I’m running a little behind on my year-end review, but what’s a few weeks when most my posts cover a Chicago neighborhood during the fifties and sixties? At least I’ve got some new photos to go with the most popular subjects of the past year.
Although readers loved photos of this neighborhood amusement park, they liked seeing the Shopper’s World sign in the background even more. I understand–but can’t explain–why the blue and yellow sign evokes such deep feelings.
How does everyone feel about another Kiddieland shot? That is frequent and much appreciated photo contributer Merle Citrin Monroe (center) riding a Kiddieland pony, with the Lincoln Village sign visible in the background.
Also puzzling is the fact that no one commented on my discovery of the connection between Roma’s Pizza (formerly of Sheffield and Webster) and Hollywood Kiddieland, but I thought it was amazing.
2) The Man Who Put the Hollywood in Hollywood Park, Part 1
Chicago showman Oscar Brotman built the Tower Cabana Club in Hollywood Park for people who really knew how to live. Thanks to Ferne Slotky Berman for sharing her family’s photos. Her father, charming Joe Slotky, was the star of many a Tower Cabana theatrical.
3) Remembering the Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium
This proved to be a far bigger topic than this blog can adequately cover. That’s why I’m launching a new website this year that will be devoted to the stories of former patients and staff of the Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium. I’ll be going public soon.
4) Who’s to say: Definining a neighborhood’s boundaries
How do you know if it’s Hollywood Park or North Park? For that matter any Chicago neighborhood’s boundaries are subject to endless debate.
I had a great time hanging out with the Jesters and A.D.O.s — some 40 years after the fact.
It’s not much in comparison with other Chicago neighborhood parks like Independence Park and River Park, but we loved it anyways.
7) North Park’s Scandinavian Heritage
I explored the area’s Swedish roots and hope to learn more this year or next. One of my discoveries was the Nordic Jewish group with a Facebook page. And they do have a member from Hollywood Park.
Lastly, thanks to Lake Claremont Press publisher Sharon Woodhouse, I receive comp copies of fascinating Chicago books to give away on this blog. Look for another giveaway as soon as I get my hands on the their latest title, The Beat Cop’s Guide to Chicago Eats.
Judi, you’re right. I photographed several pages from your yearbook when I met with a few women from your class. That’s funny that you never knew your husband worked at Kiddieland.
Francis,
My husband, Max Tuchten who lived on Jersey & Ardmore, judt told me last week(while we were watching the PBS special on Chicago and the Boomer Years) that he had a job walking around the pony rides at Kiddyland, just like the ones in the picture above our posts. It was the first time I knew that information about him, and I have know him a lifetime. I think isn’t is 50 years now. I think that picture of the Jester’s and ADO’s was from our high school year book. I was in both the Jester’s and ADO’s. Never really knew what “ADO’s shoot for. Does anyone know out there. Priceless times!
Judi
What a wonderful site!! I grew up in Hollywood Park on Christiana – lived there from 1955 till 1966 when we moved to Lincolnwood. I love the pictures of Lincoln Village, Kiddyland,and Shoppers World! I have lots of pictures taken in the neighborhood – I’ll send copies. I was 11 when we moved, so I never “hung out” in Hollywood Park, but I do remember ice skating there and playing in the playground. I remember a family owned jewelry store on Bryn Mawr, as well as a candy store and a dry cleaners. My pediatrician, Dr. Aranow, had his office on the corner of Christiana and Peterson (now a school).
Jean, yes, having contributors, words or photos, makes a blog more interesting. I recently read somewhere that one ways to make a blog better is to write less about yourself!
It’s great Frances to have readers contribute! After reading a blog post I wrote with photos of outdoor bike art, a local artist who is also a cyclist donated a few photos of art he found. So I credit him ..and write an article around a clutch of original photos.
It’s just one of those fortuitous things!
Sara, thanks for visiting and inspiring me to look into the history of Tower Cabana. It has been a blast hearing about it in its prime–before we were born. And then, who knew the same guy built Lincoln Village Theatre? By the way, I recently interviewed your former neighbor, Mrs Zaid.
The research you did about Tower Cabana is amazing! ( I swore you thought I was nuts when I asked you about it….it was so long ago I might have imagined it, but alas, you got the goods!)
I am still amazed and the photos you found of the Pony rides and tilt a whirl from Kiddyland and the Shoppers World photos.
Practically in tears from all of them…
Merle, if there had been cell phones, and everything else we have today, we wouldn’t have had our Hollywood Park experiences. We hung out there because we didn’t have anywhere else to go, or anything else to do, and we knew we’d find friends there. And that was true for a couple of decades. Thanks for stopping by.
Every summer night began with “hanging out” at Hollywood Park. One night, after the police cleared everyone out, a bunch of us went across the street to McDonald’s. I was the only one in our group who was under curfew age (I can’t remember whether it was 16 or 17). I was put in the rear of a Paddy Wagon, by myself, and taken to the Albany Park police station, where I stayed for hours until I could reach someone to pick me up and rescue me. (A cell phone sure would have come in handy).
I can still remember the names of most of the kids who were with me that night, and I can picture their faces as we drove off. I cried the whole time. That is my one and only bad memory of Hollywood Park.
In spite of that devastating experience, all of the other memories are wonderful. Hollywood Park was the setting for some of the best high school summer nights. It was a place to congregate and a place to meet new people. It was a place for so many “firsts” in the life of a teenager. It’s no wonder that no matter how old we are, no one forgets Hollywood Park.
I forgot about that. I remember seeing the soldiers as well.
Of course, kids will play almost wherever they want to. LOL But when I lived there, we used to see soldiers all along the bank, even a block or more north of Bryn Mawr. I’m sure it was related to the Marine station still at Foster & Kedzie.
I didn’t know that. Very interesting. I also heard that in the ’30s there were clay hills on the banks of the channel, where of course kids played
Here’s a possible memory jogger for some people. When I lived in Hollywood Park, 1954-1958, Bryn Mawr stopped at Kedzie. Sometime after we moved away, they built a bridge ove the channel and now Bryn Mawr continues further east.
Jean, It’s a combination and what time permits. I discovered the city of Chicago has a municipal library collection at the main public library and I really enjoy the chance to see original documents but it is time consuming. Each document has to be requested individually, one at a time. The best resource is the archives of the Chicago Tribune, which are online and are accessible with a Chicago Public Library card. Once I started writing about neighborhood history and linking to my blog from Facebook, people started finding me and contributing their stories. That’s been the most fun and interesting part — most of the contributors are people I didn’t know when I was growing up, though some of the names were familiar.
Hope all is well with you.
Do you spend a certain amount of time doing archival research, Frances? Gosh.. Or it’s primarily collections from family and friends?
I remember the change from Shopper’s World to Community happened in the 1960s. I had forgotten about the Kmart, so not too sure on that one. Plaza Theatres were on the north end of the building.
Frances,
CinemaTreasures.com has an entry for a Plaza Theatre having been at that site. The article speculates that the site had formerly been a Community, (I think I remember that).
The author then states that a K-Mart took over the space, which I don’t remember.
Here is the link: http://cinematreasures.org/theater/10542/
Yes, Frances, it was a Zayre, and a lot of other things that I can’t even begin to remember.
Thanks. You gave me a good idea though for a post: Von Steuben’s sports “greats.” More names, please.
Darlene Goldberg lived on Sawyer her brother Gary was the BEST basketball player at Von Steuben!
fun old photos, Neal. Wasn’t “our” Shopper’s World a Zayre at one point?
There’s another picture of Shopper’s World at this web site, near the bottom of the page:
http://www.wtv-zone.com/dpjohnson/60sdiscountstores/
All wonderful.
done.
more wonderful memories
Deborah Boys Club
Demars Restaurant on Peterson & Kimball
The JR Jesters Cotillion for our 16th birthday
The Granada Theater
I will visit again, can you delete my first comment?
Thanks for visiting. That Yom Kippur story is a Hollywood Park classic. There was a Marcy Goldberg in my class at Peterson who lived on Jersy, but I can’t recall if she had an older sister or brother. Sound familiar?
BTW, The first time you leave a comment, it may take a while–that’s why you didn’t see your first comment posted. But after the first time, your comment will appear immediately. So visit again.
thanks for all the photo’s that bring back so many wonderful memories.
I was a Jr Jester and can remember all the wonderful times I had and all the friends that made life so special!
Does anyone remember going to Shaare Tikvah for Yom Kippur and then sneaking off to MacDonalds after the service?
One last thought just to say miss you my friend Saucy Cherney, you were the one that brought me together with my friends ater 40 years!
Davida
Pure poetry. Thanks, Mark.
Hollywood Park was My World.from 1956 on.
16 inch softball
Buck/Buck
Johnny across
The concrete block at the field house
Tag on the swings
The toilet bowl football game on Thanksgiving
Hanging out during the 60s
Was there evey day as a kid
Ferne, thanks for the I.D.s
Regarding the picture of the ladies at the Tower Cabana:
Top Left, my mother Jean Slotky-Faye Pollack-My Aunt Dorothy Domokos, mothers sister
2nd row: ??????,right Seema Marks
3rd row Left: Me; sitting, then, Charlotte Hamer
Regarding picture of 2 people on a lounge chair and one standing at the Cabana
on lounge Fay Protus, and Lou Kraus,
standing: Harold Sneider.
Thanks. I really enjoyed hearing from you on this post as well as your comments about the school clubs.
I really enjoy all the memories this brings back. I lived in Hollywood Park from 1957 to 1972 and still hung out there beyond that. I probably spent as much time in that park as anybody. All the photos and stories about the neighborhood bring back such fond memories. Thanks for this website which I found on Facebook(Hollywood Park).
yes it was somewhere around that area, Her husband Harry or son Bruce, used to play the piano for the dance classes.
Ferne, thanks. We’ll have to compare dance class notes Miss Carol and Ms. Charlotte. I’m guessing it was the same building, near between Kimball and the Hollywood Bowl?
Great job, I love it all.. Thanks
I also have a whole photo album of a recital from Miss Charlottes Dance studio, on Bryn Mawr. The recital was at Vion, if your interested.
I remember going on Pony rides…I don’t remember where it was……could have been Lincoln Village?
Hi, Chris. That’s funny. I think of school supplies, white lipstick, black eyeliner and 45’s when I remember Shopper’s World.
I love the photo of Shoppers World!! That really brings back memories!