CityFront Plaza: In the Begining
Posted on July 26, 2007
Filed Under The St. Clair at CityFront Plaza, The Fairbanks at CityFront Plaza |
When CityFront Plaza neighborhood, Streeterville, arises in conversation, my mind generally reels snapshots of the Tribune building, Saks Fifth Avenue and Capital Grill. The area’s varied and upscale attributes have undoubtedly made it THE place to live these days. However, as I was doing a little background research, I discovered the neighborhood’s beginnings to be a bit more humble.
Apparently it’s namesake, George Wellington Streeter, was originally from Flint Michigan where he pursued odd-ball occupations like circus performer and ice-cutter. His wife found his utter lack of direction intolerable and left him. So, with virtually nothing to lose, he set out to seek fortune in the windy city.
In Chicago, Streeter found himself a more adventurous woman and convinced her to become a gunrunner with him. Their first attempt at this audacious profession failed miserably and the two ended up stranded on a sandbar about 450 feet from Michigan Avenue. Rather than go through the cumbersome process of digging their way out, they chose to make the sandbar their home and live out of a ship.
Ever the entrepreneur, Streeter started charging post-fire builders to dump on his sandbar. Eventually, the dumping extended Lake Michigan’s shore-line by 186 acres. This prompted Streeter to begin selling off bits of land (against the will of Chicago business tycoons attempting to district the area for themselves).
Streeter managed to escape law-enforcers trying to snatch his land until his pneumonia-induced death in 1921. His second and third wife helped out in his aversion of the law on various occasions; once pouring boiling water over officers and another time, chasing them out with a meat clever. Convincing, yes?
In any event, the city eventually re-claimed Streeterville in total and it’s now among Chicago’s most profitable pieces of land. How’s that for some lively dinner conversation?
Article By: Carly Pribyl
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