Navy Pier: Chicago Skyline from AeroBalloon..

All these images were taken on August 11, 2010..
The AeroBalloon - floats 40 stories / 350 feet, from above the Navy Pier.


Safety belt tightly secured..


Navy Pier, Breakwater and the Chicago Harbor Lock..
[And in the background is the Chicago Harbor Lighthouse..]


Chicago Harbor Lock..


Marine Safety Station and DuSable Harbor..


Lakeshore Drive, Chicago River and the Ogden Slip..


Lakepoint Tower..


Navy Pier..


Jane Addams Memorial Park..


Navy Pier and Jardine Water Purification Plant..


Ferris Wheel, Navy Pier..


For a moment, everyone lifted their hands off the deck [and the image below shows how high up in the air we were].. My hands anyways were always on my camera..




This one is taken from the boat ride on Lake Michigan..

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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Navy Pier: Skyline Lake Tour..

Working on my older photos, which I never got time to publish..
Immediately after the AeroBalloon trip, images here.. I took the boat tour, "Skyline Lake Tour"..
All these images were taken on August 11, 2010..
Navy Pier: Skyline Lake Tour.


Navy Pier Headhouse and Auditorium..


Skyline with John Hancock Center in the center..


Skyline with Sears/Willis Tower in the center..


Breakwater and Chicago Harbor Lighthouse..


Chicago Harbor Lighthouse..


Chicago's Water Crib..


Chicago Harbor Lock..


Back to Navy Pier..

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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..

Read More

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..

Read More

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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