Published by the Hyde Park Histot'ical Society

Le on Despres (I) and Douglas Ande rson Devereux Bowly with Peter Ascoli (r) Soci ety's Dinner a Success

he annual dinner of the H yde Park Histori cal TSociety, held at the Quadrangle Club on February 23, was an unqualified success. 150 members and invited guests had much to celebrate, includ ing former Fifth Ward Alderman Leon Despres' 100th birthday, the 75th anniversary of the Museum of Science and Industry, and outstanding contributions in architectural preservation, education, and local history. Winners of Paul Cornell Awards were Leon Despres, the Museum of Science and Industry, and Dr. Larry H awkins of the Office of Special Programs of the University of Chicago. Marian and Leon Despres Preservation Awards were presented to Dan Aucunas, for restoration of the Vierling House on South Greenwood Avenue, and the University of Chicago Medical Center fo r preserving the American School of Correspondence building. Peter Ascoli received the J ean Block award for his biography of his grandfa ther, J wius Rosenwald. After-dinner speaker and State Representative Barbara Flynn Currie entertai ned the audience with a personal account of why and how she became a political fi gure in H yde Park. 4th Ward Alderman Ton i Preckwinkle (I) and As he received his Cornell Award for extraordinary State. Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie service, Leon Despres reminisced about his nearly ~ .

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-< 0 100 years in Hyde Park. After naming several Hyde Parkers who have elected to state and national office over the years, he inspired cheers by saying that, "next year I might see a Hyde Parker in the White House." The enthusiastic audience knew he was referring to Senator Barack Obama!

Jack Spic er with Dan Aucun us (r) Jane and Roger Hildebrand with Dr. larry Hawkins (r)

courage ofher t·onvictions. AI ice Sch lessi nger, Our mother 'U'as our inspiration. She was and will always be the voice in our heads telling tIS to be better. She 1928-2008 was a standard bearer in the things she said and the way she lived her life. We will remember her in nearly all that Alice Schlessinger, who passed away January 7, 2008, we strive to do. served her family and community for as long as she To date, the Historical Society has received more lived in Hyde Park. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, than $800 in donations in Alice's honor. H er husband, she was a vigorous and committed president of the Nathan, sent the following comments, addressed to Hyde Park Historical Society. The following statements Carol Bradford, retiring President of the Society: are excerpted from the eulogy delivered at her funeral by her youngest son, Gideon Schlessinger. Dear Carol, Alice Schlessinger, born in Cindnnati in Jarmary of 1928, was perpetually optimistic and cheerfttl and she Thank yOlt for your note ofappredation for our family's was loved by good friends and casual acquaintances alike assignation ofthe Historical Sodety as the viewpoint of for her beauty, her grace, and her lively sense of humor. contributions in Alice's memory. Alice devoted a lot of She always excelled academically, ttltimately finishing time and energy to the affairs of the Sot·iety and made first in her class in Economics at the University of many good friends in the process. Her spedal interest was Cindnnati and securing her Phi Beta Kappa key. to improve the life ofthe Community in every aspect she Debate, formal or informal, provided an outlet for the touched and that interest guided our choice of recipients. fitll range ofher intellectual gifts .... (T)here was endless depth to her intellect and she always maintained the Sincerely, Nathan Schlessinger

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Hyde Park Center Program Attracts La rge Gro up r­ More than 50 enthusiasts of local architectural history crowded into the Society's Headquarters on Saturday, ~ March 1, for Jack Spicer's program about the H yde Park Center, the oldest part of the neighborhood. This Center extends from 53rd to 55th Streets north to south, and lies between Harper and Woodlawn Avenues. The program was enhanced by photographs taken by Society member David Schalliol. The houses are noted for their brickwork, stone carving, and detailed carpentry. Arrangements of wi ndows, roof gables, and porches contri bute to the uniqueness of each building. The community lost many of these lovely buildings during Llrban renewal, which makes preserving those that remai n important indeed. J ack Spicer called particular attention to the region's oldest house, the H enry Clay Work house behind 5317 South Dorchester Ave. The program co ncluded with a walking tour of this special area. Great La kes Folksinge r to Sing Songs of Henry Clay Work On Sunday, April 13, Great Lakes balladeer Lee Murdock will sing in a program entitled Folk Songs ofthe Great Lakes Region at the H yde Park N eighborhood Club, 5480 South Kenwood Avenue, immediately following the Club's annual Pancake Breakfast. Murdock will include songs of Lake Michigan and H yde Park legend Henry Clay Work. Around 1860, H enry Clay Work built the small cottage behind the hOllse at 5317 South Dorchester Avenue. One of the village's earliest citizens, Work served as secretary of the Hyde Park Village Council while composing Civil War songs, including Marching through Georgia and Wake Nicodemtts. He also composed the well-known ballad, Grandfather's Clock. Work's Great Lakes songs include The Wreck ofthe Lady Elgin. This free eve nt will begin immediately after the Breakfast at 1:00 PM, and last approximately until 3:00 PM. All H yde Parkers, young, old, and everything in between, are cordially invited to come to this special event. Recordings by Lee Murdock will be available for purchase. This performance is supported by the Illinois H umanities Council. Lee Murdock

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to the South Water Street entrance at Randolph St. Chicago's Fi nest Station at the north end of the tracks downtown. (This foot passage was removed by the early 1970s in Transportat ion: preparation for construction of the Illinois Center office buildings above the station platforms, in time for the The Illinois Centra l Electric delivery of today's double-deck Highliners.) The IC's cars were much larger than those used on Fourth part ofa series about the history ofthe Illinois Chicago's elevated lines, but they were quite similar in Central Railroad's Electric Commuter Service their interior fittings. Most of the cars' interiors were taken up by crosswise seats, with "walkover" backs that By John G. Allen and Roy G. Benedict the trainmen moved from one direction to another at the end of the line so that passengers could face forward. ElECTRIC CARS FOR A GRE AT COMM UTER RAILROAD At the ends of the cars, adjacent to the vestibules, were Like most railroads electrifying their commuter longitudinal bench seats, above which were suspended services, the Illinois Central opted for multiple-unit grab handles for the benefit of standees. If there was still cars, a concept first proved on Chicago's South Side a need for more standing space, passengers could walk elevated line in 1897.1 Multiple-unit cars ,carry their along the aisLes and hold onto one of the grab handles own electric motors for propulsion, and also have their built into the seat backs.5 Above everything were own sets of controls-both of which functions had incandescent lights, partly but not entirely encased in been hitherto limited to Locomotives. The IC started flower-shaped glass housings. As on the elevated, there electric service with 260 multiple-unit cars, in motor­ were slots above the windows and on the bulkhead walls trailer pairs, but only 215 of these cars were brand at both ends of the cars' interiors fo r advertisements (a new in 1926. Forty-five of the 130 trailer cars used feature now confined to the doorways of cars on Metra). when electric service began were in fact built between The cars went through three interior paint schemes 1921 and 1924 by the Pullman Company, and were in their long lives. Initially, the interior scheme hauled by steam Locomotives before being placed in consisted of imitation wood grain, which provided an electric service in 1926. These cars were designed with element of continuity with the earlier wood-bodied the imen Uoll-tbatthe.y w.oulcLhe_aloy.e.t:ted...ro.elect.ri.! cats which the l22.QsJket was replacing. During the operation. The 215 new cars consisted of 130 motor mid-1930s, the wood grain was replaced with dark cars built by the Pullman Company, and the other 85 were trailers, built by the Standard Steel Car Company. The railroad took delivery of another 20 cars in 1928­ ten motors and ten trailers, all built by Pullman, thus bringing the total electric fleet to 280.2 Although the cars were showing their age by the 1960s, when delivered they were at the head of their class:

Each car seated 84 passengers, mostly on reversible rattan-backed "ross seats. To promote easy entry and exit, there were two wide doors at either end ofthe car leading to large vestibules. In the area ofthe car interior adjacent to the vestibules, longitudinal seats provided easy circulation and room for standing passengers. Acceleration was brisk: 0 to 15 mph in 10 seconds, 15 to 28 mph in another 10 seconds. Theoretical top A six-car train of th e origina l da rk gree n cars is approaching speed was 57 mph; actual was 68-70. 3 Rooseve lt Roa d from the yard in preparation for the afternoon rush hour in 1977. Following an accid ent in 1972 , the ra ilroad added high-visibi lity ora nge to the ends of its com muter cars, old and new. The cars always operated in motor-trailer pairs, and were unable to operate any other way-partly because orange paint. By the early 1960s, the car interiors were they shared air brake equipment, and partly because all painted maroon below the windows, and from the each car had an engineer's cab at only one end.4 For windows on up they were painted in a pinkish tone the most part, the same motor and trailer pair formed that the railroad referred to as "peach glow". a "married" pair for decades. The trailer was always to The IC's specifications for the cars included an the north of its motor car. H aving no pantographs on interesting combination of railroading and rapid its roof (the motor cars had two, one at each end), only transit practice. On the one hand, the cars included a trailer would fit beneath the low overhead footbridge steel and canvas frames (known in the railroad

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industry as diaphragms) protecting passengers from Shore Line trains. It was not until late 1931 that the the elements as they crossed from one car to another. lower level platforms, beneath the waiting room, were Neither in Chicago nor in other cities did rapid completed at Randolph St.8 transit cars include this feature, which was limited to During the 1920s, fully half of the IC Electric's railroads. On the other hand, the cars featured rapid passengers were traveling locally between downtown transit-style couplers which automatically made and and stations no further south than 67th St. In 1929, released the contacts for the air brakes and the electric the IC's electric commuter trains carried nearly wiring when cars were being coupled and uncoupled. 36 million passenger trips. For many years, Rand No other railroad combined the use of diaphragms and McNally's Chicago Street Guide and Transportation automatic couplers. Automatic couplers allow train Direaory included maps of the Chicago Surface Lines crews to add and remove cars from trains much more streetcar lines, Chicago Rapid Transit's elevated system, quickly and easily than would be possible if the cars Chicago Motor Coach's bus routes-and the urban used the air brake and electrical hoses that are part of portion of the Illinois Central Electric. Not surprisingly, conventional rai lroad practice. no other commuter railroad received thjs honor. Another rapid transit touch (which fell out of use The IC did not merely serve existing demand; it with the Highliners in the 1980s) was the use of helped create new business. Prior to 1926, the passage roll signs to show the destination and type of train. of 400 steam-powered trains a day made East H yde Mounted in special housings opposite the' engineer's Park, downwind from the tracks, less than fully window at the end of each pair of cars and in the desirable as a place to live. The coming of electric second wi ndow from the left along the outside of service led to a boom in apartment construction east each car were roll signs showing destinations, each of the tracks, and many of today's older apartment controlled individually by a hand crank, allowing train buildings date from the 1920s as a result.9 crews to set the signs for each particular train before Yet even as the IC was helping to transform East the start of a run. (The Highliners were built with Hyde Park into a stronghold of upper-middle-class roll signs, the settings of which could be remotely apartment living, the rich and famous were already controlled, thus saving train crews from having to set abandoning the South Side. Around the turn of each sign individually.) the 20th century, Potter Palmer, the McCormicks, Although the signs did not anticipate changes in and other affluent residents started deserting their operation made in 1973, they allowed trainmen to show Prairie Avenue mansions (which, like Hyde Park and every possible type of service operated in 1926, including Kenwood, were downwind from the Stockyards and short-turn trains reversing at 53rd St.-Hyde Park, 67th other South Side industries) in favor of the Gold Coast St., 72nd St., or Burnside (site of the railroad's shops at and points beyond along the north lakefront. These 95th St., now the site of Chicago State University). demographic changes presaged much more decisive shifts in population, race, and economics which would OPEN ING AN D INITIALYEARS affect the IC's ridership by the 1950s and 60s. By the 1960s, commuters would notice (and complain about) the lack of air-conditioning, but in 1926 a ride 1 Bruce G. Moffat, The "L ": The Development of Chicago 's Rapid Transit System, 1888-1932, Chicago : Central Electric Railfans' ASSOCiation, 1995, free from the great clouds of coal smoke that steam pp. 36-37 locomotives produced was a great plus for commuters. 2 Except for the 85 trailers delivered by Standard Steel Car in 1926, all of The IC and its riders made the most of what was at the the IC's original green electric cars were built by Pullman . In 1929, Pullman acquired the Standard Steel Car Company, and for decades thereafter did time an enormous improvement in service. business as Pullman-Standard. The IC inaugurated electric operation with a splash. 3 Alan R. Lind, From the Lakes to the Gulf: The Illinois Central Railroad Electric service actually began on July 21 , 1926 (seventy Story. Park Forest, IL: Transport History Press , 1993, p. 59. 4 The 1920s cars had signs on the doors to the engineer's cab advising years to the day after the IC inaugurated commuter passengers not to talk to the motorman, an appellation which made sense to service), and there was a brief transition period during the traveling public, accustomed as they were to motormen driving streetcars 6 and elevated trains. Nevertheless, engineers on the IC Electric were qualified which electric and steam ran together. By early August, to operate steam and/or diesel locomotives, and were not happy about being the IC's commuters were enjoying all-electric service, equated with streetcar and rapid transit motormen . which the railroad and the city officially celebrated on 5 The original Highliners built in the 1970s were equipped with fixed­ direction seats, but the second-generation Highliners delivered in 2005­ August 7, 1926 with a parade, the theme of which was 2006 came with walkover seats. progress in transportation. As part of this occasion, the 6 "Electrification of I.C. Suburban Service Completed. " Railway Age, July 24, railroad ran four electric commuter trains side by side to 1926 . 7 "Illinois Central Officially Opens Its Electrified Suburban Service." Railway 7 downtown Chicago, all draped in bunting. Age, August 14, 1926. For the first five years, IC Electric trains used 8 C.H. Mottier, "New Suburban Terminal in Use." Illinois Central Magazine, temporary upper platforms at Randolph St. Station­ December 1931. 9 Paul Stanford, " Electric Commuting and a Cleaner Hyde Park. " Hyde Park in the same basic location, but not in the same lateral Historical Society NO. 1. Chicago: Hyde Park Historical Society, 1980, pp. position, as the concrete platforms now used by South 22-25 .

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Hike fo r History 2008­ Volunteers Needed ! Saturday, May 17 , 2008, will bring walkers from across the metro area ro H yde Park fo r a walkathon and historic tour benefiting the Chicago Metro Hisrory Education Center (CMHEC). The second annual 5km "Hike fo r History" will feature a g uided tour of the H yde Park community in which participants will discover historic highlights including the World's Columbian Exposition, the University of Chicago, urban renewal, community churches and more. The event will showcase superior exhibits and documentaries of Chicago history produced by student historians for the History Fair. With more than Carol Bradford with George and Sara Anasta pl o 20,000 students participating annually, the History Fair is the oldest and largest urban history education Annual Holiday Pa rty program of its kind in the na tion. CMHEC is looking to members of the H yde Park The Society's annual H oliday Party took place on Historical Society fo r vo lunteers to ass ist in: Saturday afternoon, December 8, 2007. Members • Identifying and serving as tour guides for groups and guests reminisced, viewed exhibits, and enjoyed of 10-15 walkers. An orientation for the guides will holiday food. take place the week before the hike. • Set-up at the Hyde Park Neighborhood Club _ ...... ­ where the Hike ~gins. This will involve registration, handing out program boOks, ana deciding upon and Co-op Contribution announcing prizes . To learn how you can volunteer, contact Pauline to the Arc hives Kochanski or Joshua Cohen of the CMHEC at the organization's office, 312.255.3661 or email The Hyde Park Historical Society is gratified by [email protected], jcohen@ the recent donation of records and artifacts from the chicagohistoryfair.org. If you are interested in any 75 year history of the H yde Park Cooperative Society. aspect of the Program/Ad Book including ad sales or The materials that have been preserved include the community history please contact either Pauline or co ntents of the Co-op Library dedicated to Leon J osh. All proceeds support CMHECs History Fair Despres , over 50 years of Board meeting minutes, program. Evergreens from 1951 and other items too numerous to cite here. The Co-op has been an integral part of H yde Park for 75 years, and we are all saddened by its closure. However, the materials donated by the Co-op ~ WELCOME! ~ are now safely housed with the Historical Society's collection at the Special Collections Research Center of the J oseph Regenstein Library at the University of The Society welcomes these new members, Chicago, and will be available to the public once the all of whom have joined si nce Ja nuary. acquisitio n has been fully recorded . All make their homes in Hyde Park. If any of our members have any Co-op related materials they would like to add to this very fine Bruce and Martha Clinton collection, please contact the Society's Archivist, Vic ki Suchovsky Michal Safar, [email protected], 773-752-7723. There sa Vidalon

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Mark your calendar! _____ News from the Board of Directors UPCOMING MNTS At the J anuary meeting of the Society's Board Ap ril 13, 2008 of Directors, Ruth Knack was elected to replace Great Lakes folksinger Lee Murdock will outgoing President Carol Bradford. The Society sing at the Hyde Park Neighborhood Club thanked Carol for her dedication and commitment ro immediately following the Club's annual the success of the Society. Carol Vieth and Rita McCarthy were nominated and Pancake Breakfast, from 1-3pm. approved as new members of the Board. See article in this issue for further details.

May 17, 2008 Award for JPAC Hike for History, benefiting the Chicago Metro History Education Center. See article Ross Petersen, whose H yde Park roots go deep, was in this issue for further details. cited by Friends of the Parks for outstanding service to the improvement of the J ackson Park at a luncheon in the Cultural Center on February 7, 2008. Society Board members Douglas Anderson, Gary Ossewaarde, and Frances Vandervoort represented the organization Thank you, vo lunteers! at this event. At the same event, former 5th Ward Alderman and centenarian Leon Despres was cited for The Board of Directors extends its thanks to the many years of d istinguished service. volunteers who helped at HPHS Headquarters over the pas t year. They are: Estrella Alamar, John Allen, Rita Allen, Douglas • HELP WANTED • Anderson, Bert Benade. Carol Benade. Alta Blakely, Ed Campbell, Edlyn Freerkes. Dorothy Horton, Kathy Huff, Winston Kennedy, Janice Knox, Eugene Society Seeks Krell,Tom McGuan, Harold Moody, Trish Morse, Jay Mulberry, Zeus Preckwinkle, Patricia Rosenthal, Memllership Dorothy Schumacher, Richardson Spofford, Nikki Stein, Arthur Waddy, and Claude Weil. Secretary New volunteers are always welcome, for Satutday and Sunday afternoons, 2-4 p.m. Please call Alta The Hyde Pa rk Histori cal Society is seeking Blakely at 773-753-4633 to schedule a convenient a new Membership Secretary. date for yourself. The membership secretary is responsible for kee ping the membership list up to date, mai ntaini ng a data base of members Well -Trave led Aitchpee names that ca n be used for printing mailing The Society has received a generous donation from labels, and contributing to the rec ruitment Thomas 1. Allen, former Hyde Parker now residing of new members. in Moretown, Vermont. The contribution is dedicated The current secretary, Chelsey Parrott­ to the resroration of his 1954 yearbook, Aitchpee, of Sheffer, is no longer ab le to serve in this Hyde Park High School, which he has donated to the Society'S Archive. position. The Soc iety is gratefu I for her In his words, "The book has traveled from Chicago services over the past two years. to Lake Forest, Illinois, to G rand Junction, Colorado More information is available through the three times, to San Luis Obispo and San Jose, Society's we bsite, www.hydeparkhistory.org California, to Tucson, Arizona, to Denver, Colorado, to Moretown, Vermont and, finally has returned home to Chicago. It has been a good trip."

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This Newsletter is published by the IIyJe ParkIltslorical Sodely Hyde Park Historical Society, a not-for­ COLLEC TIN G AN D PR ESER VING HYDE PA RK'S H ISTORY profit organization founded in 1975 to

Timefor you to join up or renew? record , preserve, and promote public

Fill out the form below and return it to: interest in the history of Hyde Park. ThellyJeParkIltslortcal Sodely Its headquarters, located in an 1893 5529 S. Lake Park Avenue · Chicago, IL 60637 restored cable car station at 5529 S. ~...... Enclosed is my --new --renewal membership Lake Park Avenue, houses local exhibits. in the Hyde Pa rk Historical Society. It is open to the public on Saturdays __ Student $15 __Sponsor $50 and Sundays from 2 until 4pm. __ Member $25 __ Benefactor $100 Web site : hyd epa rkhisto ry.org Name Telephone : HY3-1 893

Address ______President: Ruth Knack Editor: Frances S. Vand elVoort Zip Designer: Nick ie Sa ge