Customer Reviews

Chicago at the Turn of the Century in Photographs: 122 Historic Views from the Collections of the Chicago Historical Society

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
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2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I can't say enough about this collection. This book includes a number of photographs that I have not seen in any other book. The large format allows one to see a lot of detail as every photo gets a full page.

I grew up in Chicago and lived in the city or suburbs for 34 years. But, this city is in a constant state of change; when I visit, buildings are gone and replaced, neighborhoods have changed, businesses have closed, and it's not the same place as I remember. This book takes the reader back to a time long before mine and it's a wonderful resource for images of a city that now exists only in history or in memories. When growing up, I remember the controversies surrounding the loss of buildings like the Garrick Theater and Adler and Sullivan's 1893 Stock Exchange but those are hazy memories. Now, Haymarket Square has been rebuilt with most of the old edifices that gave it atmosphere now gone. Maxwell Street is gentrified, too, and the its past is now only a memory and the Stockyards are now an industrial park. But, this book and its early 20th century pictures let the reader see buildings and places that once were part of everyday city life and make them alive again. The Garrick, the Haymarket, the Stockyards, and Maxwell Street are all here and there is power in these black and white photographs of buildings, places, and the people of the city that make the past real again, almost tangible. For the student of history or architecture or simply for the expatriate Chicagoan, this is a highly enjoyable book.

This book contains full page photos, many of which I had never seen before. The clarity of the photographs is comparable to the digital photos we are able to take now. Although the book consists mainly of photos of buildings (of course) there are many which include pedestrians, carriages, automobiles, signs, etc. I think this book would be interesting to anyone studying Chicago, the history of the time period, architecture, clothing or photography, or to anyone who simply loves old photographs. The only complaint I have is that some of the photos were not dated. Very good book!

If you don't believe that Chicago was the world leader in architecture at the end of the 19th century, buy this book - you might just change your mind!

First off, there are maps that show the location of each photograph. If you don't know the city, that helps you get things organized in your mind. If you know the city, you can do your own "then and now" comparison based on your latest visit. Most of these gems are long gone, and were replaced by poor substitutes. The author then does a good job of explaining about the photographs themselves. When and why they were taken, how they were used, the equipment involved, and why these particular negatives were chosen.

And then, you are allowed to feast your eyes on 122 full-page shots of old Chicago. The focus is on architecture, but you'll see some of the people, the river commerce, the "El", and the bustle of commerce. You do have to live with the photographic constraints of the day, e.g. everything is black and white, and the street scenes contain blurs of motion from people and vehicles, owing to the long exposure times. Some of the negatives are damaged, particularly around the edges, but to the author's credit, there is no attempt at photoshopping to fix the problems. What you see is the best, most accurate presentation possible.

This is a great look at a lost time, and lost architecture. Highly recommended.

This deserves 10 stars! A large format book with the finest photo's I have ever seen of Chicago's historical architecture. You will love it!

Great look into the "City of Big Shoulders" at the turn of the century. Good aid to understanding of urban America at the beginning of the 20Th Century

I have been to Chicago many years since I lived in IL from 1933 to 1963. My mother's people came to Chicago in the 1830's.
I found the early photos extremely interesting as I am a former teacher of both high school & college history. I reall liked this book as I had seen it before & could not locate another copy until I saw it on Amazon.
Many Thanks for stocking this item.