The Pabst Theater was built in 1895 and is the 4th oldest continuously operated theater in the US. (I has to be a baseball statistician that comes up with this stuff). Inside, it sports a hydraulic orchestra pit. It is also one of the first air conditioned venues of the day.
Right across the street is Milwaukee City Hall. Also completed in 1895, then the tallest habitable building in the US, implying there was a taller building that had no occupants. It was also the second tallest structure, the tallest being the Washington Monument.
Not too far away is Turner Hall, which completes the National Historic Landmarks I grabbed today in Milwaukee. Both the City Hall and Turner Hall were designed by Henry C. Koch, an American German architect of the late 1800's
A view of Milwaukee streets
Breaking from the old paid a visit to the Harley Davidson Museum, grabbing only a double shot glass to add to my collection.
There were a bunch of Roads Glides, Electra Glides and other Gliders, however this Honda grabbed my attention.
On the way to Kenosha, which is about 1/2 way between Milwaukee and Chicago, passed this house and just had to turn around and go back. Not a National Historic Landmark, but just as interesting. This was in Cudahy WI on S Lake Dr. I like his style, keeps the mowing of grass to a minimum.
Heading south to Racine we stopped in Wind Point to visit Wingspread (where do they come up with these names)(I guess if you are rich you got time or money to pay someone to come up with the names), Herbert F Johnson of Johnson Wax fame house. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1938, it was built around the same time as the Johnson Wax Headquarters in Racine. The Johnson's donated the property to the Johnson Foundation in 1959.
We intended to take the Johnson Wax Headquarter tour, however they do not do them on Monday's. This is the building with the giant mushroom columns in the Great Workroom that is so famous. They do not permit photos inside and I was not allowed past the guard gates, so I got off a few shots from afar.
When planning these trips I always throw in Diners, Drive-In and Dives waypoints. If they are along the way and the timing is right we stop. Franks Diner did not become a favorite because of DDD, it was too crowed by regulars, plan to wait a bit to be served. Good food and fun. You can see MeAsWe sneaking in the door.
The infamous •The Franks Garbage Plate
and Cinnamon Swirl French Toast. MeAsWe meal
I think mine was more healthy than MeAsWe
Crossing into Illinois outside of Chicago we stopped at the Crow Island School, simply because it was a National Historic Landmark. Most places are impressive, this one was a bit underwhelming. I guess when the school was established it had a progressive program for the elementary school kids.
Due to some shipping disasters on Lake Michigan around Evanston Illinois, the Grosse Point Lighthouse was built in 1874 and it was lit in 1874.
Right next door is the Evanston Art Center which is a pretty neat building, has a nice water fall pond and some art work out in front. None of which are particularly historical or of any importance.
Not too far away was the Charles G Dawes house who earned the 1925 Nobel Peace Prize and was vice president to Calvin Coolidge.
Continuing south into Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood we stopped at the James Charnley House. Today it is a museum and was the work of Louis Sullivan and a young Frank Lloyd Wright, who was a junior draftsman at the time.
Deeper into Chicago we headed for Adler Planetarium was open to the public in 1930 and was America's first planeterium.
Grabbed a pic of the Chicago Skyline.
Last photo opp of the day was Clement Studebaker home in South Bend, Indiana. Clement was the founder of the Studebaker car company and lived here from 1889 to 1901. Today it is a restaurant.
The rest of the afternoon and evening (actually it was all evening) was getting to Cleveland, OH for the night. SLIDESHOW CLICK HERE
No comments:
Post a Comment