Betcha didn't know about Chicago... (stadium, title, county)

[RedLineBlueLine]

In the late 19th century and early 20th century, the streets on the southside were constantly caked with mud. It was so bad that the inhabitants who owned horses were going broke because their horses would break their ankles constantly on the rough terrain. What would be a 15 minute trip driving into the loop would have a day-long trek for some due to the terrible road conditions.

So, the city too initiative to solve the problem and raised up all of the streets on the south side between four and ten feet! It was a project that took twenty years and a lot of innovative thinking. Many buildings needed to be moved and were actually uprooted and dragged to a new location. Some while people were still inside in the case of a few hotels and houses.

There is still much evidence of this project today as in the Pilsen, Bridgeport, and Heart of Chicago neighborhoods, some buildings still find their bases up to ten feet below street level.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by RedLineBlueLine

In the late 19th century and early 20th century, the streets on the southside were constantly caked with mud...

So, the city too initiative to solve the problem and raised up all of the streets on the south side between four and ten feet! It was a project that took twenty years and a lot of innovative thinking. Many buildings needed to be moved and were actually uprooted and dragged to a new location. Some while people were still inside in the case of a few hotels and houses...

This did not only happen on the south side. It happened on the north and west sides as well-although perhaps on higher instance on the south side.

[MannheimMadman]

My Bridgeport apartment on Canal was like that. I think I walked 4 or 5 steps down into our 3-flat. My friends were bamboozled.

[Attrill]

They installed the sewer system at the same time they raised the streets - in some neighborhoods they just laid the sewer pipes on the ground and built the streets up over them. I'm in Logan Square and our backyard is about 4 feet lower than the street and alley. As you get closer to downtown you can see that the difference increases. In Bucktown and West Town the yards of old houses are about 6 to 7 feet lower than the streets. All the sewage just went into the river.

[linicx]

I suppose by now everyone knows Chicago was founded by a black French Canadian who lived in Peoria, Illinois. But did you know Peoria was the County seat for several years before Cook County was formed? ~ so sayeth the Peoria Historical Society.

[linicx]

Did you know the night of the Great Chicago Fire (October 8, 1871) a second fire erupted that was the worst recorded forest fires in American history? It killed a still unknown number of people. The Great Peshtigo Fire of 1871

[UnderTheLiveOaks]

Originally Posted by paytonc

Maxton?! Woah, that's pretty far down east. They apparently make the vegetarian soups there.

Nope. Not Maxton. My hometown's in SC, and the Campbell's plant closed 20 years ago and is now occupied by a different factory.

But solid sleuthing!

[paytonc]

Originally Posted by RedLineBlueLine

So, the city too initiative to solve the problem and raised up all of the streets on the south side between four and ten feet!

The Aug issue of Chicago Magazine featured a comic version of this:
Raising Chicago: An Illustrated History - Chicago magazine - August 2010 - Chicago

Originally Posted by CarolinaBredChicagoan

My hometown's in SC

Oh. As a Tar Heel, I'm sorry to hear that.

[UnderTheLiveOaks]

Originally Posted by paytonc

Oh. As a Tar Heel, I'm sorry to hear that.

Lived there, too.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

-Wrigley Field has hosted more professional football games than any other stadium in the nation.

You know, this actually wasn't the case when you posted it -- that distinction had belonged to Giants Stadium as of 2003 owing mostly to being host to two teams. But now that Giants Stadium is gone, the title has reverted back to Wrigley Field. Lambeau Field will take the torch within a few seasons, and then continue to keep the title until the Earth is reduced to a smoldering orange and gray cinder.

What I haven't sorted out though is why Lambeau doesn't already hold the title. It has been a pro football venue for 3 seasons longer than Wrigley was (as of the end of the 2009 season) but it's still some 40 games behind Wrigley in number of pro football games hosted.