My first Ultra Local Geography publication was a xeroxed 'zine that I sold in Rogers Park for $3. It was a history of the block bounded by Clark, Lunt, Ravenswood and Greenleaf. I still think it was a good idea, but the drawings and organization could have been improved. At the time I remember thinking how great it was.
I doubt anyone has seen this image for a while. And it doesn't exactly lend itself to the vertical format of a blog. And the last time I printed up new copies of the booklet was in 2006.
It's interesting to see how much the block has changed since 2003. Businesses have come and gone, facades have been repair or altered, signs and awnings have gone up (and down). A severe fire resulted in new storefronts and brickwork for a portion of the strip. Maybe I need to do an update on this block every 10 years or so...
Yes! Update every 10 years. This is really invaluable work - I am always struck by old tv shows like Dragnet and the wealth of architectural info they provide. However, tv shows 'move' and you never have the close-up detail that a drawing provides. So keep at it! The historians of tomorrow thank you.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dr. Sphinx! Still looking for Egyptian-style ornament in Rogers Park. I'll keep you updated...
ReplyDelete