Lost Legends

Masonic Temple in 1900. Photo by Detroit Publishing Company

Lost Legends #10: The Masonic Temple Building in The Loop

In this edition of the “Lost Legends” series, we delve into the history of The Loop‘s Masonic Temple Building, which stood tall from 1892 until the late 1930s. Designed by the renowned architectural firm Burnham and Root, the Masonic Temple Building was the city’s tallest from 1895 to 1899 (taking the title initially when the original Board of Trade Building had its clock tower removed, then surpassed by The Montgomery Ward Building), serving as an emblem of Chicago’s status as a global pioneer in architecture and engineering.

Lost Legends #9: Chicago’s Central Station in South Loop

Chicago’s Central Station, once a hub of vibrant activity, represents a significant chapter in American railway history. Constructed in 1893, the station was designed by esteemed architect Bradford L. Gilbert to accommodate the traffic demands of the World’s Columbian Exposition. Located near Roosevelt Road and Michigan Avenue, the station’s strategic position was instrumental for moving people and goods within the city and beyond. Notably, there was another dismantled passenger station known as Grand Central Station, which was highlighted in a previous Lost Legends article.

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Evolution of the Chicago 'S' Curve. Imagery via YIMBY+

Lost Legends #8: The Lake Shore Drive ‘S’ Curve Bottleneck

As evident from our last installment of ‘Lost Legends’ showcasing the Prentice Women’s Hospital, once-celebrated designs may reveal impracticalities as functional demands evolve. While not “legendary” in a traditional sense, the story of the construction and later removal of Lake Shore Drive’s zig-zag ‘S’ curve conveys a similar notion of a city adapting to changing infrastructural needs.

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Prentice Women's Hospital in 2012

Lost Legends #6: Original Prentice Women’s Hospital in Streeterville

The Prentice Women’s Hospital building was once an architecturally iconic structure standing at 333 E Superior Street in the Streeterville neighborhood. In this edition of the “Lost Legends” series, we explore the history of the original Prentice Women’s Hospital building and its cutting-edge care, the vision of its architect, the hospital’s relocation and subsequent demolition of the structure, as well as its present-day replacement.

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