The Undiscovered Landmark by Chipka
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Description
The Tribune Tower is one of Chicago’s iconic landmarks; it was designed by a guy who liked his buildings tall, his women quiet, and his buttresses flying. It’s a tourist destination: people flock from all over the world to take pictures of themselves in front of it, or in front of the statue of that upstanding hottie, Nathan Hale, tucked up within the Gothic twiddly bits of the Tribune Tower’s Michigan Avenue face.
I was not really that interested in the Tribune Tower; I’d photographed it many times before. I was interested in the bridge in this shot, I liked its angle, and the way it looked in the orange glow of soon-to-be-extinct sodium vapor light. For decades, I’ve crossed the Michigan Avenue Bridge, recognizing it only as That Bridge on Michigan Avenue. I recognized its significance as one of those “fixed trunnion bascule bridge” thingies. Trunnions are those protruding support doohickies on the sides of cannons; they allowed the cannon-shooters to raise or lower the muzzle of the cannon in question: undoubtedly so that the bad guys could get blown into squishy, wet shrapnel before they got the chance to do whatever other bad guy stuff they were up to. That bridge allowing Michigan Avenue to cross the Chicago river has trunnions. It’s also a double decker bridge.
In October of 2010, history was made in Chicago, and it wasn’t really in the news, though in defense of Chicago media, I’m not in the habit of paying much attention to the news. At any rate, in October of 2010, the Michigan Avenue fixed trunnion bascule bridge—with two levels, was officially renamed. It didn’t receive just any name. It wasn’t turned into an experiment in corporate branding, and that Willis guy had nothing to do with it, either. In October of 2010—when I wasn’t paying attention—the Michigan Avenue fixed trunnion bascule bridge, with two levels was officially re-christened [insert drum-roll here]: The DuSable Bridge.
This for me, is a pretty big deal!
Jean Baptiste Point DuSable was born in Haiti in the mid 1700s. His mother was an African slave and his father was a French mariner. Though his mother was a slave, he was free. In the late 1700s, he moved a bit farther north than Haiti and came to a grinding halt at the bottom tip of Lake Michigan. At this time, he found himself in the midst of a trade zone for the Potawatomi, Ojibwe and Lakota tribal nations. Despite the stinky skunk cabbage and wild onions growing in the swampy soil, it was a pretty sweet piece of local real-estate; there were probably a number of lighthouses in the area, since the Potawatomis had a habit of building those things, for non-nautical reasons, and as history goes, Jean Baptiste Point DuSable moved in and established a trading post, it did not, however, sell light bulbs to Patawatomi lighthouse keepers. Eventually, he married a Potawatomi woman named Kittihawa (In Potawatomi, her name means "Kittihawa") and made two kids who were promptly named Suzanne and Jean. In 1800, he had enough…well, he probably just wanted to go somewhere with better weather. At any rate, in 1800 he left and made his way to Saint Charles, in Missouri.
Today, there’s an under-funded high school and an African American history museum named for Jean Baptiste Point DuSable, but it was not until 2010 that a piece of municipal property was given his name. It was his trading post that ultimately gave rise to the city, which—not surprisingly—bears that trading post’s name. There should be an area of Chicago named after him, but it’s nice that there is at least a fixed trunnion bascule bridge, with two levels that now bears his name. Given Chicago's history and narrow, ethnically-divisive habits, that's a pretty big deal.
As always, thank you for viewing, reading, and commenting, and I hope you’re all having a great (slightly warmer than Chicago’s current temperature) week.
Comments (34)
mbz2662
I really like this shot. The amber hue of the lights is so cool against the beautiful architecture. The bit of history you provided is a super bonus :) Well done.
Sepiasiren
a marvelous shot and perspective--you really make your town appear--well--magical!
mgtcs
Superb shot with a brilliant angle. The orange tones look fabulous in a night scene. As Sepiasiren said, you really do a wonderful job of making your city magical. Indeed, you make it look every bit as interesting as any ancient and/or historical site (though I do admit that your writing also plays a relevant role in this). I really gotta visit Chicago someday... Well done!
auntietk
Okay. Now I want to walk across THIS bridge! :) That's a really cool story about someone justifiably famous, and a very cool bridge to go with it. Love the pic, love the story! Thanks!
moochagoo
I didnt remember that Chicago was so beautiful at night
snakemove
what a wonderful lights, very magical
whaleman
The tower along with the bridge makes the shot rather spectacular! It also makes me wonder how this might look after the 'twisty-bulb' people get people to throw away all their incandescent bulbs. I guess the question is, will the nights still look warmish-yellow or will they take on a chemical-green hue that might make the Tribune Tower resemble an updated version of a '1984' scene?
durleybeachbum
A great read, Chip, and a very beautiful picture indeed. I don't often feel like that about the built environment.
evinrude
Elegant capture of a majestic icon. Very fine light balance, too.
fallen21
Excellent shot.
Rhanagaz
Great shot of this night view! Perfect! :o)
Feliciti
excellent night shot !! like this atmosphere it's so special i think the most things and buildings looks much nicer by night!! thanks for info too!
jeanebean
Exciting shot. Intresting history lesson too!
kgb224
Stunning capture my friend. God Bless.
evielouise
it's so beautiful and this shot is also wow
MrsRatbag
What a stunning night shot, Chip; the building and bridge are equally lovely counterpoints, and all so clearly detailed. You did well here!
helanker
OHHH MYY!! This is so beautiful. I wouldnt mind being there in that special moment, you took that shot. And the beautiful piece of history with this was fabulous and interesting stuff.
Sea_Dog
You have a way of making even the most mundane of things totally engrossing. This image is superb and you narrative of the Tribune building and the bridge are totally amazing.
Digitaleagle
Stunning view point, excellent use of lighting, captures the eye and draws you in for a closer look at the awesome detail, beautiful work!
dreampaint
awesome light, great capture and perfect shot.
RodS
That's a stunning photo, Chip! Just mgnificent, and interesting information, too.
flavia49
wonderful image and great info!
wotan
Beautiful shot, lighting, POV and composition... the bridge let us to show the entirely scene. Love it!
jac204
As it happens in my most recent posting the Tribune Tower is just out of view :( This is a great capture and historical reference to go with it. Are those train tracks on the lower level?
MadameX
Beautiful shot! I love night scenes like this in a large city like Chicago. And as always, your commentaries make it even more special.
sandra46
excellent image! great night shot!
Lashia
Amazing night scene, awesome lighting captured here- thanks for sharing! :) By the way, have you checked out the Halloween Photography Contest! "Zombie Apocalypse!"
jophoto
Wonderful night shot!
jocko500
the lighting on the bridge is wonderful
anahata.c
a spectacular shot, Chip, among your many of this & other buildings & bridges & structures in Chicago. And a grand bit of history too. Yes, it's not likely DuSable will ever get a whole neighborhood or area named after him, but he wasn't the right race or background for this (as you rightfully describe it) ethnically-divisive city. The photograph really does sing the Tribune Tower, but it amazingly sings the bridge as much, as the prelude to the tower & also its equal. Your night shots of Chicago, of course, glow with a deep golden aura, celebrating and---as you've pointed out many times---transforming & covering over the many darker sides of this city. The Tower never looked as regal as it does here, nor the bridge so opulent: Your eye is beauteous. It also captures the gaudiness of the Tower. And you've cropped it so well...perfect balance between sweeping bridge & high tower, perfect angling. And you caught the way those lights light-up the bottom of the Tower & then fade-out...and then are replaced by the more 'ghostly' lights atop. And boy did you get the glow of the "Chicago Tribune" sign, all lit-up by the side. Another amazing night shot from you, soaked on all sides by deep night, and sensitive enough to include the little red lights under the bridge & of course the dark river below. (You've seen, I'm sure, the many drawings that made up the competition for this building---including some very bauhaus-y designs & some hysterically funny ones, if I recall. It's probably online somewhere, and it's a trip to go through the designs, including one with---if I recall---an Indian head---right? Did I remember that correctly? I mean, some were amazingly nervy & kitsch.) Anyway, an amazing shot of this old warhorse. Chip, your dedi is slated for right after my upload for bill & tara's anniversary. Yours is done now, but I want to go over it with fresh eyes. So next week it'll go up. And I'm not saying that like you should be waiting by your computer, lol: But only because I've wanted to do this for so long, so I finally can say it's done & just needs a final going over. Thanks for your wonderful comments too, they're all gems.