This is a duplicate of a thread I posted at SkyscraperPage
Can you guess where I took these pictures?
Indiana Sand Dunes?
Cahokia Mounds in downstate Illinois?
Sleeping Bear Dunes in Michigan?
wrong, wrong, and wrong
They were taken within the citylimits of Chicago!!!!
The first picture is of a manmade mound along Stony Island Avenue near Lake Calumet, I believe it to be near Chicago's landfill. The second picture is of a road in a forest preseve near Wolf Lake by the Indiana state line.
Welcome to rural Chicago! A tour of the Lake Calumet area, Hegewisch, Wolf Lake and then a swing back into the more urban parts of the city towards the end. I took these pictures during a long bike ride on Sunday, September 4, 2005, the same day I took pictures of the Pullman thread I just posted. Anyways, some of the stuff I saw down there it was hard for even me to believe I was still within Chicago city limits, but I swear on my life that all of these pictures were taken within Chicago city limits with the exception of a photo or two when I stepped a few feet into Indiana which I will note.
The Harborside Golf Course just to the north of Lake Calumet near 111th Street and the Bishop Ford Expressway
Look, its my lucky number  , 103rd Street and the Bishop Ford Expressway
103rd and Stony Island Avenue, that sign is for the Chicago Calumet Incinerator. This picture looks like it could be out in the middle of nowhwere right? Well this is just a preview of whats to come as I venture further south down Stony Island.
Lake Calumet itself is off limits because it is a port facility.
Just thought this was an interesting sign in regards to the hazerdous waste.
Wetlands just off of Stony Island, you will see plenty more of these later. There was all kinds of waterfowl, fish, and turtles swimming around in this pond. Now I can appreciate why the enviromentalists wanted to save this region from being bulldozed into Chicago's third airport.
Looking accross the wetlands at heavy industry in the distance.
Sunflowers next to the wetlands
The end of Stony Island Avenue looking out accross the Calumet River
This is the end of Stony Island Avenue looking north, the street I had just ridden my bike down. This just gives you an idea of how desolate this area is, probably moreso since this was a sunday. It looks like a lonely country road.
Entrance to the landfill with the man made mounds I showed earlier.
More wetlands in a very rural looking setting
This is 122nd and Torrence
The Torrence Avenue Bridge which I will cross shortly
A shrine probably for somebody that died in an auto accident here.
A huge tunnel.
The Calumet River from the Torrence Avenue Bridge
This bridge was in very bad shape, I felt like I was risking my life walking accross it, there were holes that I could see the water through and there were huge bumps, I would have taken more close up pictures but I was too scared to.
More wetlands!
These are a few shots of a small residential area around 126th and Carondolet in Hegewisch. This area was something straight out of bumblefuck hicksville. It was truly shocking to think I was still within Chicago city limits. This area was secluded just off a paved street and some wetlands, this area had gravel streets and the residential pattern was outright rural.
Just look at this house with the horse and buggy images on the fences if you look closely.
This shows you how far apart the houses are here and the way the street looks.
This was the side street that lead to the residential area I just showed you, it is 127th street just off of Carondolet.
This is on Carondolet Street looking at a rural house with a pickup truck, something you would associate with the rural midwest and not being in the nation's third largest city!
And this is what is located behind that house!!!! It was somekind of wetland preserve with 12 foot high cattails and prairie grass.
Looking back towards the rural looking street at another rural looking house.
One of the houses is for sale, if anyone here is interested in owning a piece of rural Chicago here is your chance.
And this is what you can have in your backyard in rural Chicago folks!!
People take property rights seriously here though.
Now we are entering the main area of the Hegewisch neighborhood which looks alot like a small town.
Traditional Chicago bungalow belt looking area of Hegewisch.
Hegewisch south shore line train station, connecting Hegewisch with the rest of Chicago and civilization.
Not welcome to Chicago but welcome to Hegewisch, even though it is a part of the city of Chicago. This area was unusual in that it had almost no chains whatsoever in it, there was a Burger King, a Family Dollar Store and a gas station but thats it, no starbucks, no 7-11, no subway, not even a jewel or a dominicks. The entire area was dominated by ma and pa grocery stores and restaurants located on walkable commercial streets located near residential areas. It was like something out of a 1950's small town, so much so that it was almost like stepping in a time machine being there, it was almost like a model small traditional town!
New brick construction
You see even Hegewisch isnt immune to the Chicago condo boom!
Small town fire station
The only trailer park within city limits, thats right Chicago has a trailer park, technically two of them right next to each other located at roughly 138th and the Indiana State Line, literally the southeastern corner of the city, the furthest you can be from the Loop and still be within the city of Chicago.
Open and undeveloped area near the trailer park.
At the Indiana state line looking towards the trailer park.
Trailer density!
Lots of open space!
The southern end of Wolf Lake
Bungalow area near Wolf Lake
There is even a gun club within Chicago city limits, who would have imagined that!?
Rugged Chicago house location with property on Wolf Lake
Various pictures of Wolf Lake, some looking towards Indiana.
A Nike missle.
The Burnham Greenway bikepath, going from Hegewisch to the Lake Michigan shorline.
Now entering the East Side neighborhood, residential area viewed from the bikepath.
Nice picture of a church with the rays of the sun above it.
New townhome construction.
112th Street looking south at the forest preserve I just left.
State Line Road, I am standing in Indiana right now but those houses on the other side of the street are in Chicago.
This is whats on the Indiana side of State Line Road
You have entered the suburban zone! A very suburban looking area for the city, albeit a fairly small area.
Bungalows with two flats just behind them, now you can tell we are starting to enter the more urban areas of the city.
Crossing 103rd Street again, my lucky number.
The Chicago Skyway overpass.
Got Tank?
The State Line Coal Power Plant at the Lake Michigan shorline, it is actually located in Hammond Indiana, that monument to the right is the State Line Marker.
Closeups of the State Line Marker.
I am at the state line and the Lake Michigan shorline but that shack and some trees is blocking the view of it.
Calumet Park
Calumet Beach, Chicago's southernmost beach.
The Blues Brothers' Bridge, the 95th Street Bridge, this was the bridge they drove accross as it was raised in the movie.
The mouth of the Calumet River from the Ewing Street Bridge
Looking towards the Chicago Skyway Bridge.
The southern terminous of the Metra Electric Line at 93rd Street, this is where I caught my ride back home to downtown Chicago.
The Chicago Skyway Bridge from the metra station.
 > |
0 comments:
Post a Comment