Showing posts with label Chicago. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chicago. Show all posts

Friday, November 17, 2023

The History of Chicago's Treasure Island Grocery Store Chain.

Treasure Island Foods was founded in 1963 by Christ Kamberos and his brothers. Christ Kamberos was born in Chicago to Greek immigrants. His father sold produce from a push cart, and this early exposure to the food business sparked an interest in Christ that never waned. 

He grew up to become a grocery innovator, traveling the world to bring unusual and organic produce to Chicagoans. His stores were known for their wide selection of specialty products, and Julia Child once referred to Treasure Island as "America's most European supermarket."
Treasure Island's first store at 1639 North Wells Street, Chicago
Treasure Island's first store was opened at 1639 North Wells Street in the Old Town Triangle, Chicago, in 1964. The chain quickly expanded to include over 20 stores in the Chicago area. The Wells Street store was one of the most popular locations, and it was known for its convenient location in the Old Town Triangle and its wide selection of specialty foods.

The Treasure Island chain filed for bankruptcy in 2018, closing all stores. The Wells Street store was sold to a developer in 2019.

Christ Kamberos died on October 27, 2009. He is buried in Memorial Park Cemetery, Skokie, Illinois.

A timeline of the Treasure Island Grocery stores:
  • 1963: The Treasure Island brand was founded by Christ Kamberos.
  • 1964: The first store on Wells Street opens.
  • 1980s-2010s: The Treasure Island chain expands to over 20 stores in the Chicago area.
  • 2009: Christ Kamberos died.
  • 2018: The Treasure Island chain files for bankruptcy, closing all its stores.
  • 2019: The Wells Street store location was sold to a real estate developer.
Christ Kamberos (1926-2009)
Christ Kamberos (1926-2009), chief executive officer and President of Treasure Island Foods, offered selections from around the world. The store met approval in Chicagoland, a market with a diverse ethnic population that appreciated his mixture of exotic foods, fresh produce and flair. 

Mr. Kamberos won numerous awards from Fancy Food and Specialty Foods magazines for his innovative merchandising and creative food presentation. He was born on the West Side of Chicago in 1926, one of three brothers and three sisters of Greek immigrants. He served in the military during World War II. 

His business life began after the War. The Kamberos family opened the grocery chain Sure Save and sold the group of 10 stores to the National Food Supermarkets in 1961. In 1963, Mr. Kamberos and his brothers formed Treasure Island Foods.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

Thursday, November 16, 2023

Dr. Bertha Van Hoosen, the first woman to head a medical division at a coeducational university, Loyola University Medical School.

Born on March 26, 1863, Bertha Van Hoosen spent her early years on her parents' farm in Stony Creek Village, Michigan. Free to roam about and observe the life cycle of the animals on the farm, she later recalled that the toughness of farm life gave her a practical, realistic outlook. As a young girl, she attended several public schools close to her home before graduating from high school in Pontiac, Michigan, at age 17. Following the example of her older sister Alice, she enrolled in the literary department at the University of Michigan in 1880. She met two women who had decided to study medicine here, and their enthusiasm inspired her to follow in their footsteps. Despite her parents' refusal to finance her education, she enrolled in Michigan's medical department after receiving her bachelor's degree in 1884. To pay her way, she earned money teaching calisthenics at a high school, serving as an obstetrical nurse and teacher, and demonstrating anatomy. Four years later, she graduated with her doctor of medicine degree.

Dr. Van Hoosen accepted a series of residencies, first at the Woman's Hospital in Detroit, then at the Kalamazoo, Michigan, State Hospital for the Insane, and finally at the New England Hospital for Women and Children in Boston. She felt ready to begin private practice after four years of additional hospital training.

With money saved from her previous jobs, young Dr. Van Hoosen opened a private clinic in Chicago in late 1892. Like most new practices, hers grew slowly. To keep the practice afloat, she taught courses in anatomy and embryology at the Woman's Medical School of Northwestern University. At the same time, she continued her postgraduate training, accepting a clinical assistantship in gynecology at the Columbia Dispensary in Chicago (later reorganized as the Charity Hospital and Dispensary), where she received further instruction in surgery and obstetrics. As her medical expertise grew, Dr. Van Hoosen's private practice flourished, and she was in great demand as a teacher. 
Dr. Bertha Van Hoosen
In 1902, though her appointment was opposed by the male faculty, she was made a professor of clinical gynecology at the Illinois University Medical School, a position she held until 1912.

In 1913, Dr. Van Hoosen was appointed head of the gynecological staff at the Cook County Hospital, thus becoming one of the first women in the United States to receive a civil service appointment. In 1918, she was awarded a prestigious post as head of obstetrics at Loyola University Medical School, making her the first woman to head a medical division at a coeducational university. Dr. Van Hoosen continued to maintain her private practice and to serve as an attending physician at several additional Chicago hospitals.

Dr. Van Hoosen devoted herself to treating women and children throughout her career. In addition to helping develop better methods of prenatal care, she lectured widely on sex education as a member of the Chicago Woman's Club Committee on Social Purity. In addition, she pioneered the use of scopolamine-morphine anesthesia during childbirth. Popularly known as "twilight sleep," this form of anesthesia rendered patients unconscious without inhibiting their reflexes. Dr. Van Hoosen delivered thousands of healthy babies and published a book and several articles detailing her research.
Dr. Bertha Van Hoosen's Surgical Training.


An outspoken feminist, Dr. Bertha Van Hoosen grew increasingly vocal over the medical establishment's discriminatory treatment of women. Barred from membership in the Chicago Gynecological and Obstetrical Society and discouraged by her isolation within the American Medical Association, she called for a meeting of medical women in Chicago. Their panel led to the formation of the American Medical Women's Association in 1915, with Van Hoosen as the organization's first President.

In 1947, Bertha Van Hoosen, M.D., published an autobiography detailing her pioneering role in medicine and her abiding interest in women's health issues. After more than sixty years, she had done much to advance the position of women in medicine—training physicians, fostering closer ties among her women peers, and serving as a model for those striving to enter fields previously closed to women. In addition, Dr. Van Hoosen could reflect on a rewarding career teaching and practicing obstetrics.

Throughout her career, Dr. Van Hoosen trained several dozen women surgeons. She maintained close ties to her female colleagues, offering surgical assistance to her female peers throughout the United States and her travels through Europe and Asia. 

After retiring from practice in 1951 at age 88, she died of a stroke on June 7, 1952. She is buried at Old Stoney Creek Cemetery in Rochester Hills, Michigan.
Dr. Bertha Van Hoosen's Illinois State Historical Society marker is located in the
South Lobby of the Fine Arts Building at 410 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago.

GOOGLE MAP
Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

Saturday, November 4, 2023

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.

Friday, November 3, 2023

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.

Friday, October 27, 2023

History of Shoppers Corner, at the northwest corner of State and Randolph Streets in Chicago.

Shoppers Corner, 150 North State Street, was located at the northwest corner of State and Randolph Streets in Chicago. It was a '5 & Dime' store that operated from 1938 to 1991. It was a popular destination for shoppers of all ages, offering various merchandise at affordable prices.

The name was intended to reflect the store's extensive selection of merchandise, which included everything from clothing, toiletries, and housewares to toys. It was known for its wide selection of unique and unusual items.

The store was just a half-block south of the Chicago Theatre, across the street from Walgreens, and kitty-corner to Marshall Field's department store.

In the 1940s, Shoppers Corner was a popular destination for shoppers looking for bargains on everyday items. The store also offered a variety of seasonal merchandise, such as Christmas decorations and Easter baskets.

In the 1950s, Shoppers Corner continued to be a popular destination for shoppers, but the store began to face increased competition from larger chain stores. To remain competitive, Shoppers Corner started to offer more unique selections of merchandise.
State Street looking north to Randolph Street. Circa 1950s.




The northwest corner of State and Randolph Streets, Chicago. Circa 1950s.


In the 1960s, Shoppers Corner focused on selling novelty items and souvenirs. The store also became a popular tourist destination, offering numerous Chicago postcards.
Shoppers Corner in the 1960s. Note the "King Kastle" Restaurant.


In the late 1970s, Shoppers Corner declined in popularity and sales. The store was facing increased competition from larger chain stores and needed help to keep up with the changing shopping habits of consumers.

Shoppers Corner closed in June 1991.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

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.

Saturday, October 21, 2023

Lillian B. Williams was Riverview Amusement Park's most popular freak show draw ever.

Unusual human beings have been exhibited in public since antiquity. The first traveling "freak show" appeared in 1738 in Europe. Curiosity is the motivating factor of the audience.

For over 150 years, carnival and circus freak shows were immensely popular in America. At one time, there were 105 exhibitions of human freaks traveling the United States, as well as many featured in amusement parks.

The most unusual people were those in the Palace of Wonders, later known as the Freak Show, owned by Ray Marsh Brydon. People would stare at the tattooed lady, a contortionist, a sword swallower, a fire eater, or the "Human Blockhead" who would pound nails into his nose. There was the "Two-Faced" man who was promoted on the outside banner with two separate and distinct faces. The real two-faced man had only one face. One side was normal, and the other side was significantly deformed.

Chicagoan Marshall Brodien (1934-2019) worked the Freak Show stage at Riverview Amusement Park as a "carnival barker," enticing people to buy tickets to the show. He was a professional magician and later played Wizzo the Wizard on Chicago's Bozo's Circus and The Bozo Show. Marshall Brodien, the inventor of the TV Magic Cards, opened a magic shop in Old Chicago Mall in Bolingbrook, Illinois, and would perform a magic show in Old Chicago amusement park. All that ended when Old Chicago closed in 1981.

But the most notable Riverview Park "freak" was Lillian B. Williams ("Betty Lou"), the world's only "4-legged" girl. Born on January 10, 1932, she was the youngest of 12 children born to sharecroppers in Albany, Georgia. 

At age two, Betty Lou began to be exhibited by Ripley's Believe It or Not. According to Ripley's pamphlet, an X-ray revealed a perfectly developed head inside her chest. 
Lillian B. Williams ("Betty Lou")
While still a teenager, she had become quite wealthy, earning a handsome living, $1,000 a week during her heyday. Betty Lou put all 11 siblings through college and bought her parents a 260-acre farm, paying cash. She was known as a generous person, perhaps too generous, as her fiancé absconded with most of her money. She died in 1955 officially of asthma, but, as her friends believed, she died of a broken heart. 
Betty Lou lived her 23 years with a parasitic twin embedded in her torso with two legs and one arm protruding.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

Friday, September 8, 2023

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.

Saturday, August 26, 2023

1858, July 30th, Destructive Fire on Van Buren Street, Chicago. $15,000 Loss!

Shortly after nine o'clock in the morning, a fire was discovered by Officer Wood, on his beat, in the rear of a large three-story frame structure on Van Buren Street near Clark Street, in the South Division, known as the Phœnix House and occupied for hotel purposes. The policeman instantly gave the alarm and burst into the front door of the house, the inmates of which were then, for the first time, apprised of their peril. When discovered, the fire was well at work on the east side of a low extension or shed used as a summer kitchen or washhouse and near the chimney. The Phœnix House was pretty well cleared of its contents, and the occupants all got out safely, though some of them with little reference to the appropriate apparel for street appearance.
The № 1, Long John Steamer, was put into service in Chicago in 1858. It was the first steam fire engine in the city, and it helped to revolutionize the way that fires were fought. It was a 40-foot long, 14-foot high, and 8-foot wide vehicle. It weighed 10 tons and was powered by a 100-horsepower steam engine. The Long John could pump 500 gallons of water per minute.


The buildings in the vicinity of the fire were all made of wood and closely contiguous, and but that the surfaces of the same had been drenched by the recent showers, the disaster, under a little more wind that then prevailed, must have been wise-spread. As it was, before the conflagration could be stayed, it had extended to the various buildings surrounding the rear area of and adjoining the Phœnix House, including a four-story frame, an adjoining shop in which liquor was stored, the Exchange House (a two-story building), the Lafee House (a three-story building), № 126 to 134, inclusive, on Van Buren Street, a small unoccupied building and the Jennings House on Griswold Street—all of them frame structures, the Jennings House being a large and comparatively new building, standing vacant.

The fire department, including the smaller steam Fire Engine the "Enterprise" [1], was very promptly on the spot and as promptly at work with excellent streams, and did good service in holding the fire in check and finally subduing it. The Jennings House was badly damaged by fire and water. The Phœnix House and the Lafee House were about one-fourth consumed but will probably both be repaired. The smaller buildings were destroyed.

The list of owners and their losses were as follows:
The Phœnix House № 126, occupied by Patrick McConnell. Loss of $1,200 covered by Chicago Mutual.  Mr. McConnell had $1,000 worth of Brandy in an unoccupied barber's shop adjoining the hotel which was destroyed and not covered by insurance.

The Exchange House, № 130-132, is occupied by John Maloney. Loss of $1,200, insured for $800 in Chicago Mutual.

Lafee House, № 134, occupied by Jacob Lafee. Loss of $1,500, insured for $900.

All three of the above houses were owned by Jacob Gillan and valued at $5,600. Insurance officers took an inventory of the property and a policy for $3,000 to go into effect the day after the fire.

The Jennings House on Griswold Street was owned by Ballard & Wilcox. The building was worth about $6,000, with damage of $3,500, insured for $4,000 at the Merchants of Philadelphia and Phœnix of Hartford, Conn. It was unoccupied, but Martin Dodge, formerly of the Sherman House, would take possession in a few days.

The origin of the fire is unknown. The location in which the flames were discovered points to the chimney as the source of the disaster; the main reason for suggesting a different origin seems to be the fact that the premises in that vicinity have been fired three times in scarcely that many weeks.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.



[1] The 1858 Steam Fire Engine "Enterprise" was a landmark invention that revolutionized firefighting. It was the first steam-powered fire engine in the United States, and it was much more powerful and efficient than the horse-drawn fire engines that were previously in use.

The Enterprise was built by the Seth Sweet Manufacturing Company of New York City. It had a boiler that produced steam that powered a piston that drove the pump. The pump could deliver up to 500 gallons of water per minute, which was much more than the 50-100 gallons per minute that a horse-drawn fire engine could deliver.

The Enterprise was also much faster than a horse-drawn fire engine. It could travel up to 10 miles per hour, which allowed it to get to fires more quickly.

The Enterprise was a huge success. It was used by fire departments all over the United States, and it helped to save countless lives and property from fire. It is considered to be one of the most important inventions in the history of firefighting.

Here are some additional facts about the 1858 steam fire engine Enterprise:
  • It was 25 feet long, 9 feet wide, and 10 feet tall.
  • It weighed 10 tons.
  • It had a crew of 12 firefighters.
  • It was powered by a 100-horsepower steam engine.
  • It could pump up to 500 gallons of water per minute.
  • It could travel up to 10 miles per hour.
  • It was first used by the New York City Fire Department in 1858, Chicago also received an Enterprise truck in 1858.
  • It was retired from service in 1884.
The Enterprise was a truly revolutionary invention that changed the way firefighting was done. It was faster, more powerful, and more efficient than any fire engine that had come before it, and it helped to save countless lives and property from fire. It is a testament to the ingenuity and creativity of the people who designed and built it, and it is a reminder of the important role that technology can play in protecting people and property from harm.

1858, August 20th, Disastrous Fire on South Clark Street, Chicago. $25,000 Loss!

The № 1, Long John Steamer, was put into service in Chicago in 1858. It was the first steam fire engine in the city, and it helped to revolutionize the way that fires were fought. It was a 40-foot long, 14-foot high, and 8-foot wide vehicle. It weighed 10 tons and was powered by a 100-horsepower steam engine. The Long John could pump 500 gallons of water per minute.


At about 3½ o'clock Saturday morning, a fire broke out in the rear part of a wooden structure № 244 South Clark Street, occupied as a bakery establishment by Louis Grossman. The flames spread rapidly in all directions, the wooden building being closely adjoining on all sides, and the conflagration only stayed after extending northward to the corner of Van Buren Street and south to the alley.

The following buildings were consumed: South of the bakery, Johnson's saloon and Rees' paint shop, ad north, Bonn's saloon and the long wooden block extending to van Buren Street.

The losses, as near as we can ascertain them, are as follows: № 298. paint shop of James C Rees, loss $200; no insurance. The building was owned by Osborn & Newhall, and was worth about $1,500. It was insured.

№ 296, a small saloon occupied by G. Johnson, loss $300. The building was owned by a widow lady living on the West Side, and was worth, probably, about $500.

№ 294, Louis Grossman's bakery and a stable in the rear. Loss $800; insured for $500. The building wqas owned by J.Busch, and was values at $1,500; insured for $800.

№ 292, a two-story building, occupied below by A. Bonn as a lager b eer saloon, and above by his family. Bonn's loss is about $300. The building was owned by Michael M. Gellan, and valued at $1,500; insured for $800 by the Merchant's insurance company.

The next building was the long block, № 282 to 290 inclusive, extending to Van Buren Street. It was owned by Boone & Larmon, and valued at $10,000, with an insurance of $7,000. The upper floor was occupied entirely by families, the lower part as follows: № 282, Mrs Pinkerton's millinery establichment. The stock was all saved. № 284 and 286, vacant. № 288, Beishoff's furniture store; stock mostly removed. № 290, A. Alexander's ice cream saloon, loss of $500; insured for $300 at Merchant's Insurance i Philadelphia. № 290½, P. Power's seconf hand clothing and furniture store, loss $500; No Insurance.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

Chicago's First Crime King, Irishman Michael Cassius McDonald. (1839-1907)

Though long-forgotten by many, latecomers like Capone, Torrio and Colosimo owe a debt of gratitude to Michael Cassius McDonald, the man who brought together criminals and elected officials, setting the stage for organized crime in Chicago. During a 50-year career in the underworld, journalists, gangsters, mayors, and even one President of the United States took orders from Chicago's original crime boss.

Michael Cassius McDonald arrived in Chicago just before the Civil War. A teenage runaway from Niagra Falls, New York, McDonald knew no one in Chicago. His childhood friend and fellow freight train jumper, Henry Marvin, died en route and was buried by McDonald without fanfare.
Michael Cassius McDonald


In the 1850s, Chicago became the nation's railroad hub, opening the city to a flood of eager young men with big ideas. For years, young men like Marshall Field, who opened a retail emporium in downtown Chicago, and George Pullman, creator of the eponymous sleeping and dining cars that made travel by train comfortable, later carried President Abraham Lincoln's body on a final journey from the White House to Springfield, Illinois, and Aaron Montgomery Ward, the founder of retail catalog sales, and an advocate for keeping Chicago's lakefront "open, clear and free" forever.

But when Mike McDonald rode the rails in the 1850s, passengers sat on hard wooden benches as they stared at an unchanging landscape through sooty windows.  With little to occupy bored passengers after consuming lunches brought from home, passengers eagerly welcomed the sight of boys called "candy butchers" who trudged through the aisles.  In exchange for a few pennies and free transportation to Chicago, runaways and orphans clad in ragged clothing peddled goods for the railroad. Sympathetic passengers, mistakenly believing that the boys received their fair share of profits, bought poor-quality goods from the candy butchers.  And Michael Cassius McDonald was the most successful candy butcher of his time.

An Enterprising Lad
Slight in stature, he peddled books and fruit to kind-hearted ladies. Male passengers, duped by his innocent appearance, took candy home only to discover when opened by a loved one, the boxes were half empty. Eager to increase his profits, McDonald expanded his business to include phony raffle tickets. Chicago crime writer Richard C. Lindberg credits McDonald with inventing the "prize package swindle." Lindberg explains that McDonald guaranteed a cash prize of up to $5 in every box of candy purchased. Most prizes amounted to a few cents, but once hooked by the possibility of a big prize, greedy passengers tried and tried again, leading McDonald to proclaim, "There is a sucker born every minute" long before film star W.C. Field uttered the famous phrase.

Most boys were tired of the grind, working long days for pennies and sleeping in dirty railroad yards a  night. But, now in his late teens, McDonald wasn't like most boys. He expanded his business. He learned to play cards from wealthy passengers, not afraid to gamble tidy sums of money. A keen observer of human behavior, McDonald watched their body language as they bluffed and wagered through intense poker games. S on, he exchanged his ragged clothes for the attire of a card sharp: a crisp suit, polished shoes and an ever-present cigar.  e continued to work days, but at night, he joined floating card games in The Sands, Chicago's vice district, going up against some of the best card sharps in the country.

Until the election of Mayor John Wentworth in 1857, Chicago officials unofficially tolerated The Sands, but within a few weeks of his first term, Mayor Wentworth declared war on The Sands. Literally, overnight, the mayor and his police force destroyed The Sands, burning to the ground or tearing down every shack, brothel and gambling parlor after issuing a 30-minute warning to occupants to get out.

But Mike McDonald was not discouraged. He correctly predicted that gambling, no longer contained in one Chicago neighborhood, would spread throughout the city, making finding gamblers harder for police. In fact, the police force was so inept that Mayor Wentworth fired the entire department until public pressure forced him to reverse his decision.

Discrimination against the Irish and Irish Americans prohibited McDonald from applying for many honest jobs; elected officials enacted legislation banning immigrants from holding city jobs. But McDonald's il gal business was flush with a customer base, including politicians, judges and city officials.

Gaming the System
McDonald operated Chicago's most successful floating faro game, a European card game popularized in America by Wyatt Earp and Mississippi Riverboat gamblers. Played with a unique deck of cards laid out on an elaborately decorated card table with hidden compartments to allow dealers to skim money, players had little chance of winning. Occasionally McDonald instructed his dealers to adjust the game in favor of influential business leaders but quipped, "Never give a sucker an even break" – another phrase later popularized by W. C. Fields. Games often ended in violence, but by this time, local cops could be called upon to remove the angry patron in exchange for a bonus from McDonald's men.

When President Abraham Lincoln called upon Illinois citizens to sign up for duty in the Union Army, McDonald did his best to aid the call to action. Though able-bodied, 22-year-old Mike McDonald did not enlist in The Irish Brigade. Instead, he organized groups of bounty jumpers. These men collected a $300 signing bonus called a bounty and then deserted the army as soon as possible with money in hand and returned to Chicago to enlist under an assumed name. McDonald pocketed 50% in exchange for a promise of immunity from a crime punishable by hanging. Government officials desperate to fill quotas looked the other way as McDonald signed up Chicago's drunken, derelict and destitute men. During the first two years of the Civil War, Illinois supplied more than 130,000 men to the Union army. McDonald's accumulated enough money to purchase a saloon and adjoining gambling parlor in a luxury Chicago hotel.

Perhaps it was ready access to an unlimited supply of alcohol that fueled McDonald's violent temper. On one occasion, he punched and kicked a 60-year-old woman who owned a roadhouse he frequented; he knocked down a man who tried to steal his handkerchief; he pummeled a man in a saloon, and when the poor fellow tried to defend himself against McDonald, the police hauled the man off to jail.

Chicago and Mike McDonald prospered as the nation suffered through the Civil War. Businessmen in tow to negotiate lucrative Union contracts, White southerners displaced by war and Confederate soldiers, and escapees from a prison camp on Chicago's south side provided a steady stream of gamblers at McDonald's gambling hall. Through his wealthy customers, McDonald learned of skyrocketing land values caused by the demand for new factories and housing for workers, and he invested heavily in real estate. By the war's end, McDonald owned several buildings, four gambling clubs and a liquor distributorship.

His notoriety attracted women of a specific type: young and flashy. Isabella or Belle Jewel met Michael McDonald when she danced in the chorus line at a popular theater where John Wilkes Booth performed Shakespeare. Smitten by Bell's beauty, McDonald quickly welcomed her into his circle of friends, introducing her as Mrs. McDonald, though they never married. They dined in the finest restaurants and lived in an exclusive neighborhood. Whether it was physical abuse at McDonald's hand or his habitual drunkenness that drove Belle to leave him after seven years, she did so with a flair for the unexpected. The former chorus girl, no longer the belle of the ball, joined a St. Louis convent, where she remained until she died in 1889.

Michael Cassius McDonald served jail time in 1869. He was arrested for allegedly stealing $30,000 from an assistant cashier of the Chicago Dock Company. The cashier had given the money to McDonald to finance his gambling operations. McDonald was unable to afford bail, and, consequentially, spent three months in prison prior to being acquitted at his trial. He never served prison time again.

The Great Chicago Fire
A few weeks after Belle's sudden departure from Chicago, the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 destroyed most of Chicago and every personal possession, business and building McDonald owned. Chicago and Michael Cassius McDonald were ruined, but not for long.

Chicago began rebuilding almost immediately after the outgoing mayor honored hundreds of dead citizens by closing saloons for one week.

By the end of the year, McDonald married Mary Ann Noonan Goudy, a stunning 24-year-old divorcee and mother of two. She and her toddlers moved into the house McDonald had shared with Belle Jewel.

Thousands of laborers rushed to Chicago to build new houses for over 90,000 homeless citizens (Chicago Shelter Cottage Kits Built Immediately After the Fire). For months, skilled tradesmen arrived at a busy railway station in the heart of a red-light district where McDonald set up a shabby but conveniently located ga bling parlor. To outsmart competing gambling parlors in the area, McDonald hired well-dressed men to greet passengers as soon as they arrived. Yes, McDonald's men knew where to get a hot meal and, incidentally, an "honest" card game to pass the time while looking for employment.

McDonald's business drew the attention of Chicago's new mayor, Joseph Medill, co-owner of the Chicago Tribune; Mayor Medill tried to shut him down. Medill successfully lobbied the state legislature to increase penalties for owners of gambling parlors. He forced saloon owners to close on Sunday, the one day a week that laborers were free to enjoy a drink or two at their neighborhood tavern. He ordered his police superintendent to raid gambling parlors. When he was lax in carrying out his duties, Medill's newspaper published a list of known gambling parlors and their locations.

With the support of the liquor distributors association and the publisher of a competing newspaper, McDonald publicly opposed the mayor's edict to close saloons on Sunday. For a while, saloons remained open, but owners dimmed the lights, locked the front door and admitted patrons through a side or back door.

Well aware that the police superintendent knew his men took bribes from gambling parlors, including his own, McDonald threatened to expose him. As a compromise, McDonald and others under his protection received advance notice of impending raids. For the benefit of the public, police officers removed gambling equipment they stored for pickup by the owners the following day. On occasion, the police smashed furniture, but only well-worn or broken items chosen by the owner. McDonald posted bail if an employee or gambler was inexplicably arrested in the raids.

Mayor Medill continued to pressure McDonald's, but the gambling king emerged victorious. The police superintendent and his successor were fired. Mayor Medill fled to Europe to seek treatment for unnamed health issues. McDonald successfully fully offered his own candidate to replace Mayor Medill. With a new mayor in office, McDonald flourished. Upon McDonald's request, Mayor Harvey Colvin repealed the law that banned the sale of alcohol on Sundays. Recognizing McDonald's ability to get things done, Chicago's gambling community clambered for McDonald's support – the result, Chicago's original crime syndicate. Flush with payoffs from politicians who paid McDonald hush money in connection with their own shady businesses and funds contributed by small and big-time gamblers, McDonald opened the most notorious gambling house in America.

The Store
In September 1873, the beautifully crafted wooden doors of McDonald's 24/7 department store of gambling, popularly known as "The Store," swung open to reveal the luxurious interior of a multi-story brick building: fine carpets, thick velvet drapes and gleaming mirrors. A cigar store that sold the finest imported cigars and a saloon stocked with the best wines available occupied the ground level. On the second floor, a staff of impeccably dressed men stood behind oak gambling tables, ready to greet well-heeled players. The Palace European Hotel, little more than a fancy rooming house, welcomed out-of-town gamblers on the third floor. No longer happy to occupy the home of her husband's former lover, Mary and the kids lived together on the upper floor with McDonald as an occasional overnight guest.

McDonald extended credit to politicians who walked over from City Hall and U.S. Senator James G. Fair. A frequent visitor from Nevada, Fair made millions from co-ownership of the Comstock Lode, the richest silver mine in the United States, and from a partnership in a California railroad, Fair couldn’t resist paying a visit to The Store when he changed trains in Chicago on his way to work in Washington, D.C. Sir Charles Russell, a member of the British Parliament, played poker at The Store. McDonald treated with generosity wives who complained their husbands gambled away the family rent money, refunding their losses and vowing to ban them from The Store. He contributed to charities. When someone asked McDonald for a contribution of $2 to help defray the cost of burying a fallen police officer, he quipped, “Here’s $10, bury five of them.”

Despite McDonald’s dislike of policemen, he kept some on his payroll. He brandished a pistol at a large political gathering, but officers on duty kept their distance. Police escorted drunken voters to a polling place set up at McDonald’s business, where he offered naturalization papers and voter registration forms on the spot. During a drunken rage, he broke the nose of a stranger who commented on a newspaper article unfavorable to McDonald and his supporters. The man filed criminal charges, but the case never reached the court. McDonald assaulted a newspaperman and threatened to cut off his ear. When arrested for the attempted murder of a rival gambler, a police officer escorted him to jail in a special carriage and recommended to the judge McDonald be released on bail immediately. Of course, he was acquitted of all charges, and that evening, he held a banquet for judges, city officials and police officers.

For a time, members of the Chicago police force disregarded department orders to raid The Store. But occasionally, policemen showed up unannounced. One evening, a group of officers bounded into The Store and up the stairs to the family living quarters with a warrant to arrest McDonald. Mr. McDonald was not home then, but Mrs. McDonald was. She responded by firing two shots at the policemen. Charged with attempted murder, she was led to a penitentiary where she stayed just until her husband hired an expensive lawyer named Alfred Trude and bribed a judge who released Mary before reprimanding the policemen for their unlawful raid of the McDonald family home.

Like her husband, Mary enjoyed keeping company with minor celebrities who performed in Chicago’s many theaters. She quickly fell in love with Billy Arlington, an African-American banjo player who lived with his wife Julia on Chicago’s South Side. Mary showered Arlington with gifts and even brazenly introduced him to her husband at a dinner party. When Billy had to leave Chicago for a performance in San Francisco, Mrs. McDonald followed. By the time they reached Denver, Mary declared her undying love for Billy Arlington in a letter she mailed home to her husband. Undeterred, McDonald followed the couple to San Francisco, where he threatened Billy and Mrs. McDonald with a loaded pistol.

McDonald forgave his wife for her indiscretion. He promised his wife a new home away from The Store and sealed the deal when he moved his family to a limestone mansion on a wide boulevard lined with houses of prominent Chicagoans, including the mayor.

Mary promised to be faithful, and for a while, she was. Through her husband's generous contributions to a local Catholic Church, she met Father Joseph Moysant. While church workers completed the preparation of his living quarters at the church, Mary offered the priest a spare room, and often her own room, in the McDonald's spacious mansion. On one occasion, they took a secret trip out of town. They continued a clandestine affair undetected for two years until they decided to leave Chicago forever.

Like Belle Jewel, Mary left Chicago wearing a nun's habit, but she had no intention of joining a convent. The lovers took a train to New York, where they boarded a ship bound for Paris. This time, it took McDonald two months to track her down. Under the advice of his lawyer, Alfred Trude, the man who defended Mrs. McDonald against the attempted murder of a policeman, McDonald filed for a divorce. Shak n by his wife's latest infidelity, he lamented to a friend, "When you cannot trust your wife and your priest, whom can you trust?"

Though busy operating his gambling parlor, collecting protection money and distributing police bribes, McDonald ran some honest and not-quite-honest enterprises. He bought the Chicago Globe newspaper, rivaling former Mayor Medill’s newspaper, the Chicago Tribune. He commanded hustlers and pickpockets to stay clear of the area around the Columbian Exposition so as not to damage Chicago’s reputation while it hosted millions of fairgoers. At a private meeting in the White House, he persuaded President Chester Arthur to pardon a colleague convicted in a Ponzi scheme. 

He operated a racetrack. He invested in a quarry that sold limestone to city contractors at inflated prices. He hired a crew to paint city hall with a special liquid guaranteed to render the crumbling building waterproof and fireproof, billing the City of Chicago $180,000 for a job estimated at $30,000. The unique liquid turned out to be a worthless mixture of lime, lead and linseed oil.


He built the West Side Lake Street 'L' that connected the Loop, which began service on November 6, 1893. Regular passenger service began between Madison Street and Market Street to California Avenue. Over 50,000 passengers rode on the first day. The line was extended west to Homan Avenue on November 24, 1893, to Hamlin Avenue in January 1894, to 48th Avenue (now Cicero Avenue) in March 1894, and to 52nd Avenue (now Laramie Avenue) in April 1894. When the completed Loop opened on October 3, 1897, the Lake Street Elevated became the first line to utilize the entire quadrangle. So shrewd was Michael McDonald that he bribed city aldermen thousands of dollars to buy their votes—ensuring that one of the train stops was near one of his illegal racetracks on the West Side.

McDonald was a busy man, but still, a man who loved women. At age 56, he married a 21-year-old Jewish actress named Dora Feldman, who he remembered from the times she and his son played together as schoolmates. Like McDonald, Dora was divorced, and like his former wife, the new Mrs. McDonald was attracted to artistic types. For a few years, the couple was happy to host lavish dinner parties in the home McDonald purchased for Dora and to dine late at night in fine restaurants after the theater or opera. But McDonald was getting older and slowing down. While he spent his afternoons napping, Dora sneaked away to meet her teenage lover, Webster Guerin. Guerin couldn’t support himself by selling his paintings, so Dora set him up in a picture-framing business downtown. Whether or not McDonald suspected his wife of carrying on a long-term affair, he continued to love his wife, even to the point of converting to Judaism and not questioning how she spent his money.

When Dora suspected that Webster Guerin was seeing another woman, who, in fact, was his brother’s girlfriend, she became enraged. She threatened to kill the woman. She threatened to kill Guerin. On a cold February morning, Dora burst into her lover’s office and shot him dead in full view of witnesses. Though she admitted to the police she killed her lover, she told her husband that she killed the man because she was blackmailing her. McDonald paid for her defense, a team of prominent lawyers led by Alfred Trude, who defended his first wife against a charge of attempted murder.

The scandal took a toll on McDonald, and he did not live to see his wife acquitted of murder. Michael Cassius McDonald died with his former wife, Mary, at his side, and McDonald had $2 million in assets ($65M today).

Michael Cassius McDonald was interred at Mount Olivet Catholic Cemetery on August 9, 1907, in Chicago, Illinois.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.