Things to do / Travel Guide
With the vast migrations of people to have settled in Chicago and southern Wisconsin, history is apparent on this region's every street corner. From the devastating Chicago fire and the city's rebirth, to the fight for change in social welfare, Chicago and southern Wisconsin is rich with historical places waiting to be explored.
Chicago
Chicago's oldest building, the Henry B. Clarke House, was built in 1836 in the Greek Revival style, and is now part of the Prairie Avenue House Museum, south of the downtown area. Together with the Glessner House, the museum showcases examples of what life was like in the Prairie Avenue District for everyday people before and after the Great Fire. While most of Chicago's downtown was razed after the 1871 Great Chicago Fire, a few structures survived.
The plaques marking the site of Fort Dearborn, built in 1803 but demolished in 1856, commemorate the fort that stood as an important western military garrison until 1812. The plaques, near the Michigan Avenue Bridge and Wacker Drive, provide etched glimpses of what Chicago life was like in the very beginning.
Widely commemorated as one of the only surviving structures after the Great Fire, the Chicago Water Tower was built on the Magnificent Mile in 1869 with amazing limestone brickwork. At 154 feet high, it is no longer functional, but it's nevertheless impressive to look up at. Standing on the spot where the actual fire began is the Chicago Fire Department Academy, a very fitting reminder of such a great tragedy. Adorned with a plaque explaining the incident, the Academy serves as a great memorial to the Great Fire.
The Michigan Avenue Bridge, completed in 1920, links the Loop with North Michigan Avenue's Magnificent Mile. On the southwest corner is one of the plaques marking the site where Fort Dearborn stood, while the plaque on the north end marks the homestead of Chicago's first settler, Jean Baptiste Point du Sable. The sculptures around the area are both artistic and controversial, as they depict the Native Americans of the time as savages, and as the enemy during the battles for Chicago. Nevertheless, the bridge is the most photographed spot in Chicago, more for its beauty than for its history.
It took nearly 60 years to build the Soldiers Home, as new additions were set in place from its inception in 1864, through to 1923. Located on East 35th Street, the veterans' home is the last surviving structure in the Chicago area directly connected to the American Civil War. During the war it served as a hospital for recovering Union soldiers, and later it was used as a home for those disabled after combat.
Ida B. Wells was a prominent and well known African American figure in the early 20th Century. An activist and outspoken critic of lynching and mob violence, she received international attention for her writings on the subject. She was also one of the founders of the NAACP. Her house is on display as a museum, also close to East 35th Street.
When social hostilities were plaguing Chicago during the late 1800's, the Jane Addams Hull-House in Little Italy served as a settlement house for people seeking social reform and equal opportunities. Touring the house is an adventure in time travel as it becomes apparent through the exhibits how the Hull-House residents went from poverty-stricken miscreants, to productive members of society. They learned various trades and arts, and gained a valuable sense of self-worth.
The poverty and hardship of the times was captured to-the-note by blues music, especially at the Chess Records Office and Studio, located on Michigan Avenue south of the Loop. Built in 1911 as a store-front property, but remodeled in 1956 by Leonard and Phil Chess, the studio became a creative home for blues and rock greats like Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, and Howlin' Wolf. After a while it was where such hits as “Johnny B. Goode” and “Rescue Me,” were recorded, and in later years it was used for the Rolling Stones and the Yardbirds who wanted a more raw feel to their records. It's a great visit for Chicago Blues and Rock enthusiasts, complete with pictures of blues greats adorning the walls, and a gift shop!
Southern Wisconsin
In Milwaukee there are a few historic districts with lots to show. These are the Historic Third Ward, a factory and warehouse district on North Milwaukee Street; Walker's Point, a 19th-century neighborhood on West National Avenue; Old World Third Street, with its 19th-century German roots; and Yankee Hill, a Victorian neighborhood on East State Street. Walking tours are the best for experiencing these areas.
What would the United States be without the hog? Harley-Davidsons are an icon in U.S. culture. Started in 1903 by William S. Harley and his good buddy Arthur Davidson created an empire that exists more than 100 years later. Just outside of Milwaukee, in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin stands the Harley-Davidson power train engine factory. Take a gander at how the engines are built for the hogs, while taking in vintage bikes on display, and a video on the company's history.
For the more refined adventurer, the Captain Fredrick Pabst Mansion in Milwaukee is complete with period furniture. You can take a walking tour of one of the most magnificent homes in Wisconsin. It's a great throwback to early Milwaukee, and how the elite lived.
For a glimpse into immigrant Wisconsin, try Old World Wisconsin about a half hour north of Milwaukee. It is home to 65 immigrant structures that have been relocated from throughout the state, and stands to be one of the first African American communities in Wisconsin. It pays homage to Wisconsin's immigrant citizens of the past, complete with exhibits on immigrant life from countries like Germany, Poland, and Switzerland.
New Glarus
While there is not a specific historical place to see in New Glarus, the entire city is filled with old time Swiss charm. Walking around the city, you'll see throwbacks to the nineteenth century when people churned their own butter and the Swiss culture was running through ever crevice of the city.
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