This site is part of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. It's a Native American burial…read moreground, which was altogether unexpected. Alexander Robinson helped establish relations between the Native peoples and white settlers here prior to the founding of Chicago. Robinson was leader of the Potawatomi, Ottawa, and Chippewa. Though this land was deeded to the Robinson family in perpetuity, their memory has all but disappeared. The other tombstones that once were here are no longer, and all that remains is a large stone for Alexander, and a small bulletin board that explains some of the family history. There are no services here, but there are a couple of benches near the marker. There is no parking lot at this site. However, there is a small wayside just in front of it where up to three cars can pull over, along East River Road. I've seen deer in this area almost any time I've drive along here, including today when I visited.

Unity Temple is another Frank Lloyd Wright design. It is walking distance from (only a few blocks…read moreaway) his house and studio. Make a day trip and see both of them. The Temple was part of a group of buildings added UNESCO World Heritage site recently.

Since I had a coupon from Groupon for the Unity Temple, I decided to take the hike out to Oak Park…read more It is defiantly a day trip. I took the Green Line train to Oak Park. From the train, you can walk to the Unity Temple, just follow the street signs to the Unity Temple. In the lobby, you will be given a pamphlet and a brief history about the temple. From there, you have the opportunity to take your time to walk around the temple. You certainly can tell, this masterpiece is from Frank Lloyd Wright. Granted, the temple is going under renovations, I would highly recommend taking a tour of this building.

I really enjoy this sculpture! Lovely location inside Jackson Park, this piece is massive and…read moreimpressive. It's a dozen lotus flower petals and each one is 12 feet tall. I'm a fan of Yoko Ono's art and this is one of my favorites. She gifted this to Chicago and it's her first permanent public artwork in the Americas. It's a symbol of peace.

Chi-town bridge! This bridge links Chinatown to the Mexican…read morePilsen neighborhood. Technically, this bridge is a Scherzer rolling lift bascule bridge, designed by Scherzer himself. It's not especially a pretty bridge. The whole thing needs a paint job and is all pretty rusty. It's pretty amazing that this thing moves! It's so large, that is hard to fathom. I went cruising across this bridge looking for a Taco n' Tequla festival in Pilsen. There were several 'urban campers' set up along this bridge. I wouldn't exactly call this a five star bridge.

"We build too many walls and not enough bridges." ~ Sir Issac Newton…read more Chicago! The City of Broad Shoulders is home to many a landmark from the once world's tallest building, Sears Tower, to the new Frank Gehry Bandshell! As a displaced native, I have been fortunate to have lived in a number of differing bridge cities, but I always return to my native homeland of Chicago to recharge my Soul, and with each returning visit I discover and uncover more of Chicago. It's become such an ever-changing city in the Post-Industrial era of our society, but fortunately there are still many archeological and architectural remains to link the past to the present and this brings me to The Cermak Road Bridge. To quote the landmark sign posted at the bridge, "These four massive industrial buildings clustered around the City's last-remaining double-leaf Scherzer Rolling Lift Bridge form the finest intact, early 20th-Century riverfront precinct in Chicago. Originally housing wholesale grocers, window shade manufacturers and other enterprises, the buildings represent an almost vanished aspect of the City's historic industrial character." You may recognize this Bridge as a character in numerous movies filmed around Chicago, or from many an Artist's still photograph, as it is such an iconic landmark of the great City of Chicago. Luckily for me the South Loop, Pilsen, and Chinatown are my latest haunts when I come to visit, and this great bridge ties them all together beautifully. Come here to the Cermak Road Bridge and feel the quiet history of Chicago that is lesser known than most landmarks in a City that is so iconic that it is in its entirety a great historic landmark to be cherished and renowned throughout time. I Heart Chicago!

I used to enjoy this place, sitting outside in the park near the lake. Not sure what happened this…read moreyear. Its like they fired their cook and hired someone who doesn't know anything about food. The only vegetarian item on the menu is a humus and vegetable platter with pita chips . When my food came, they were out of pita chips. The humus was a small container maybe 2 inches wide, like something you'd put ketchup in. The vegetables were grated carrots and exactly 3 sliced cherry tomatoes. Was i supposed to scoop out the humus with a cherry tomato or a piece of grated carrot? Did the person who prepared this even think about what they were putting on the plate? I paid $11 for this monstrosity and left and went elsewhere to get something to eat.

A peaceful area where many can relax, play tennis, softball, flag football, soccer or get bike…read morefixed. There is a huge parking lot, so need to worry about parking. As for me myself I run, and ride pass this place when headed toward downtown Chicago, but my only visit to this place was for Chicago Marathon training with Clock Tower Runners, which training group that meets at the tower to do training runs. Clock Tower Runners is the ONLY "free" running group in Chicago, that will prepare you for Chicago Marathon during the summer, and fall months. All paces are welcome, and they meet mostly on Saturday's at 06:30. Anyway,there is a café called "Clock Tower Café" where you can lunch and dinner if you choose to. One thing I love about this area, is that there are always activities going on, and if you would like to take the children to a park; there is one right next to the huge field at Waveland. Enjoy!

The Wabash Avenue Bridge was built in 1930. I really love walking over all of the bridges in…read moreChicago along the river. This bascule bridge In 1930, it was awarded it the "Most Beautiful" bridge.

The Clark Street Bridge, completed in 1929, is actually the eighth bridge to span the Chicago River…read moreat this location, highlighting the long history of this crossing The Clark Street Bridge is a significant part of Chicago's history and infrastructure, spanning the Chicago River in downtown Chicago and connecting the Near North Side with the Loop via Clark Street. The Clark Street Bridge is a bascule bridge, specifically a double-leaf Chicago-type trunnion bascule bridge. This "Chicago Style" is characterized by its leaves being suspended on axles (trunnions) with massive concrete counterweights located below the bridge, often in a riverbank pit. This design allows the bridge to open and close efficiently for river traffic. The Clark Street Bridge has also made its way into popular culture, notably in Carl Sandburg's poem "Clark Street Bridge." The Clark Street Bridge... - Opened: July 10, 1929 - Clear Span: 215 feet - Trunnion-to-Trunnion Span: 245 feet - Leaf Weight: 1,400 tons - Height above water:  20 feet - Construction Cost (1929): $1.4 million Bridge Tender Houses: Ornate Beaux-Arts styled bridge houses are located on the northwest and southeast corners, similar to those on the N. La Salle Street bridge.

It was a great experience to see the Clark Street bridge from underneath while taking a river boat…read morearchitectural Cruise. Admiring the structure itself with its counter weights and bridge tenner towers. The counter weights are huge concrete blocks that help the bridge raise for boat traffic.Then it was cool driving over the bridge on the way home.

After I learned the hard way that the South Side Community Art Center and the Bronzeville Visitor…read moreInformation Center were BOTH closed on a frosty January Sunday, my botched attempt to observe the spirit of Martin Luther King Day by learning about African-American history culminated with a misguided visit to Douglas Tomb. From a few blocks away I looked up in awe at the 9' bronze statue atop a towering 46' monument. It wasn't until I entered the park gate that I realized my latest mistake: not only did this guy spell his last name with one 's', but he was also white. I.e., not Frederick Douglass. [smacks self on forehead] The man who holds a high perch on the eastern fringe of the Bronzeville neighborhood goes by the name Stephen A. Douglas. Douglas was a prominent white local landowner in the area long before Bronzeville became known as the mecca of African-American history. A lifelong politician, he played a significant role in establishing America's western territories and railroads before losing the presidential election to Abe Lincoln in 1860. Douglas' belief in popular sovereignty, i.e. the notion that new territories should be allowed to individually decide on slavery by popular vote, ultimately led to his political downfall. Here at the monument, one can stand over the sarcophagus containing Douglas' dead body and carry on the longstanding scholarly debate about whether Douglas was *personally* opposed to slavery; some argue his name and monument should be removed, while others are dedicated to preserving his legacy. Even on Yelp, if you search for either the community area Douglas or the neighborhood Bronzeville, you'll see the two names superimposed on top of each other. We all know that nice guys don't get statuized, though, and with Douglas' gaze fixed at more than 50' above ground it's impossible to look him in the eye to properly judge the nuances of his character. Only one fact was and remains as true as this monument is high: the guy was prominent.

I have visited Douglas Park many times because I'm a historian of Douglas and a board member of the…read moreStephen A. Douglas Association. It's a beautiful park, very peaceful, and for several years now it has been home to the Bronzeville Historical Society, which is headquartered there. You can learn a great deal about African-American history in Chicago by talking with the charismatic founder and CEO of the society, Sherry Williams, or by settling into the upstairs library and picking out a good book. Sherry is also very knowledgeable about Douglas, his family's slaves, and the underground railroad. As an additional bonus, the park is only a short walk from the lakeshore because it is the terminus of a pedestrian bridge that runs over the railroad tracks and the highway (the bridge is currently in the process of being replaced by a spectacular suspension bridge for both bikers and pedestrians). Moreover, since October 2014, the park features a feature-length film on Douglas that can be seen at the site if the Bronzeville Historical Society is open. I produced and directed the film, which is titled "Stephen A. Douglas and the Fate of American Democracy," and which interweaves the story of Douglas' life and that of the nation from the Revolution to the Civil War. The film was made with the cooperation of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, and received a 2015 Award of Superior Achievement from the Illinois State Historical Society. It features voice acting from leading Douglas and Lincoln reenactors, clips from five historians, and several hundred images drawn from several dozen archival collections, including the Stephen A. Douglas Papers at the University of Chicago. There is no charge to enter the park, to watch the film, or to visit the Bronzeville Historical Society. All are welcome! If possible, however, come when Sherry is on site. She's a truly engaging human being. The phone number of the society is 312-428-8033. Graham Peck