This statue is kind of tucked away between the Cook County Administration Building and the Chicago…read moreTemple Building in the Brunswick Plaza. There is metered street parking and commercial parking garages within a reasonable walking distance. Most viewers of this statue will be passerbys. This is not a destination piece by far. It is the work of Joan Miró, who created the piece in 1981. It stands 39 feet tall. It is made of a hodge podge of materials including: steel, wire mesh, concrete, bronze, and ceramic tile. The sculpture was originally called the Sun, the Moon and One Star. The abstract piece looks like a figure with a fork on its head standing on a pedestal. I will be honest. I find this sculpture a bit odd. I did like the colorful interior crystals that look like they are coming through a crack. If you look across the street, you will see the Picasso statue. As with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a destination piece, nor a long stop as I previously mentioned. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area (and there are many of them), or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. Fun fact: The sculpture's model can be seen at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Miró's Chicago was initially commissioned but not completed due to the cost. Ten years later, Jane…read moreByrne, the first female mayor of Chicago, was able to raise the funds to complete the sculpture. Initially titled "The Sun, The Moon and One Star, " she is now nicknamed "Miss Chicago" due to her curved dimensions that evoke the famous Minoan snake goddess from the ancient isle of Crete. The public's initial response to the concrete, steel, bronze and ceramic tile masterpiece was less than favorable. Today, she is a beloved Chicago landmark statue. To learn more, scan the QR reader at your visit.

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.

I have lived in Niles for almost 50 years, and even though it isn't a big village, it has LOTS of…read moreheritage that makes it unique. The Niles Historical Society building itself can be classified as a landmark dating back to the inception of the village. The Society has many floors filled with memorabilia guaranteed to bring a smile to anyone's face. There are lots of early photgraphs of the area in and around Niles, and the staff and helpers have spent countless hours documenting and cataloging history. One thing I like about the historical society is it's role in the growth of the whole Chicagland area.

I have a history degree, so I'm probably a little bias, but I like this place.read more

Close to the former site of Fort Dearborn was another important site in Chicago. It was where one…read moreof the city's most important figures lived. Jean Baptiste Point Du Sable also had a trading post on this site. Also it was the first permanent, non-native residence in the city it's believed. This is now partially occupied by Pioneer Court on the north side of the river by the Michigan Avenue Bridge, and there's a bust and plaque. After he sold the property, it was discovered it contained a bakehouse, two barns, a dairy, a poultry house, and a smokehouse among other buildings. It then became owned by John Kinzie. The land was sold to the city in 1834 and platted. Basically it was the first land north of the river the city expanded into. This was located from the lake to State Street. A plaque was placed in 1937 that notes the location of Kinzie Mansion. Then in 2009 Erik Blume made a bronze bust of Point Du Sable. Also the bridge was renamed after him. Then Lake Shore Drive was also renamed so he got honored quite a lot. He was an important figure in the city. In fact one of the first to live here. There's lots of recognition for him throughout.

This bronze bust is of the founder and first citizen of the city of Chicago. Pointe Dusable was a…read moreHaitian-born fur trader. The bust can be found in an area called Pioneer Court of the Magnificent mile with its back to the Chicago river. Interestingly enough it is located close to the site of the Pointe DuSable House, designated a National Historic Landmark since 1977. It is the work of Erik Blome, who did the sculpture in 2009. Lesley Benodin donated it to the City of Chicago Public Art Collection in honor of DuSable. The bust is sitting on a granite base. The base has a nice sized plaque that gives a brief blurb about the sculpture, the artist, and Pointe Dusable. It is in very good shape, very detailed and has an uncanny resemblance to what Pointe Dusable looked like. Remember there were not many photographs back then. It is a very scenic sculpture, with a nice view of the Chicago river and skyline serving as its backdrop. Parking to get a closer look at this sculpture is difficult to do. This sculpture is not a destination piece and most of its viewers will be passerbys such as myself. Anyway, as with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is probably not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. Also, be very careful if you are going to get a closer look, as i previously mentioned, this is located at a busy roundabout. With that being said, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

Get Your Kicks on Route 66…read more Route 66 starts in Chicago, then traverses through eight states, and ends at the Santa Monica Pier in California. So much fun to find these route markers along the 2,448 mile route. Thank you to my nephew and his dad who showed us this sign at the start of historic Route 66.

This Avondale structure, housing Payless Shoesource, towers over the Gap and the Footlocker…read morebuildings across the street in Logan Square, evidence of Avondale's inherent superiority over Logan Square. Also known as the "Sears Tower of Avondale," it is not uncommon for residents of Logan Square to claim that this building is part of their neighborhood. But it's not, so get back on your side of the street.

This is the place where we send out all of our labs from the public investigations of enterics…read more Although the place is very antiquated and shows signs of years past, its actually a great place to take specimens for testing. The building still houses classes for the UIC Medical Students, but of course we here at the Department of Health, still get to have a vast use of labs for public safety.

My first visit to Chicago I went to see the Wrigley Building. After that I found more non tourist…read moretype places to visit during trips to Chicago. It is certainly a historic landmark. You must go at least once. I'm in for anything with the Wrigley name!

Built in the 1920's for Wrigley the gum magnet in downtown Chicago. It's known for its Spanish…read moreColonial Revival style, featuring 2 towers & a distinctive white terra cotta facade. It was the first air conditioned building in the city. In the 1957 science fiction film Beginning of the End, giant grasshoppers attack downtown, are shown climbing up the side of the Wrigley Building.