Betcha didn't know about Chicago... (Bensenville, Morris: credit, homes, movie theaters)

[SloopyJ]

A recent post by Avengerfire said: "One thing (although unrelated) that most people dont know, is part of Chicago is in Dupage county. Even before the city bought half of Bensenville, part of O'Hare and some of the land the city owns around it are in DuPage county."

OK, I did know that, but it still got me thinking, it might be cool to start a thread of things you know about Chicago that most people probably don't.

Like, didja know that the city grid is 8 blocks to a mile (yes, you know that) except between Madison and 31st Streets? Turns out that Madison to Roosevelt (0 to 1200) is one mile; Roosevelt to Cermak (1200 to 2200) is one mile; and Cermak to 31st (2200 to 3100) is one mile. Then it's back on the 800-to-a-mile grid.

[Lookout Kid]

I found these online without any credit given:



-The Chicago Cubs' Wrigley Field is the last Federal League ballpark still standing.

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

-Wrigley is affected by wind conditions more than any other major league park. Breezes off Lake Michigan favor pitchers, but winds blowing toward Lake Michigan take homers with them.

-Ivy was planted on the outfield walls of Wrigley in 1937 by Bill Veeck, originally 350 Japanese bittersweet plants and 200 Boston ivy plants.

-The world-famous Harlem Globetrotters got their start in Chicago as the "Savoy Big 5." They played their first game at Chicago's Savoy Ballroom in 1926 and became the Harlem Globetrotters in 1927.

[teshorr]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

I found these online without any credit given:
-Wrigley Field has hosted more professional football games than any other stadium in the nation.

Is that correct--football? Seems like it should mean baseball?

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by teshorr

Is that correct--football? Seems like it should mean baseball?

The Bears used to play there.

[MarquettePark]

Chicago has the least amount of lake coastline then any other city on the great lakes, but controls and purifys more fresh water than LA, New York, and Hoover Dam in Nevada combined.

Chicago is the only city, government, in the history of mankind to reverse the flow of a major river, and this feat was done before the turn of the century

63rd and racine ashland halstad, from 1928 to 1959 was the highest concentration of Jewish Communists/non jewish communists living in a single community other than the soviet union itself (and they still voted for Daley how about that)

Did you know the single stone coloum (post made of stone) on Balbo and the lake was a gift by high ranking fascists from Italy who flew from Rome to Chicago in amphibian sea planes during the 1932 worlds fair/expo. The coloum is from the Collesuim in Rome.

Did you know that Ford City Mall, was a huge war materials plant, and has tunnells underneath it big enough to fit two B-25 Mitchell Bombers side by side and the tunnells span out as far east as 71st and damen and as far south as 127th and cicero. My brother and I were arrested for breaking into the section in front of what used to be Tally;s pub, Venture, and the original Movie Theaters. The steam you see pouring out of a sewer grade on Pulaski and 111th,, in front of the Agro School is also an entrance and a three lane driveway for storage of war materials

Did you know the Nuclear Bomb, the very first one was designed, built and preassembled on 63rd strret at the U of C, and their waste products were dumped in the woods where 95th street ends to the west

Did you know Chicago has the highest concentration of Lithuanians, than Lithuania itself, and the first post coldwar president of Lithuania, born and raised in my hood MarquettePark 69th street

Did ya know that a black man by the name of Joe Morriss ran the Meto Water Reclaim District from its infancy in the late forties to the late eighties, The District is still the envy of the world, and one of the few places in America where the Japanesse, and the Dutch come to learn how to manage water.

Didya know if you learn and master the Chicago Building Code you would be overeducated in any country city in the world as far as building a structure or construction.

Didya know most kosher meat consumed in Israel, is made here

Didya know the Nation of Islam and its current leadership, maintain 606 zipcode addresses as well as homes, and tax records

Didya know all Campbell's soup is made here in Chicago, every can

Didya know most Suzy Q;s, Twinkies, Ding Dongs are baked here and shipped out to the country

Didya know the worlds largest oven is on 73rd and kedzie and is two and a half blocks long, its located in Marquette Park, and if you live there, you know the days they are baking oreos, and the days they are baking crackers

Didya know 90% of Kool Aid, and all Pop Rocks, are made at 74th and maplewood MarquettePark by the General Brands Company

Didya know that Batman, created by Bob Kane was conceived and origiinally drawn here in Chicago, and Gotham City is really Chicago, with a little bit of london thrown in, I met Bob Kane and he told me this, that is why Christopher Nolan, decided to film the next two Batman movies here

Didya know the worlds first Color TV Camera, was purchased and operated here in Chicago by WGN,

Didya know the worlds first VCR, was purchased and operated here in Chicago by WLS TV

Didya know that WLS Radio can be heard in forty states, and every Canadian Provence

Ive got more, but I will let you digest these,

PS: Dont try and prove me wrong on any of these because I either have the receipts, documentation, or I am related to the original source

[outsider1]

Originally Posted by MarquettePark

Did you know the single stone coloum (post made of stone) on Balbo and the lake was a gift by high ranking fascists from Italy who flew from Rome to Chicago in amphibian sea planes during the 1932 worlds fair/expo. The coloum is from the Collesuim in Rome.

I could be mistaken, but I think that they actually re-named the street in honror of general Balbo, who lead that expedition and eventually went on to become the head of Mussolini's air force. Somehow they forgot to re-name the street again, upon approaching Scicily in 1943. I guess it's kind of "iffy" to name places after foreign "dignitaries" while they're still alive

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by teshorr

Is that correct--football? Seems like it should mean baseball?

Yep, that's correct. And that's why it's shocking. The Bears didn't move to Soldier Field until 1971. They played at Wrigley Field for 49 years.

I would think that Lambeau Field is pretty close to passing it up, though, since it was built in the 50's.

[big daryle]

What is the actual population of Chicago? Is it still about two and a half million?

[Drover]

Originally Posted by teshorr

Is that correct--football? Seems like it should mean baseball?

The Bears played in Wrigley Field for about 50 years, from about 1920 to I believe 1971. Fenway probably has the title for most hosted baseball games.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by big daryle

What is the actual population of Chicago? Is it still about two and a half million?

Somewhere right around 2.8 million