmidt
October 2, 2012

Looking south at the intersection of Kinzie and Wells, Chicago (1900).

Looking south at the intersection of Kinzie and Wells, Chicago (1900). The Hotel LeGrand stood at the NW corner. Today this is the site of the Merchandise Mart.

Chicago’s first "L" — today’s South Side Green Line — began operating between Congress and 39th Street (Pershing Road) on June 6, 1892. By the next May, service had been extended to the Columbian Exposition fairgrounds at 63rd and Stony Island.

Emma J. Atkinson, one of the mysterious “Big Four" abolitionists.

Emma J. Atkinson was a Black abolitionist who was one of the mysterious “Big Four,” a group of women at Quinn Chapel A.M.E. in Chicago who provided aid to runaway slaves.

Atkinson arrived in Chicago around 1847 with her husband, Isaac. When they arrived, there were only around 200 Negroes in the city. By 1850, the Negro population in Chicago consisted of fewer than 400 residents out of a population of over 23,000.

The “Big Four” women acted as conductors for the Underground Railroad. They provided shelter, food, and other necessities need to help runaway slaves. Out of the four black women, Atkinson is the only known name. There were no records kept by the “Big Four” abolitionists, and little else is known about their work.

The first congregation of Quinn Chapel A.M.E. were mainly former slaves and strong advocates of the abolition movement. In 1871, the chapel was destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire. The church’s congregants became nomads once again, holding services in a series of temporary locations. However, when the church was rebuilt in 1891, the location remained a safe haven for runaway slaves.

by Black Then

Advertisement card for The Fair Store, Chicago, circa 1875.

Advertisement card for The Fair Store, Chicago, circa 1875. Located at State and Adams, the store existed here, under various owners and management, until the building was demolished in 1984. Read the history of the Fair Store.

Chicago Department of Health flier from 1916.

Chicago Department of Health flier from 1916, educating the threat of the common house fly.

Maxwell Street, Chicago, at dawn. Art Shay. Circa 1957

Maxwell Street, Chicago, at dawn. Art Shay. Circa 1957

The story behind John T. McCutcheon's 1907 "Injun Summer" article in the Chicago Tribune.

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In historical writing and analysis, PRESENTISM introduces present-day ideas and perspectives into depictions or interpretations of the past. Presentism is a form of cultural bias that creates a distorted understanding of the subject matter. Reading modern notions of morality into the past is committing the error of presentism. Historical accounts are written by people and can be slanted, so I try my hardest to present fact-based and well-researched articles.

Facts don't require one's approval or acceptance.

I present [PG-13] articles without regard to race, color, political party, or religious beliefs, including Atheism, national origin, citizenship status, gender, LGBTQ+ status, disability, military status, or educational level. What I present are facts — NOT Alternative Facts — about the subject. You won't find articles or readers' comments that spread rumors, lies, hateful statements, and people instigating arguments or fights.

FOR HISTORICAL CLARITY

When I write about the INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, I follow this historical terminology:

• The use of old commonly used terms, disrespectful today, i.e., REDMAN or REDMEN, SAVAGES, and HALF-BREED are explained in this article.

Writing about AFRICAN-AMERICAN history, I follow these race terms:

• "NEGRO" was the term used until the mid-1960s.
• "BLACK" started being used in the mid-1960s.
• "AFRICAN-AMERICAN" [Afro-American] began usage in the late 1980s.

— PLEASE PRACTICE HISTORICISM —

THE INTERPRETATION OF THE PAST IN ITS OWN CONTEXT.

 

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INJUN SUMMER by John T. McCutcheon. Chicago Tribune, September 30, 1907 and reprinted yearly, starting in 1912, until it appeared for its last yearly printing in the Chicago Tribune on Oct. 25, 1992. 

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One day in the early fall of 1907, cartoonist John T. McCutcheon found himself groping for inspiration for a drawing to fill his accustomed spot on the front page of the Tribune.

He thought back to his boyhood in the 1870s in the lonely cornfields of Indiana. "There was, in fact, little on my young horizon in the mid-1870s beyond corn and Indian traditions," he recalled later. "It required only a small effort of the imagination to see spears and tossing feathers in the tasseled stalks, tepees through the smoky haze..."

That "small effort of imagination" became McCutcheon's classic drawing "Injun Summer," which was first published on this date. It was accompanied by a lengthy discourse with the plain-spoken charm of Mark Twain. McCutcheon's astute folk poetry captured the enigmatic mood of nature's most puzzling season. 

The cartoon proved so popular that it made an annual appearance in the Chicago Tribune beginning in 1912 and ran in many other newspapers over the years.

Why the Chicago Tribune's "Injun Summer" yearly reprint was not racist.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

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THIS CLASSIC CARTOON HAD A LIFE OF ITS OWN.

NOSTALGIC TO SOME, INSENSITIVE TO OTHERS.

By Stephan Benzkofer, Chicago Tribune; October 16, 2011.

"Injun Summer," an earlier era's celebration of autumn and childhood imagination, took on a life of its own — almost literally.

The famous cartoon first appeared on September 30, 1907, on Page One, the answer to a looming deadline on a slow news day. John T. McCutcheon, inspired by a string of beautiful, warm autumn days and remembering his youth in Indiana, conjured up the illustration that became one of the most popular features in Tribune history.

The Tribune reprinted it in 1910, on page 4, in response to readers' requests, and then annually this time of year from 1912 to 1992.

As early as 1919, the "famous" cartoon had become a "much-loved" annual event, the Tribune said in promoting a high-quality print — "ready for framing" — that the newspaper included in an upcoming Sunday edition.

The cartoon wouldn't be contained to its annual appearance on newsprint.

The Indiana State Fair reproduced it as a feature exhibit in 1928. At the Century of Progress World's Fair in 1933-34, it was a life-size diorama and was reproduced in a fireworks display.

In 1920, the Indiana Society of Chicago presented a dramatized version of the work to honor McCutcheon. His son, John Jr., a future Tribune editorial page editor, played the boy. Neighborhood, school, and social groups acted out "Injun Summer" scores of times, as recently as 1977. One of the biggest dramatizations involved 1,100 children performing it at Soldier Field in August 1941 as part of the Tribune-sponsored Chicagoland Music Festival. A very popular display with mannequins appeared yearly at the Olson Rug Company's Memorial Park and Waterfall on Chicago's Northwest Side. McCutcheon's original black-and-white drawing is in the collection of the Chicago History Museum.

Over time, the cartoon came to evoke anger as well as nostalgia. As early as 1970, readers wrote letters complaining that the Tribune was running an ethnically insensitive feature that misrepresented the brutal reality of Native American history in the United States in the 18th and 19th centuries. Letter writers also were unhappy with the idea that "they ain't no more left," pointing out that Indians still lived and worked in Chicago.

In the 1990s, Tribune editors decided to end the annual tradition. Douglas Kneeland, the Tribune's public editor at the time, said, "Injun Summer is out of joint with its times. It is literally a museum piece, a relic of another age. The farther we get from 1907, the less meaning it has for the current generation."

Still, the cartoon has a powerful hold over many Chicagoans. For generations of readers, "Injun Summer," despite its flaws, became synonymous with the magic and peacefulness of those last warm days of the season.

Crane Girl, North Rose Garden, Grant Park, Chicago. 1908

Crane Girl, North Rose Garden, Grant Park, Chicago. 1908

The Two Grand Pacific Hotels in Chicago, Illinois.

Two iterations of the Grand Pacific Hotel (1873-1895 & 1898-1921) stood at the North East corner of Jackson and LaSalle Streets.

The Grand Pacific Hotel, Chicago. 1887

The now-famous writer, Oscar Wilde, stayed here during his 1882 tour of the US.

The Grand Pacific Hotel was one of two prominent hotels to be built in Chicago, after the Great Chicago Fire. The Grand Pacific rivaled the Palmer House as the city’s most luxurious hotel. It was located on the block bounded by Clark Street, LaSalle, Quincy, and Jackson.

The west half of the building was torn down around 1895 to make way for the Illinois Trust and Savings Bank building. The east half was remodeled by architects Jenney and Mundie. 

The second Grand Pacific Hotel opened March 12, 1898, with 188 rooms and continued in operation until 1921 when it was razed to make way for the Continental Illinois Bank building.

Postcard Circa 1913.

Compiled by Neil Gale, Ph.D.

Alpha [Woman's] Suffrage Club of Chicago, Illinois.

The passage of the Illinois Presidential and Municipal Suffrage Bill in the summer of 1913 offered Negro women in Chicago the opportunity to merge their social welfare activities with electoral power.

This was primarily due to the creation of the first and one of the most important Negro female suffrage organizations in the state, the "Alpha Suffrage Club," at 2830 South State Street in Chicago. The Alpha Suffrage Club is believed to be the first Negro women's suffrage association in the United States.

It began in Chicago, Illinois on January 30, 1913, under the initiative of Ida B. Wells-Barnett and her white colleague, Belle Squire; the same year that Illinois gave women partial suffrage–that is, they could vote in local and national, but not state, elections. The club elected officers and held monthly meetings. 

The Club aimed to reinforce Negro involvement in the struggle for women's suffrage, due to Negro women being unable to be involved in the National American Women Suffrage Association (NAWSA). 

The Alpha Suffrage Club was established to partially give a voice to women who could not represent themselves individually and worked specifically towards giving a voice to Negro women, as well as to “politicize” Negro women into the government system. In 1916, the club had nearly 200 members, including well-known female suffrage activists Mary E. Jackson, Viola Hill, Vera Wesley Green, and Sadie L. Adams.

Within the next three years, the group membership expanded into the thousands. The women were motivated by and sought to put an end to the countless lynchings of Negroes in America.

Amongst their community activities, they spread their support for, and within, the Negro population with their newsletter, "The Alpha Suffrage Record," first printed on March 18, 1914. 

As Wells and the Alpha Suffrage Club canvassed black neighborhoods to register women voters, they faced taunting from black men, who accused them of “trying to take the place of men and wear the trousers." However, Wells defied the fear that these men were trying to instill in her club members, urging them to continue registering voters.

Her courage and persistence paid off–in 1915, Oscar DePriest was elected as the first black alderman (like a city councilman) in Chicago, winning by a large margin.

Oscar DePriest

Black women played a decisive role in his election, with over a third of votes for DePriest coming from women. Were it not for the Alpha Suffrage Club and their bravery in continuing to register voters, DePriest likely would have lost. DePriest acknowledged the importance of their contribution, stating, “I am more than thankful for their work and as electors believe they have every necessary qualification that the men possess.” Wells’ actions were not only fearless, but they were also highly effective. Her work made a real difference in the success of black politicians in Chicago.

The publishing of this newsletter is very significant because this is the first time that Negroes had a public political voice.

Compiled by Neil Gale, Ph.D.

READ THE FIRST NEWSLETTER HERE ─► The Alpha Suffrage Record; Volume 1, Number 1, March 18, 1914, in my Digital Research Library of Illinois History® 

Luna [Amusement] Park, Halsted and 52nd Streets, Chicago, Illinois. (1907-1911)

Luna Park occupied the site of a former picnic grove owned by Joseph Oswald and commonly known as Oswald's Grove. In 1906, a group of investors, led by boxing promoter James "Big Jim" O'Leary (son of Mrs. O'Leary of Great Chicago Fire fame), announced plans to convert the ten-acre picnic grove into an amusement park. Big Jim promised the park would be a strictly legitimate business. Construction began in the fall of 1906 and the park opened the following year.

Luna Park originally started as a trolley park [1], which was smaller than most of the other Chicago amusement parks of that era; most notably Riverview Park (the largest amusement park in existence at that time.) and White City. Jim O'Leary became the park's manager in 1908.

Attractions included a midway with a small roller coaster,  a merry-go-round and other mechanical rides, a ballroom, a roller skating rink, live entertainment which included Vaudeville and Boxing matches, a restaurant, numerous games of chance, and souvenir stands.

Initially popular (averaging 5,000 patrons a day in its peak), attendance declined in light of the increasing competition from other Chicago-area amusement parks.

June 1908

In July of 1910, management temporarily closed the park in response to dwindling attendance. After Big Jim made a fortune in the 1910 Jack Johnson vs. Jim Jeffries championship fight, the park was reopened in 1911 as O'Leary attempted to find a buyer to no avail.

Luna Park's proximity to the Union Stock Yards and the smell that arose from the yards, especially on hot summer days, may have quickened its demise.

In 1912, most of the attractions were removed; the remaining structures were converted into a large food market hall. In 1916, the grounds were sold to real estate developer James H. Milligan to focus on building single-family houses.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D. 

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[1] Trolley parks, which started in the 19th century, were picnic and recreation areas along or at the ends of streetcar lines in most of the larger cities. These were precursors to amusement parks. These trolley parks were created by the streetcar companies to give people a reason to use their services on weekends.

The Saloon Building Plays an Important Role in Chicago's History. (1836-1871)

The 'Saloon Building' at the southeast corner of Clark and Lake Streets in Chicago.

The "Saloon Building" was a three-story brick building erected in 1836 by Capt. J.B.F. Russell and George W. Doan at the Southeast corner of Clark and Lake streets. It was named after the French word salon, meaning ‘small reception hall’ or ‘meeting hall,’ not a ‘drinking establishment.’

The 'Saloon Building' at the southeast corner of Clark and Lake Streets in Chicago.

The Saloon building was the largest hall west of Buffalo, New York, devoted to public meetings and political ceremonies. This was where Chicago received its city charter in 1837 and the building served as Chicago's City Hall and Municipal Court until 1842.

Note: During this time period, the word 'grocery' meant a saloon, tavern or pub.

Compiled by Neil Gale, Ph.D.

The Lake View House (Hotel), Chicago. 1854-1890

Built roughly where Lake Shore Drive and Byron Street now intersect, the building served as a hotel where city dwellers could go to escape noise and pollution.

The Hotel Lake View (aka Lake View Hotel) operated between July 4, 1854, and the 1890s. It was originally the home of Elisha Huntley with a lakefront view.
Photograph circa 1860.

In 1854, James Rees and Elisha Hundley built the Lakeview House as a resort for potential investors in local land. (According to legend, Walter Newberry stood on the hotel’s veranda admiring the view, suggested that it be called “Lake View House.”)

Lake View Hotel in the 1880s on Grace Street with additions to the hotel.

Wealthy Chicagoans seeking summer retreats from the city’s heat and disease bought up land in the eastern sector of the area. New railroad lines prompted the development of more residential land and added suburban characteristics to Lake View’s resort atmosphere.

1869 Map

The Lake View House was demolished by 1890.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.