Since we are on a Chicago history tangent. See this cool factoid as well.
Sharry told me that the building at the corner or Clybourn and Fullerton used to be Great Grandpa Linsel's. After we moved to Altgeld St (2 blks away ) two years ago I wanted to learn more. Here is what Sharry found in the Tribune from 1895 - Henry Linsel was a hero in this great fire.
Tribune, October 2, 1895 DRIVEN OUT BY FIRE FORTY PERSONS MADE HOMELESS BY MIDNIGHT FLAMES
Block of Buildings Burn In Clybourn Avenue, Near Fullerton Avenue -- Ten Stores Are Wrecked -- Losses Partially Covered By Insurance -- Several Narrow Escapes --- Mr. Lindsell Rescues His Infant Child And Servant Girl Fire at 1 o'clock this morning destroyed the Lindsell Block, Clybourn and Fullerton avenues, burned ten stores, and drove forty people who were living over them into the street. They saved just what they had on their backs. Two people were hurt. They are: MARCUS, Mrs. S., No. 884 Clybourn, badly burned about the face and body; MARTEN, _______, Engine Company No. 33, burned about the arms and face while rescuing children. Burned Out. No. 876 Clybourn avenue, J.B. Frohn's drug store, loss $4000, insurance partial. No. 878 Clybourn avenue, the Deering Building & Loan Association, loss $1000, insurance full. No. 880 Clybourn avenue, Daubrich's cigar store, loss $2000, insurance partial. No. 882 Clybourn avenue, Schlosser's grocery store, loss $3000, insurance none. No. 884 Clybourn avenue, Schubelt's shoe store, loss $2500, insurance partial. No. 886 Clybourn avenue, Peter Blanke's fruit store, loss $300, insurance none. No. 888 Clybourn avenue, Peter Hechenger's saloon, loss $1000, insurance partial. No. 74 Fullerton avenue, H. Goldsmith's saloon, loss $6000, insurance none. The fire apparently started in one of the living-rooms over Schubelt's shoe store. A policeman turned in the alarm, but before the department arrived the building was a mass of flames. A 4-11 alarm was immediately sent in and the firemen had hard work confining the flames to the block. H.F. Lindsell, owner of the building, lived over the drug store. He was awakened by the smoke and rushed to the street, followed by his wife. Each thought the other had brought the baby, but neither had. Mr. Lindsell rushed upstairs through flames and got the little one in his arms. Then he found his exit by the front stairs cut off. He made his way into the kitchen, where he stumbled across Lena Olson, the servant, almost stupefied by the smoke. Dragging her with him, he managed to climb through a kitchen window and over the roof of some sheds to the ground.
Here is what the re-built 1896 building looks like today. Turns out it is being renovated and saved by a friend/client of mine! We can add it to the Chicago Blazier/Bohn/Linsel tour. (Rosehill Cemetery, etc.)
I have always wanted to do this, so now that we have interest, I'll put another idea past all of you -- What if I secure a trolley for that day (whatever that is) and we stop and see all the different cool family haunts that are still in the city. I be happy to host all of you at my home before or after for cocktail party or cookout as well!
Let me know your thoughts. A trolley would be super because we could all be together and everyone can talk/socialize while we tour. Heck, we could even serenade the driver!
History of area here:
3 comments:
To learn more about what this neighborhood history see Jeff's 1st Old House blog:
http://web.mac.com/amy_boyle/iWeb/Our%20TOH%20Projects/Welcome.html
Area HISTORY OF ALTGELD
Amy
Cool -- thanks for posting this, Amy -- and thanks Sharry for the discovery.
The postscript to the fire story is that Henry rebuilt, hiring an up-and-coming architect named Paul Gerhardt to design the current building. Gerhardt later made a name for himself by being the architect of the old Cook County Hospital, and a lot of other familiar Chicago buildings. He was an innovator in apartment complex design, too -- one of the first architects to specifically plan buildings with parking garages designed to accommodate them newfangled auto-mo-biles! Not as big a name as Wright or Sullivan, but known to local architecture afficianados.
Speaking for myself, Amy, I'd much rather be able to concentrate on the church research. The trolley sounds like fun, but probably pretty expensive fun, and I'm not sure there's much to see in the way of local family historical sites, anyway. The church, the Fullerton-Clybourn building, maybe one house, and a couple corner bar sites that may well be empty lots or something totally different by now. If you can find a trolley equipped with a time machine, however ... count me in!
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