Many buildings in Lake Zurich have a charming faux “Alpine”/cottage look that ties the downtown together nicely

Hawthorne Race Course in Cicero

Evening in Lake Zurich after another unforgettable library lecture #illinoislife

New York Street Memorial Bridge over the Fox River at Aurora is truly a masterpiece. Dedicated on Armistice Day 1931 as a memorial to those who served in WWI. The bronze statue represents victory and four the concrete statues represent Memory.

Storm approaching Berwyn

Another George Elmslie design in Aurora, the German American Bank Building. Only a handful of Prairie style banks from this era in the country and Aurora has two!

This crazy building is Healy Chapel, one of the first purpose-built mortuaries in the country. It was designed by noted prairie school architect George Elmslie. Would love to get inside (as a tourist, alive)

This church in Aurora appears to be sinking into the ground

Old Oak Street School (1913, now apartments) in Lake Zurich. Come see me tonight in the town's much newer library building, where I'll be sharing my Route 66 in Illinois presentation, including photos, history, and travel tips. Link below.

Grand Army of the Republic Hall in Aurora (1877). Aurora’s last Union veteran died in 1947. This building also served as the site of the city’s library for several years.

Elgin Tower

BNSF tracks over Aurora

Some Aurora balconies

I am touring Chicagoland/Northern Illinois libraries presenting on Route 66 (from Chicago to St. Louis) and Revolutionary Illinois. Please come to these free lectures—featuring history, book recs, travel tips, and photography—or request that your library book me!

Having visions of scenic South Elgin as I prepare to take two trains and a bus to tonight's special Mr. Illinois Route 66 talk at their library. I was (very loosely) involved in the expansion of this library branch so I am excited to see it. Please come if you're in the area! Details in next post.

Evening at the gorgeous St. Mary of the lake in Chicago

Illuminated pedestrian bridge over the Fox in Aurora, city of lights

The old Fox Theatre in Aurora

Here it is folks, the magnificent Mayan temple on Aurora’s Stolp island known as Elks Lodge 705 (now apartments). More pics below 🤩

Old Aurora Post Office

Aurora’s Leland Tower, built in 1928, once had on its top floor the swanky Sky Club, where guests could dine and dance. Some historical interior photos in next post.

Aurora’s 1857 Tanner House, open for tours Sundays

The most insanely beautiful prairie style bank, designed by Sullivan acolyte George Grant Elmslie, who designed much of Sullivan’s famous ornamentation before his own career, which included Old Second National Bank in Aurora, took off

A bit more of the Paramount

Spent some time in Aurora this evening and will be posting my photos for the next 100 years

Presently

Two charming Glen Ellyn homes

Fine riverfront dining on the Fox in McHenry

More than 2,000 people are buried at Peoria’s Moffatt Cemetery, which endured many decades as a parking lot before some dignity was restored in recent years. Nathan Ashby, buried here, served in the 29th U.S. Colored Infantry in Galveston to enforce emancipation on the first Juneteenth

McHenry’s library features a truly giant room that has pretty much everything in it

Truly love this shrine to St. Petronille on the outside of the Glen Ellyn church. Inspired by a catacomb crypt chapel, sketched out by the pastor, and completed in 1956 by sculptor Wladyslaw Gawlinski. Can’t say I’ve seen anything like it in Chicagoland.

Was fortunate to stumble upon these two murals by the late great Tony Fitzpatrick in Glen Ellyn this evening. I fell in love his work on Steve Earle album covers long ago and was then pleased to learn he was a Chicagoan. Just a brilliant artist who died too soon (last fall)

Riverside Chocolate Factory in McHenry is 🍭PEN

What is the religious meaning of a giant snake hanging in the main window of an old convent? Or am I correct in assuming I have stumbled into a horror movie

George Rogers Clark and his boys camped here at Mary’s River on July 3 1778 before taking Kaskaskia in Illinois Country during the Revolutionary War. Learn more fascinating facts at @glensidelibrary (Glendale Heights) tonight at 7!

The Little Boutique in McHenry

A magnificent building in McHenry

Here is the playroom fireplace in Frank Lloyd Wright's Oak Park home, in honor of my lecture at the fantastic @oakparklibrary.bsky.social tmrw (Tuesday) at 2. I will be delivering my new Route 66 in Illinois talk with original photos, book recs, restaurant tips and more. Pls come/spread the word!

Meet me at The Illinois

St. Thomas Moore in Elgin

Two great signs in Edison Park

Halsted

Halsted

Some details from the 1927 lodge Zook designed for Alexander Legge and his late wife Katherine. Legge ran International Harvester and established the Hinsdale lodge/park in his wife’s memory as a retreat for women who worked at his company. Spiderweb windows are a Zook trademark

The home and studio of Hinsdale architect R. Harold Zook, which were saved from demotion and moved to Katherine Legge Memorial Park. I find his zig zaggy brick and stone accents as fun as his beautiful roofs.

McLean County sights

Finally stopped at the famed Green Gables on Lake Bloomington on the way home from our trip this weekend. It was as good as they say, liked my burger’s extra crispy edges which I have not yet perfected at home.

The Funk Sirup operation involves tubes being wrapped around and stuck into dozens of trees. Pumping pushes the sap into this tank.

A Funk Family barn quilt. The Funks have been making maple “sirup” south of Bloomington since the 1820s. I had the great privilege of bumping into a descendent and a few Funk-in-Laws yesterday at their little maple grove

Chenoa’s charms