Chicago, you have come a long way.
This week, a new short film has made a viral appearance to us Chicagoans — an unearthed illustration of Chicago in the 1940s.
The film, a thorough 30 minute look at Chicago landmarks, industries, schools, hospitals, and other amenities that served at the time as a recruiting video for students and businesses alike to relocate to the growing city (the 4th largest in the world at the time.)
Today, this is about as cool of a documentary as you can find of the city in the 1940s. We get a tour of all the standing landmarks of today — the Wrigley Building, the Tribune Tower, Wrigley Field, and Merchandise Mart to name a few. Plus, a look at the people and culture along State St., Randolph St., and Michigan Boulevard (now Avenue, of course) where 55,000 automobiles traveled per day. Things haven’t changed too much on that end.
The icing on the cake is the old school vibe from the narrator. Fellow 20 somethings or older generations will nod approvingly at his voice… feels like we’re back in grammar school.
Any design or architecture buffs like myself will also likely enjoy the various panoramic views via United Airlines. You can see the early formations of the depth of the city today. Just compare some of these views (and screenshots below) to that of a #chitecture on Instagram. Pretty cool, huh?
Gowhere Hip Hop 