Oldest Chicago, Second Edition

Book excerpt: Chicago has thrived for almost two hundred years, growing from a backwoods swamp, to a rail and manufacturing hub, to a light of the new Millennium. While many great structures have been lost or demolished, much of this history still lives on. Within the pages of Oldest Chicago, get to know the history of the Windy City's most iconic buildings and the stories that bring their walls to life. Included are some of the businesses and buildings from the city's inception through the turn of the twentieth century that are examples of Chicago's living history like The First United Methodist Church (1831); The Old Water Tower (1859); and Wrigley Field (1916). Amazingly, many others are still run by the same family members whose dedication has made them not only enduring businesses but living landmarks. These include The Jaeger Funeral Home (1858); Anderson's Books (1875); and The Italian Village Restaurant (1927) among many others. Local historian David Anthony Witter brings his love of the city to this veritable guidebook of the city's buildings, neighborhoods, restaurants, businesses and bars. Learn the personal stories of the faces behind the places that continue to give the "City of Big Shoulders" its historical, ethnic, and entrepreneurial identity.less