City - Chicago, IL - Chicago's Shopping destination 1895 - Side by Side

by Mike Savad

Title

City - Chicago, IL - Chicago's Shopping destination 1895 - Side by Side

Artist

Mike Savad

Medium

Photograph - Colorized Photo

Description

Colorized photo from 1895
Original title: State St.
Photographer: Detroit Publishing
Location: 350 S State St, Chicago, IL

The original had a weird white stripe on it, along with thin black lines that almost looked like wires. But there are no wires anywhere in this, this was before it had electricity it seems. But a pain to clone out.

They didn't say what year this was, giving me 1895-1910. The AM Rothschild building was built in 1912, so that doesn't help me. And I don't see any flags (you can count the stars to figure out the year). In 1906, they updated the cable cars to electric at this time. So they year is before then. And there aren't any electric lights, everything is gas, you can even sort of see the flame in a lantern shaped sign on the left (it's in a reflection but you can sort of see it).

So the year I chose may not be accurate. What I do know is, that its winter, moving toward spring. They have a winter sale, so this is probably around March if I had to guess. I assume they are standing on a bridge and that shadow is the station.

There is a lot of detail in those windows, it's sort of fun to look, but I do wonder how well all those vases sold. Maybe those are umbrella stands. I'm trying to figure out what that platform is on the left bear the beer marquee. It's not a staircase, and yet its not a door, seems like a sharp drop the the sidewalk. Seems a mean way to let a drunk out anyway.

And the sidewalk is really curious, it's a combination of dirt and wooden boards. Set up like a boardwalk. Maybe the wood was just too much of a tripping hazard?

Uploaded

November 27th, 2022

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