Chicago Harbor Lighthouse

Chicago Harbor Lighthouse
Year Built: 1893 1917-18 (Moved, additions)
Address: South End of the North Breakwater,
North Side of the Chicago Harbor Entrance
Date Designated a Chicago Landmark: April 9, 2003..

The official Chicago Landmark website informs..
The Chicago Harbor Lighthouse is the only surviving lighthouse in Chicago and one of only two remaining examples in Illinois. Built in 1893, the Lighthouse symbolically marks the Chicago Harbor-a historically pivotal point where the nation's maritime transportation network connected the East Coast, the Great Lakes, and ultimately the Gulf Coast. During the 1917 renovation of the breakwater, the lighthouse was moved to its present location, and its attached fog-signal room and boathouse were constructed. The Lighthouse played such a significant role in the development of Chicago that it is commemorated in a relief sculpture, entitled "The Spirit of the Waters," located near the LaSalle Street entrance of City Hall. Today its crisp white conical tower rising between two red-roofed buildings is a familiar sight along Chicago's shoreline just east of Navy Pier, where the Lighthouse continues to mark the harbor entrance..


The Lighthouse is commemorated in the relief sculpture, "The Spirit of the Waters", by John Flanagan.. located near the LaSalle Street entrance of City Hall..




Above two images taken from the Aeroballoon, floating 40 stories from above the Navy Pier..


The above image taken from Hancock Tower Observatory..

RELATED LINKS..
# Navy Pier: Smith Museum of Stained Glass ...
# Navy Pier: Chicago Skyline from Aeroballoon ..
# Chicago Harbor Lighthouse..
# Chicago Harbor Lock...
# Chicago Marine Safety Station..

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Chicago Harbor Lock..

Chicago Harbor Lock..


Breakwater and the Chicago Harbor Lock..


Navy Pier, Breakwater and the Chicago Harbor Lock..


The above images are taken from the AeroBalloon - floating 40 stories / 350-feet, from above the Navy Pier.. View more images on my Facebook Album.. click here..



RELATED LINKS..
# Navy Pier: Smith Museum of Stained Glass ...
# Navy Pier: Chicago Skyline from Aeroballoon ..
# Chicago Harbor Lighthouse..
# Chicago Harbor Lock...
# Chicago Marine Safety Station..

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Chicago Marine Safety Station

Chicago Marine Safety Station [CMSS}..
It accomodates Chicago Marine Police, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and the United States Coast Guard.
The CMSS was renovated in 2005 .. and now includes..
- High-tech computerized command center,
- Joint Operations Conference room with video screen,
- Interior space that includes three dormers,
- Floating boat dock system provided by the Chicago Park District.
The station also houses Chicago’s first geothermal system designed to decrease fuel consumption by making good use of water from the Chicago River and Lake Michigan. The Illinois Clean Energy Foundation provided the grant for the system.

This building was known by many names throughout the years, including, Coast Guard Station Old Chicago, Coast Guard Lifeboat Station Old Chicago, Coast Guard Station Chicago, Chicago Police Marine Unit Headquarters and now after the completed revitalization, it's named Chicago Marine Safety Station..

"The Marine Safety Station is a great example of the city, state, and federal governments – all working together – to benefit not only the City, but also Lake Michigan, Chicago’s greatest natural resource"..
- Mayor Richard M. Daley











REALTED LINKS..
# Navy Pier: Smith Museum of Stained Glass ...
# Navy Pier: Chicago Skyline from Aeroballoon ..
# Chicago Harbor Lighthouse..
# Chicago Harbor Lock...
# Chicago Marine Safety Station..

Read More

Chicago's Water Filtration System..

Chicago's drinking water comes from Lake Michigan..
The Water Filtration System has three important components..
- Water Intake Cribs
- Water Purification Plant..
- Pumping Station


Above image taken from the Hancock Center Observatory, shows the Water Intake Crib [located two miles off the Lake Shore] and James W. Jardine Water Purification Plant located north of Navy Pier..


Water Intake Cribs..
This is the Harrison-Dever Intake Crib, and is actually composed of two interconnected buildings. The older of these two structures, built in 1900, is the Carter Harrison Crib. In 1935, William E. Dever Crib, was completed. The Harrison-Dever Water Intake Crib provides water to the city of Chicago by pumping it through a 20 foot diameter tunnel that runs 200 feet below the lake's surface and connects the water crib complex to the James W. Jardine Water Purification Plant, located just north of Chicago’s Navy Pier.

The Harrison-Dever Intake Crib is often called the “Two-Mile Crib”, as it is located two miles off of the Chicago's lake shore.


James W. Jardine Water Purification Plant..
The Water Intake Cribs supplies water to the Jardine Purification Plant. The plant processes nearly one billion gallons of water on an average day. That Jardine Plant, along with the South Water Purification Plant, serves nearly five million consumers in the city and 118 outlying suburbs.
The filtration process takes up to seven hours to complete. During the process water passes through a number of steps, including chemical treatments at various stages. Several additives, like carbon, chlorine, and fluoride, are added to the water in the plant's intake basins. Chlorine, whose job is to kill pathogens, is added at multiple points throughout the process. Fluoride is an additive to prevent tooth decay. The final steps of the purification process include traditional filtration, using gravel and sand. Processed water is delivered to the city of Chicago and suburban areas by means of pumping stations. To ensure safe drinking water, the plant drains and cleans the intake basins each spring.


The Chicago Avenue Pumping Station..
It is a part of the historical Water Tower complex located on the north Michigan Avenue..It was erected in 1869 to equalize pressure and keep water flowing smoothly from taps. It survived the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, and became the first American Water Landmark upon its centennial anniversary in 1969.





REFERENCES:
# Wet Work..
# Chicago's Water Crib..

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Chicago Cultural Center

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Chicago Public Library/ Chicago Cultural Center..

Address: 78 E. Washington St.

Year Built: 1897

Architect: Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge

Date Designated a Chicago Landmark: November 15, 1976..

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The plaque reads..

Chicago Landmark..

The Chicago Public Library Cultural Center

Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge, architects

1897

This building was the first permanent structure of the city's public library system. Designed to be a grand civic building, its exterior appearance and it's interior spaces are based on classical Greek and Italian Renaissance precedents. The library is extensively decorated with mosaics, marbles, bronze, and two stained-glass Tiffany domes.

Designated a Chicago landmark on Nov 15, 1976

by the City Council of Chicago Landmark on November 15, 1976

by the City Council of Chicago

Richard J. Daley, Mayor

Commission on Chicago Historical and Architectural Landmarks..

Grand Stairways..
As one enters from the Washington Street, there's a welcoming grand staircase.. which one enter's through an arched Romanesque portal. It has Y-symbol in the center and names of scholars inscribed on it, like Virgil, Cicero, Plato, Whitter, Emerson, and Longfellow, among others.. The staircase is made of white Carrara marble, with medallions of green marble from Connemara, Ireland. There's also intricate mosaics of favrile glass, stone, and mother of pearl..
# For more on grand stairways.. click here..


Preston Bradley Hall..
The grand staircase leads to the Preston Bradley Hall.. It's a large room of white Carrara marble and ornately patterns. The centerpiece is a 38-foot Tiffany glass dome designed by artist J. A. Holtzer. The Cultural Center claims this to be the largest Tiffany dome in the world.
# For more on Preston Bradley Hall.. click here..


G.A.R Rotunda..
As if one ornate dome wasn't enough, there another one. A yellow-toned stained-glass dome in Renaissance pattern by the firm of Healy and Millet. The rotunda features 30-foot walls of Knoxville pink marble and mosaic floor..
# For more on G.A.R. Rotunda.. click here..


G.A.R Hall..
The hall has deep green Vermont marble walls with mahogany doors. There's ornately carved arched doors and windows and even the ceiling has beautiful ornamental details..
# For more on G.A.R Hall.. click here..

Sidney R Yates Gallery..
Originally the library's main reading room. This gallery is named for Illinois Congressman Sidney R. Yates [1909-2000], tireless advocate for the arts. The hall was "likely" designed by Robert Spencer of the lead architects of Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge.
# For more on Sidney R. Yates Gallery.. click here..


# Landmark Gallery.. For more, click here ..


# Randolph Cafe.. For more, click here...


# Chicago Cultural Center - Tiffany Windows.. For more, click here..


# Chicago Cultural Center - Photograph - Jan Theun van Rees.. For more, click here..


Y-symbol at the Chicago Cultural Center..
Y-symbol is the symbol of the City of Chicago. It represents the three branches of Chicago River, which forms an alphabet Y topography at the "Wolf Point", where the main branch of the river, divides into the North and South branches..
# For more.. click here..


What's this??
A bird or a fish???
Is there a recurrent them or just my imagination?
Check out some images..click here.. and decide for yourself!

For more on.. [click on the link..]
# Chicago Cultural Center..
# Chicago Cultural Center: Grand Stairways..
# Chicago Cultural Center: Wall inscriptions..
# Chicago Cultural Center: Preston Bradley Hall..
# Chicago Cultural Center: GAR Rotunda..
# Chicago Cultural Center: GAR Hall..
# Sidney R. Yates Gallery..
# Chicago Cultural Center - Tiffany Windows..
# Chicago Cultural Center - Photograph - Jan Theun van Rees..
# Y-symbol at Chicago Cultural Center..
# ..

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Chicago Cultural Center - Washington Street entrance

The outer hall of the Preston Bradley Hall has these inscriptions on the wall..



Benjamin Franklin, Founder of Circulating Library
Born: MDCCVI Died MDCCXC
Born: 1706.. Died 1790
[Public library is also called circulating library]





A library requires an act of faith which generations, still in darkness hid, sign in their night in witness of dawn.
-Victor Hugo
He that loveth a book will never want a faithful friend, a wholesome counselor, a cheerful companion, an effectual comforter.
-Issac Barrow
A good book is the precious life-blood of the master spirit, embalmed and treasured up on purpose for a life beyond life.
- Milton
The real use of all knowledge is this that we should dedicate that reason which was given us by God for the use and advantage of man
- Bacon

For more on..
# Chicago Cultural Center..click here..

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