Tonight, WTTW -- Chicago From The River: The New Boat Tour

Tonight, WTTW -- Chicago From The River: The New Boat Tour

Friend of mine, Dan Andries, produced a show about the Chicago River that is airing tonight and over the next month or so on WTTW.

Here's the email he sent me:

“Chicago From The River: The New Boat Tour”

Debuting Tuesday, November 29 at 7:30 p.m. only on WTTW11

The postcard view of Chicago is from the lakefront. But if you really want to know the city, cruise the river. The classic 1995 WTTW11 program “Chicago By Boat” took viewers on a river cruise led by Chicago Architecture Foundation tour guide and WTTW producer Geoffrey Baer. Ten years later, the river has changed dramatically, so it’s time to take a new look.

“Chicago from the River: The New Boat Tour” was taped in wide-screen high-definition video. And it’s a much bigger show than the original. The first one was just 45 minutes long and only covered downtown buildings. In “The New Boat Tour,” Geoffrey Baer explores the entire river system: from the farthest reaches of the industrial South Branch to the scenic forks in the northern suburbs plus two man-made channels. Baer also expands his scope beyond architecture to include more history, colorful characters and environmental issues.

The vintage vessel used for the tour is the Robert Allan II, the oldest power yacht moored in Chicago. This impeccably restored wooden boat was built in the 1930s at Grebe’s Boatyard on the North Branch.

AIR DATES & TIMES FOR WTTW11 BROADCAST

Tuesday, November 29th, 7:30pm and 9:30pm

Saturday, December 3rd, 1:00pm and 3:30pm

Sunday, December 4th, 12:00am

Sunday, December 11th, 4:30pm

Monday, December 12th, 7:30pm

AIR DATES &TIMES FOR WTTW DIGITAL HIGH DEFINITION BROADCAST

Tuesday, December 13th, 8:00pm, 12:00am and 4:00am

Wednesday, December 14th, 8:00am, 12:00pm and 4:00pm

Friday, December 16th, 10:30pm

Saturday, December 17th, 4:00am, 9:30am and 3:00pm

“Chicago From The River: The New Boat Tour” highlights include:

Water-level observations of downtown Chicago skyscrapers from Donald Trump’s new tower (the second tallest in America) to old favorites like the Wrigley Building, Tribune Tower, Marina City, and Sears Tower.

The amazing transformation of industrial areas (including a place once called “Little Hell”) into hot property for river-edge condos and town homes. The number of housing units on the river has increased ten-fold since our first boat tour in 1995! The focus on the river is continually being expanded as the city builds river walks with cafes, shops and boat docks.

Exploration of historic river-edge neighborhoods including Bridgeport, Pilsen, Chinatown, Lincoln Park and secluded Ravenswood Manor where homes have their own boat docks.

The bad luck bridge at Kinzie Street, site of the notorious Dave Matthews Band incident and the point of origin of the Chicago Flood of 1992.

Mud Lake. A portage used by Native Americans and explorers near what is today 47th St. and Harlem Avenue. It connected the Great Lakes with the Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico. A canal built across the portage in 1848 made Chicago the fastest growing city in the history of the world. A larger canal built in 1900 reversed the flow of the Chicago River and saved the city from the ravages of typhoid and cholera.

“Chicago From The River: The New Boat Tour” was produced with the assistance of the Chicago Architecture Foundation and the Chicago Historical Society.

Major funding provided by Harris Bank. Additional generous support from Peter Kelliher, Jr and Diane Kelliher; and by The Walter E. Heller Foundation in memory of Alyce DeCosta. Funding also provided by members of Channel 11 who supported this production through the WTTW11 Adopt-a-Show program.

David:

Many thanks for posting this. I might not be able to see it tonight and so it's great to have the schedule for subsequent rebroadcasts. I'm really looking forward to watching this.

A

P.S. 'Little Hell' was a primarily Sicilian neighbourhood, as I understand it.

Thanks David,

Only missed 5 minutes.

I love this series

Ha!

He just mentioned bubbling creek, and we both said Upton Sinclair at the same time.

25 years ago Freshman H.S. Literature

Tivo locked and loaded.

-ramon

"Little Hell" was so named because the gas utility facilities there produced flaming pillars and noxious odors. You know it today as Cabrini Green.

Once again, he did a really great job. It was really fun and interesting!

This was truly an excellent installment. Just when you think you know a lot about the city you were born and raised in, a show like this comes along and teaches you a bunch of new facts (I had no idea about the "Y" symbolism).

My only complaint is that they floated right by the Vienna Beef factory, even pointed out the new Damen bridge, but completely ignored this north-side testament to our meat-packing heritage.

Thanks for the heads up.

Best,
Michael

Yes, I enjoyed this a lot too. I did not know that there was a segment of the river on the northwest side that was not navigable. That part of the city is pretty interesting and really hidden. A former landlord of ours moved over there. His house abutted the river and with the deer and other critters scurring around his concealed house, you'd think we were in deepest Wisconsin, yet we were a few blocks from Cicero and Peterson (not to far from someone we all know!)

Vital Information wrote:Yes, I enjoyed this a lot too. I did not know that there was a segment of the river on the northwest side that was not navigable. That part of the city is pretty interesting and really hidden. A former landlord of ours moved over there. His house abutted the river and with the deer and other critters scurring around his concealed house, you'd think we were in deepest Wisconsin, yet we were a few blocks from Cicero and Peterson (not to far from someone we all know!)

That particular stretch of river is practically in my backyard. They recently build a new bridge over the river and it is a very picturesque setting now (especially in the snow). I routinely see multiple deer just hanging out at the side of the road. This is a very unique neighborhood for being in the city limits.

stevez wrote:They recently build a new bridge over the river and it is a very picturesque setting now (especially in the snow). I routinely see multiple deer just hanging out at the side of the road. This is a very unique neighborhood for being in the city limits.

Is the bridge you are referring to the one east of Cicero on Forest Preserve? By the house with the mini windmill in the backyard? I've got a creepy tale about that house.

-ramon

Ramon wrote:I've got a creepy tale about that house

Do go on, please.

Hammond

Ramon wrote:

stevez wrote:They recently build a new bridge over the river and it is a very picturesque setting now (especially in the snow). I routinely see multiple deer just hanging out at the side of the road. This is a very unique neighborhood for being in the city limits.

Is the bridge you are referring to the one east of Cicero on Forest Preserve? By the house with the mini windmill in the backyard? I've got a creepy tale about that house.

-ramon

Yes, but it's Forest Glen. Please do tell...

Ramon wrote:I've got a creepy tale about that house.

Does it involve a pepper mill ?

Growing up, my dad never drove anywhere by the conventional route, or even the same way twice. Looking out the window of the station wagon, I never knew where I was, as we zipped down alleys ways and side streets. He demonstrated an encyclopedic knowledge of all diagonal roads, cutting the legal corner at every opportunity.

One such road is Forest Glen on the far north side of Chicago proper. This lovely fizzle of a side street runs about 8 blocks NE/SW from roughly Sauganash Ave to Elston (two more diagonal streets.)

The house in consideration resides on the stretch between Cicero and Elston a couple doors west of the river. The main home is at the back of the property furthest from the street. The front yard is enclosed in a unique masonry fence that seems to stand by its weight alone. Entry to the yard is gained through an arched stone passage. What clearly sets this residence apart is its miniature freestanding windmill in classic windmill visage that dominates the streetside part of the property. I can clearly remember this yard brightly lit at Christmas as a child.

The year was 1982/3. The elderly lady that lived there died alone. She was widowed many years before by a German doctor. Apparently there was no close family. The property sat vacant for awhile while probate was settled. The lot was put up to let cheap with the understanding that the renters would be responsible for preparing the home for estate sale and eventual showing.

I helped arrange for friends to occupy the premises. The property had been left in situ since the death of its owner. Ughh, the fridge. There was a lot of junk to sort through – mountains of old old-people clothes. You’d of thought there would be shelves of interesting old books, but I remember none. Some jars were found in the attic with unidentified organs suspended in viscous fluid.

The house was eventually cleaned out and the young family living there made it their (temporary) own. I remember a beautiful summer afternoon, with the sun shining down the windmill-shadowed lawn, into the living room, where we were getting a little rowdy. Someone stumbled into the fireplace stone surround and a brick shifted.

Using a butter knife, the brick was worried from its hole. Space was found behind it. A stack of photographs was found.

While there have been many shocking examples of man’s potential for evil, the holocaust ranks particularly high. These photos were of piles of corpses, stacks of cadavers, rows of bodies heaped higher than human height. I’d seen and been shocked by the stock footage my whole life – the impact of the physical presence in my hands was an order of magnitude more intense. In every composed shot, a different German officer was standing at attention proudly in immaculate cold weather gear and regalia. The near naked and dirty dead looked cold.

We were all disturbed by our find and even a little mad at this rude intrusion on our playful afternoon. The pictures though begged to be viewed and remembered. There was no denying their request.

The pics were printed on 5x2.5 cardstock. They were in remarkable condition. While the corpses were disturbing, they were near anonymous in their wretched multitude. But the German officers, standing straight and tall, posing next to their accomplishments and awaiting congratulations, were haunting and revolting. I longed to be able to detect just a hint of uncertainty in their eyes or a glimmer of red shame in their cheeks, but in this black and white world, I found none.

The final horror was found by turning the pictures over to find that the photos had been printed as postcards -- with a box for the personal note, lines to write the address, and a square to indicate where postage should be affixed. It appears they were intended for the German soldiers to send back to their families and share their great deeds – a tender and proud post from the front.

-ramon

Holy shit.

Hi,

How did you dispose of them? While the Holocaust Museum would have wanted them for their collections. I imagine they were tossed into the fire and disposed of.

I can understand why you were reluctant to drop this information unexpectedly.

Regards,

C2:

At the time I was extremely insistant that the postcards be offered to appropriate museums, but I have no data on their eventual destination. I'd be further horrified it they were simply "disposed of." Inquiries are on order.

-ramon

I'll never look at that house the same way again. BTW, it is unadorned this Christmas season.

Good Lord! "Creepy tale" is an understatement...
I hope the photographs (postcards!?) found their way to a proper place.