The Chicago Home Insurance Building: The Pioneer of Skyscraper Architecture in 1885.

Standing tall and proud amidst the bustling streets of Chicago, the Home Insurance Building etched its name in the annals of architectural history as the world's first true skyscraper.

Designed by the visionary architect William Le Baron Jenney, this impressive 138-foot-tall, 10-story structure revolutionized how buildings were conceived and constructed, paving the way for modern skyscrapers that dominate cities worldwide. Construction of the Home Insurance Building began in 1884 at the Northeast corner of LaSalle and Adams Streets and was completed in 1885.

sidebar

Two additional stories were added to the Chicago Home Insurance Building in 1890. This increased the building to 12 stories and its height to 180 feet.

CONCEPTION, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

In the late 19th century, Chicago was booming, its population swelling and its businesses expanding. The demand for office space was surging, and traditional masonry construction methods were proving inadequate to meet the growing needs. 

During Construction

The Home Insurance Building's origins can be traced back to the late 1870s when the Home Insurance Company of New York sought to establish a branch office in Chicago. The company's management envisioned a grand and imposing structure reflecting its prominence in the insurance industry. In 1884, they approached Jenney, a respected architect known for his innovative designs and use of fireproof construction. Jenney faced the challenge of creating a tall, fire-resistant building that could withstand Chicago's harsh weather conditions.

PIONEERING CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES

Interior Views

Note the full-size windows.

Jenney's solution was a 10-story, 138-foot-tall building with a frame made of wrought and cast iron, along with Bessemer rolled steel beams (steel), a revolutionary concept at the time. Before this, buildings were primarily constructed using masonry walls, limiting their height and fire resistance. The steel frame provided the strength and support needed to build taller buildings, allowing for thinner walls and larger windows hung on the steel frame. It could withstand the weight of its walls and floors. The building also featured fireproofing measures, including fireproof terra cotta cladding and hollow tiles filled with concrete.

This revolutionary design enabled the building to reach an unprecedented height of 138 feet and set a precedent for future skyscrapers.

IMPACT AND LEGACY

The Home Insurance Building was a testament to Jenney's architectural ingenuity and marked a turning point in skyscraper design. Its innovative use of a steel skeleton frame and other features established the foundation for modern skyscrapers, paving the way for taller, safer, and more efficient buildings.

The "I WILL" Postcard Series № 186C: Home Insurance Building, Chicago. From the private collection of Dr. Neil Gale. Chicago Postcard Museum.

The building's impact was immediate and far-reaching. It inspired a wave of skyscraper construction in Chicago and other cities, transforming urban landscapes and ushering in a new era of vertical architecture.

The building's impact extended beyond its structural innovations, influencing the aesthetic of skyscrapers. Its exterior, clad in terracotta panels, reflected a transition away from the heavy ornamentation of Victorian architecture towards a more streamlined and modern aesthetic.

While the Home Insurance Building was demolished in 1931 to make way for the Field Building, another skyscraper, its impact on architecture and urban development remains profound. It stands as a symbol of innovation and ingenuity, forever etched in the history of skyscrapers and the evolution of modern cities.

Architect and Engineer William LeBaron Jenney was born on September 25, 1832. He died in Los Angeles, California, on June 14, 1907, at the age of 74.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

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.

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.

Tiny Tap Bar, 112½ North Clinton Street, Chicago, Illinois. (1953-1985)

George and Bob DeLeonardis owned the Tiny Tap bar for years. There will be no more lewd laughter in the Tiny Tap, Chicago's smallest bar. on a Wednesday night, they drank all the booze. The next day they dismantled the bar. After 32 years, they've lost their lease. A three-story multi-use building was built in its place. 

The Tiny Tap bar was 10-by-20-foot (200 sq. ft.) a home to millionaires and skid row drinkers across the street from the Chicago & North Western Train Station. 

When the bar was two-deep, it was packed. They closed in April 1985.

sidebar 

Brothers Anthony and Dominick Adreani own the Tiny Tap (1,000 sq. ft) at 7648 West North Avenue, Elmwood Park, which opened in January 2015. They also own the Berwyn Tap Room, 6330 16th Street, Berwyn.

"Thank you so much for sharing this! I’m married to George’s daughter Terry, and I can attest that George and the Tiny Tap was as colorful as you described!"

—Don Meyer via Facebook. 8/5/2023   

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

Eli's The Place for Steak (1966-2005), and Eli's Famous Cheesecake Bakery, Chicagoland.

Eli Schulman was no ordinary man. A high school dropout, he gave lectures in finance at De Paul University and large amounts of money to such organizations as the Community Assistance for Secondary Education, which provides scholarships for Israeli students, and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. 

The man who proudly wore a watch given to him by Frank Sinatra and who could count such people as Jack Brickhouse, Irv Kupcinet, George Dunne, Ingrid Bergman, Joe DiMaggio and virtually every Chicago "big name" among his friends and admirers was born in Chicago in 1910.

His charitable ways began in earnest on Pearl Harbor Day when he put a pair of signs in his window: "25% discount for men in uniform" and "If you are hungry and don`t have any money, come in, and we`ll feed you free." 

Eli's Ogden Huddle, 3201 West Ogden, Chicago (1940-1966)

Eli's Stage Delicatessen, 3201 West Ogden, Chicago (1958-1984)

Eli Schulman was a successful businessman and restaurateur who had already founded two other successful restaurants (pictured above) before opening Eli's The Place for Steak.

Eli's The Place for Steak was located in a Chicago landmark building, the Galter Carriage House, which was built in 1926 as a five-story parking garage at 215 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, in the heart of Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood.

In 1960, it was expanded to become a 27-story high-rise building that housed employees and patients of Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The lower levels of the building were also used for retail and commercial purposes. 

Eli's The Place for Steak was located in the building from 1966 to 2005.

Eli Schulman

Eli's was known for its classic steakhouse fare, including aged filet mignon, ribeye, and porterhouse steaks, cut as thin or thick as you wished. The restaurant also had a wide selection of fresh seafood, pasta dishes, and chops. Eli's Chicago's Finest Cheesecake was a popular dessert that spawned its own company.

Over the years, Eli's became a popular destination for celebrity clientele. Some of the famous guests who dined at the restaurant included Frank Sinatra, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Bob Hope, Michael Jordan, and Oprah Winfrey.

During Bill Clinton's visit, Clinton helped to move some freshly baked cheesecakes from the oven to cooling trays. He also spoke with the bakery's employees and sampled some of the cheesecakes. Clinton was a big fan of Eli's cheesecake, and he had cheesecake delivered to the White House after he was elected president.

Bill Clinton and Marc Schulman.

Eli's Famous Cheesecake Bakery

Eli's Famous Cheesecake Bakery was founded in 1979 by Eli Schulman, the owner of the popular Chicago steakhouse Eli's the Place for Steak. Schulman developed the recipe for his signature cheesecake after years of experimentation, and it quickly became a hit with customers. The bakery was originally located in the basement of the restaurant.

The cheesecake became so popular that Schulman decided to open a separate bakery dedicated to cheesecake production and moved the bakery from the basement to a new location at 6701 West Forest Preserve Drive, Chicago, in 1984. 

Schulman's only son, Marc, took over the bakery in 1984. Marc continued to build on his father's legacy, and Eli's Famous Cheesecake Bakery became one of the most popular cheesecake brands in America. The bakery's cheesecakes are now sold in stores all over the United States, and they are also shipped worldwide.

Marc Schulman

Eli's Famous Cheesecake Bakery is known for its high-quality cheesecakes and its commitment to giving back to the community. 

Eli Schulman died of a heart attack on Saturday, May 7, 1988, at 78 years old. "To know this man is to love him," said Chicago Bears coach and restaurant owner Mike Ditka.

The bakery donates a portion of its profits to Eli's Cheesecake Cancer Center, which was founded in memory of Eli Schulman.

The bakery has been featured in several television shows, including The Oprah Winfrey Show and Good Morning America.

The bakery is also a popular spot for fundraising events. In 2001, Eli's Famous Cheesecake Bakery helped to raise over $1 million for the victims of the World Trade Center attacks. The bakery has also raised money for other causes, such as the Chicago Food Bank and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Eli's Cheesecake has won numerous awards, including the James Beard Award for Outstanding Baker in 2004.

Eli's Cheesecake Cancer Center

The Eli's Cheesecake Cancer Center, 676 North St. Clair Street, Chicago, opened in 1990 to honor Eli Schulman, who died of cancer. His family established the center in his memory.

Eli's Cheesecake Cancer Center, 676 North St. Clair Street, Chicago

Eli's Cheesecake Cancer Center is a cancer research, treatment, prevention, and education center located at the Prentice Women's Hospital in Chicago, IL. The center was founded in 2006 by Eli's Cheesecake Company in partnership with Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

The center is also home to the Eli's Cheesecake Foundation, which provides financial support to cancer patients and their families. The center has raised over $10 million for cancer research, helped to develop new treatments for cancer, including a new type of immunotherapy, treated over 10,000 cancer patients, and has provided education and support to over 100,000 cancer patients and their families.

On July 30, 2005, Eli's closed its doors due to the demolition of the building it was located in. The site of the restaurant is now occupied by a parking garage.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

Cagle Amusement Park, Marion, Illinois (1919-c.1967)

Cagle Amusement Park, Marion, Illinois, operated from 1919 to the late 1960s. Hosea W. Cagle constructed a large amusement resort about two miles west of Marion. The resort had a large lake, bathing pool, airplane landing strip, kiddie and preteen amusements.

This photo is a visual aid.

Part of the resort was the Marion Golf Club and a dance pavilion. The Country Kitchen restaurant was also located in the park.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

Al Capone, a big fan of jazz music, gave many now-famous jazz musicians their start in Chicago.

Louis Armstrong

Al Capone supported jazz musicians. Capone was a big fan of jazz music, and he helped to promote and support Negro jazz musicians in Chicago. 

During the Prohibition Era (1920-1933), alcohol was banned in the United States. It's claimed that Al Capone owned, in whole or part, a few hundred speakeasies in Chicago. His love for live jazz music played in speakeasies to attract more patrons. The performances saved jazz musicians from poverty and provided musicians with a steady income and stable living conditions, helping them focus on their music and promoting the development of jazz music. This also explained why the Jazz Age overlapped with the Prohibition Era.

Between 1923 and World War II, Chicago was the jazz capital of the world thanks to the Great Migration, which brought thousands of Negroes from the Deep South to Chicago's South Side. More than 70 nightclubs, ballrooms, and theatre halls lined the Douglas Community's Bronzeville Neighborhood streets, particularly along a stretch of State Street known as "The Stroll" from 31st to 39th Streets.

The Sunset Café, 315 East 35th Street, Chicago, Illinois.

Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway, Count Basie, Earl Hines, Jelly Roll Morton, Fats Waller, Billie Holiday, King Oliver and his Creole Jazz Band, and Nat King Cole all came of age in clubs owned and controlled by Al Capone. Sadly, "The Stroll" was demolished after World War II.

sidebar

The Sunset Café is highly recognized in the earliest forms of U.S. jazz history.

The Sunset Café held significant value to the infamous Al Capone. Joe Glaser's mother was the original owner of the building until her passing. She leased the building to Edward Fox and Sam Rifas, who were direct employees of Al Capone. After Louis Armstrong and Joe Glaser left for New York, Edward Fox became the sole manager of the Café and the band under the leadership of Earl Hines. Since the Café was located within the Chicago Outfit properties, that connection allowed the Sunset Café to remain open during the Great Depression, unlike many other jazz clubs.

sidebar

Joe E. Lewis, comedian, actor and singer, was attacked by Al Capone lieutenant, "Machine Gun" Jack McGurn's men in 1927 after he refused to take his act to the Green Mill Cocktail Lounge, 4802 North Broadway, which Capone partly owned.

Lewis was assaulted in his 10th-floor Commonwealth Hotel room, on November 8, 1927, by three enforcers sent by McGurn. The enforcers, including Sam Giancana and Leonard "Needles" Gianola, mutilated Lewis by cutting his throat and tongue and leaving him for dead. Capone was fond of Lewis and was upset with the assault but would not take action against one of his top lieutenants. Instead, he provided Lewis with $10,000 ($175,000 today) to aid his recovery and eventually resumed his career.

Later renamed the Grand Terrace Café when Al Capone bought a 25% stake, this "black-and-tan" (integrated) jazz club was one of the most essential venues in music history. It's where Earl "Fatha" Hines and Louis Armstrong made a name for themselves playing duets in the mid-20s. A few years later, it's where Cab Calloway and Nat King Cole landed some of their first professional gigs alongside legends like Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Sarah Vaughan, and even Benny Goodman.

When the Grand Terrace Café opened in place of the Sunset Café, pianist Earl Hines took up the mantle of bandleader. Ed Fox managed both Hines and the club. During Hines' time at the Grand Terrace, the band was broadcast nationally every weekend for an hour on WMAQ and another hour on WNEP. 

The Grand Terrace Café closed in 1940, and the building served as the district office of Congressman William L. Dawson for many years. Glaser sold the building to Meyers' father, Henry, in 1962, who then opened Meyers Ace Hardware.

Capone's support helped to make jazz music a mainstream art form.

A Chicago branch of New York City's Cotton Club was run by Al's brother Ralph "Bottles" Capone.

As a result of Capone's support, jazz music flourished during the Prohibition era, making jazz music a mainstream art form.

It is important to note that Capone's support of jazz musicians was not entirely altruistic. He saw jazz music as a way to make money and gain influence. However, his support positively impacted the development of jazz music, and he is credited with helping to make it one of the world's most popular genres of music.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

sidebar

June 28, 2023, 10:12 AM CT.

Thank you, Neil, for unequivocally portraying Al Capone the way he was. It is an excellent article. There was a reason that my family was so good to the opposition.

Your Friend,                                             

Deirdre Marie Capone 

Pullman Palace Dining Car, the Isabella, built 1893, Sandwich, Illinois.

The Pullman Palace Car Co. built the 75-foot rail car, number 4438, in 1893 for $25,000 ($843,000 today). It was a unique new design for rail dining cars and thus was featured at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition.

At the time it was built, the car was affectionately named Isabella by the Pullman Company. When visiting the rail car, you are taken back to a simpler time of railroad travel, when the journey was more important than the destination. With its original leaded glass windows and mahogany woodwork, this palace car was one of only 4 cars on the "Pride of the Burlington's Flyer" train.

The Flyer train was so successful that it was commissioned by the United States to serve our 26th president, Teddy Roosevelt. The Isabella escorted President Roosevelt from coast to coast from about 1903 through 1913. Upon campaigning for the 1912 presidential election, Teddy Roosevelt defected from the republican party and started the progressive party. While on the campaign trail, one day, while giving a speech from the train, Teddy was the victim of an assassination attempt and was severely wounded. Despite a bullet in his chest, he stood his ground and finished his speech. When taken to the hospital, he said: "I'm tough as a bull moose, and I will continue this campaign." This statement is the origin of the current name for the Bull Moose Bar and Grille.

As time passed, the Isabella was retired and sold to Henry Tattersol at a government auction in California in 1931 for $75. Tattersol had a vision of opening a diner using the train car. In 1934 the Isabella was moved to the southwest corner of Main and Church Streets in Sandwich, Illinois and opened as a small diner with its entrance on Route 34.

A year later, it was moved east across the street to its present location. It was known to the locals as "The Diner" for many years. Many famous people have hung their hats on the original brass hooks that once served the president of the United States.

Tattersall opened a small ice cream stand on the east end of The Diner in 1937 and held a naming contest. Charlotte Fields' name was chosen, and it was called The Humpty Dumpty.

The Bull Moose Bar & Grille, 202 South Main Street, Sandwich, Illinois.

In 1977 a full-service restaurant and bar were added, increasing the ability to serve more guests. Over the years, the train car's appearance changed, and the structure began to fall into disrepair. 

In 2010 a year-long major renovation was undertaken to restore the Isabella to its original glory and modernize the bar and dining room into the incredible structure you can enjoy today.

sidebar

Pullman Palace Car Company named the dining car the "Isabella." Restautant names were The Diner, Wright's Diner, Paul's Diner, Cucina Plata, Kelly's Pub, American Grill, and today, the Bull Moose Bar & Grille, 202 South Main Street, Sandwich, Illinois.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

Wilson & Company at the 1933/34 Chicago's Century of Progress World's Fair.

The Wilson & Company Certified Bacon Slicing Exhibit continuously sliced and packed 8,000 pounds of Bacon daily from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm in this beautiful modern exhibit at the 1933/34 Chicago Century of Progress World's Fair.

The 1933-34 Chicago Worlds Fair Wilson Exhibit Building.

Wilson & Co. extends a cordial invitation to all its customers and friends to see the Wilson  & Co. Exhibit Building on Northerly Island, in the heart of the Midway at A Century of Progress.

The Wilson & Co. Certified Bacon Slicing Exhibit is slicing and packing continuously from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm in this beautiful modern exhibit at the 1933/34 Chicago World's Fair, A Century of Progress.

Unique in the history of the Meat Packing Industry, a complete Bacon Slicing Room is in continuous operation in this beautifully designed building. Lovely girls in trim uniforms slice and pack 8,000 pounds of Certified Bacon daily under the same sanitary conditions found in all Wilson & Co. plants. During the 329 days the fair was open in 1933/34, 2,632,000 pounds of Bacon was sliced.

The picture above represents the Wilson deluxe Certified Sliced Bacon room in full operation on the first floor of our Exhibit Building. The giant slicer cuts 400 slices each and every minute. Girls are packing these slices of Certified Bacon with chrome tongs. No human hand touches Certified Bacon until it reaches the homes of consumers.

This room is glass enclosed and kept at a uniform temperature of 55° F. The same degree of efficiency and cleanliness is maintained in this Certified Bacon Slicing Room as is in effect in every one of Wilson & Co. plants in the United States. Wilson's Certified Sliced Bacon is Wilson Selected, Government Inspected, and Quality Controlled. It is the finest Bacon that science can produce. Millions of housewives take great pride in serving Wilson's Certified Bacon at their tables, and dealers everywhere are as proud to handle a product of exceptional quality and goodness.

Arranged around the Certified Bacon Slicing Room corridors are the interesting and instructive exhibits of all Wilson & Co. by-products, from soap to sporting goods and hair insulation.

The Wilson Terrace Restaurant and Roof Garden Restaurant are found on the second and third floors, where wholesome, satisfying plate lunches or steaks can be had at moderate prices.

The Wilson Terrace and Roof Garden Restaurants, Partial Menu.
$1.25 in 1933 Equals $29.00 in 2023.

Wilson & Co. had 10 Food Stands and the Wilson & Co. Stables at the World's Fair.

True lovers of horses will delight in the beauty of this prize-winning six-horse Clydesdale team. They participate in the "Wings of a Century" Pageant daily and are also on exhibition in their own Wilson & Co. stables on the fairgrounds.

 

History of Wilson & Company, 4100 South Ashland Avenue, Chicago, Illinois.

Wilson & Co. evolved over the years to adapt to a changing market and changing leadership. The business began in 1916 when founder Thomas Edward Wilson took control of the Chicago meat packinghouse Sulzberger & Sons Co. and rebranded it as Wilson & Company. 

By 1917, the Company ranked as one of the 50 largest industrial corporations in the United States and continued to employ thousands of workers at its plant in Chicago until the 1950s.

From its inception, Wilson & Co. has been noted for its progressive policies and efficient methods of operation. It has built an enviable reputation for efficiency of service, integrity, and high business ideals, and the same cardinal company characteristics have been instilled into all of its thousands of employees. 

Wilson & Co. held several subsidiaries that utilized animal by-products to manufacture sporting goods, pharmaceuticals, and industrial chemicals. Ashland Manufacturing ─ a subsidiary of Sulzberger & Sons Co. established in 1913 ─ manufactured athletic gear under the Thomas E. Wilson brand and became Wilson Sporting Goods in 1931.

The Company's headquarters are in Chicago, with other plants and branch houses throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. In 1916, Mr. Wilson founded the Company, heading it until 1934, when his son, Edward F. Wilson, succeeded him. The elder, Mr. Wilson, was then elected chairman of the Board.

Wilson & Co. full-page advertisement for "Wilson's Certified Brand Catsup and Chili Sauce," 1918.

Wilson's meat-packing plants are located in Chicago, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Oklahoma City, New York City, Albert Lea, Minnesota, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Nebraska City, Nebraska. Wilson & Co.'s Butter and Cheese factories are located at Abilene, Lubbock and Amarillo, Texas; Wichita, Kansas, Altus, Oklahoma City, Blackwell and McAlester, Oklahoma; Ottumwa, Cedar Rapids, Eagle Grove and Reinbeck, Iowa; Dixon and Lanark, Illinois.

The Company has upwards of 90 branch houses in the United States, in addition to the plants as mentioned above, and has branches, subsidiaries and agents in the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, as well as at other points in Continental Europe, Mediterranean Countries, South America, Central America, the West Indies, Mexico, Canada and Newfoundland, China, the Canary Islands, Singapore, Bangkok, Siam, Manila, and Batavia. There are approximately 25,000 persons employed by the Company, of which upwards of 1,000 are salesmen.

Mr. Thomas E. Wilson is a notably outstanding figure in the meat packing industry. In addition to making many valuable and constructive contributions to the industry, he was the founder of the Institute of American Meat Packers and its first president.

Timeline of Wilson & Company

March 22, 1916 - Thomas Edward Wilson is named President of the Chicago meatpacking firm Sulzberger & Sons Co. after banks force a change of management. Sulzberger & Sons had been accused of German sympathies when a shipment of meat was intercepted by a British blockade.

July 21, 1916 - Sulzberger & Sons Co. is renamed Wilson & Co.

Ashland Manufacturing – a subsidiary manufacturing athletic gear – is renamed Thomas E. Wilson & Co.

1917 - Wilson & Co. ranked as one of the 50 largest industrial corporations in the United States.

1927 - Thomas E. Wilson’s son, Edward Foss Wilson, enters the family business, starting in the stockyards.

1931 - Edward Foss Wilson named Vice President of Wilson & Co.

Subsidiary Thomas E. Wilson & Co. is renamed Wilson Sporting Goods.

1933/34 Wilson & Co. shows at the Chicago Century of Progress World's Fair. 

February 27, 1934 - Edward Foss Wilson is named President of Wilson & Co., and Thomas E. Wilson becomes Chairman of the Board.

1953 - Edward Foss Wilson becomes Chairman of the Board of Wilson & Co.

January 5, 1967 - Wilson & Co. is acquired by Ling-Temco-Vought, Inc., and its headquarters are transferred from Chicago, Illinois, to Dallas, Texas.

Ling-Temco-Vought reorganizes the company into three publicly-traded divisions: Wilson & Co. Inc. (meat), Wilson Sporting Goods Co., and Wilson Pharmaceutical & Chemical Corp.

1969 - Wilson Pharmaceutical & Chemical sold to American Can.

1970 - Wilson Sporting Goods is acquired by PepsiCo.

1976 - Wilson & Co. is renamed Wilson Foods Corporation.

1981 - LTV Corporation (Ling-Temco-Vought) divests itself of Wilson Foods.

1988 - Wilson Foods is acquired by Doskocil Companies, Inc.

1989 - Amer Group of Finland (later Amer Sports Oyi) acquires Wilson Sporting Goods.

1990 - Doskocil files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and sells off Wilson Brands division.

1995 - Doskocil changes its name to Foodbrands America, Inc.

1997 - IBP, Inc. acquires Foodbrands America, Inc. (including Wilson Foods).

2001 - Tyson Foods acquires IBP, Inc. (along with remaining Wilson meat brands).

2018 - A Chinese investor group led by Anta Sports Products acquires a majority stake in Amer Sports Oyj.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D. 

Lost Towns of Illinois - Dantown, Illinois.

Early county notes the Dantown area as a Spanish trading post being the center of Indian activity. Colonel Daniel Conklin of Ohio arrived in Macon County, Illinois, and Conklin platted the Village of Dantown in 1854.

It was about one and a half miles East of Argenta, Illinois. 

Google map of the area.

The corn whiskey distillery was the village's employer and friend to all. There were four streets, several stores, about 15 homes, a grist mill, a sawmill, and a tile yard. 

Because drinking, gambling, fighting, and flagrant debauchery, got out of hand, the village of Dantown was called "Hell's Half Acre." 

After Conklin's death, a heavy whiskey tax during the Civil War and the railroad bypassed the town by one mile to the west. Buildings were dismantled and moved or sold. It didn't take long for Dantown to disappear.

V.D. Ross operated the Dan-town distillery as late as 1910. The area's decline was accelerated when most of Macon County went dry in 1907. Up until then, Dan-Town was producing up to 100 gallons a day.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

The First Sears, Roebuck, and Co. Retail Store in Chicago, Illinois, opened in 1925.

Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck established Sears, Roebuck, and Co. in 1892.

The Sears retail store was in the "Merchandise Building," within the 1906 building complex in the North Lawndale community of Chicago. It was bounded on the North by West Arthington Street, the West by Central Park Avenue, the East by Spaulding Avenue, and the South by West Fillmore Street. 

On February 2, 1925, under the direction of Robert E. Wood, Sears opened its first retail store in the Merchandise Building, which was within the 1906 building complex in the North Lawndale community of Chicago. It was bounded on the North by West Arthington Street, the West by Central Park Avenue, the East by Spaulding Avenue, and the South by West Fillmore Street. 

A second store opened in November 1928 at Lawrence and Winchester, followed by a growing list of locations in Chicago and beyond. In the first year, less than 5% of sales came from retail; by 1931, retail represented half of the company's sales. In 1932, Sears spent a million dollars to make William LeBaron Jenney's landmark 1891 Leiter Building its State Street flagship store. This store included an optical shop and a soda fountain.

Sears, Roebuck, and Co. Chicago Tribune, Sunday, March 15, 1925, full-page Ad referring to the New Merchandise Building Store.

TOP LEFT TEXT BOX IN 1925
CHICAGO TRIBUNE AD ABOVE.

During the summer of 1928, three more Chicago department stores opened, one on the north side at Lawrence and Winchester, a second on the south side at 79th and Kenwood, and the third at 62nd and Western. 

In 1929 Sears took over the department store business of the Becker-Ryan Company. 

sidebar

The Sears exhibit at Chicago’s A Century of Progress Exposition featured “a veritable pageant of merchandising during the last hundred years.”

In March of 1932, Sears opened its first downtown department store in Chicago on State and Van Buren Streets. Sears located the store in an eight-story building, built in 1893 by Levi Z. Leiter, which housed the Stegel-Cooper department store for years. The original Chicago occupant was William Bross, who, in 1871, mounted his house on wheels and rolled it down State Street to the corner of Van Buren Street. He kept his house on wheels for several years because of the marshy conditions of the land. Leiter's building, designed by famous skyscraper architect William LeBaron Jenny, included New England granite walls.

The store sat on the corner of Van Buren, State and Congress streets, costing over a million dollars to refurbish. A 72-foot-long electric Sears sign greeted shoppers at the front entrance. A stunning black and white terrazzo covered the main floor. The State Street store was the first Sears store in a downtown shopping district, the sixth store in Chicago.

Opening day for the State Street store took place deep in the Great Depression. Local newspapers reported that 15,000 shoppers visited the new store, and several thousand people flooded the store’s employment office. Sears did everything it could to help put people to work, employing 750 Chicago workers for four months during the renovation. Once completed, Sears staffing reached over 1,000 people.

In a message to Sears Chairman Lessing Rosenwald, Illinois Governor Louis Emmerson stated, "I cannot help but feel that this opening will mean a great deal for your organization as well as for your city." Rosenwald proudly proclaimed, "We regard the opening of our new store on the world’s greatest thoroughfare as one of the high spots of our company’s history."

The sale of tombstones, farm tractors, and ready-made milking stalls caught customers’ attention within the store. The sporting goods department featured a model-hunting lodge. The toy department was second in size to Marshall Field & Company, which at one time had the world's largest toy department. 

Monorail ride in Chicago's Downtown Toy Department, November 8, 1946.

Other attractions included a candy shop, soda fountain, lunch counters, a shoe repair shop, a pet shop, dentists, chiropodists, a first aid station with a trained nurse, a children’s playground, and a department for demonstrating kitchen utensils.

There were many other milestones through the years. Sears launched the Allstate Insurance Co. and a philanthropic organization, acquired Coldwell Banker and Dean Witter, introduced the Discover Card, and was the exclusive provider of many popular brands, including Kenmore and Craftsman.

This story is true. Sears had more to offer than just merchandise:

I hope you have all seen the reports about how Sears is treating its reservist employees who are called up for World War II (1939–1945) service? By law, they are required to hold their jobs open and available, but nothing more. Usually, people take a big pay cut and lose benefits as a result of being called up in WWII. Sears voluntarily paid the difference in salaries and maintained all company benefits, including medical insurance and bonus programs, for all reservist employees for up to two years. Sears is an exemplary corporate citizen and should be recognized for its contribution.

Descending to the basement, you’d ride the world’s skinniest escalator. Turn left, and you were in a wonderland of Craftsman tools. Turn right, and you were in a Hillman’s grocery store.

Sears, Roebuck, and Co. Chicago State Street Store closed its doors on April 6, 2014.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.