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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 12h

Architect Louis Sullivan holding a building in the photo on the right. ❤️

chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Before and After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871: Terrace Row, a block of fourteen Italianate-style mansions with marble and limestone facades designed by architect W.W. Boyington, was built in 1856 and destroyed in the fire. Adler & Sullivan’s Auditorium Building now stands on the site.

Historic photo Terrace Row (1856) looking south from Michigan and Van Buren. These Italianate-style mansions with marble & limestone facades were designed by architect W.W. Boyington & lasted only 15 yrs before the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 destroyed the block. Adler & Sullivan’s Auditorium Building now stands on the site. (Source: Chicagology)

Historic photo of the Auditorium Building from Michigan Avenue, circa 1890 the year after it was completed. (Source: United States Library of Congress's Prints and Photographs division)

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

I swear the shit you find in an old Dropbox account from 2015 that makes you think "WTF!?!" But at the same time, it sums up where I am in 2026. Going crazy in a hallway of despair.

A drawing of a screaming naked man in a hallway. Don't ask.

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Sorry for the late reply but thank you!!

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

“South Side Represent” on the North Side, specifically at the Thomas Hinde House (1892) on Astor Street in Chicago’s Gold Coast.

My photo of a Halloween display at the Thomas Hinde House (1892) on Astor Street in Chicago’s Gold Coast. Witches and a skeleton dressed in a South Side shirt

My photo of the Thomas Hinde House (1892) on Astor Street in Chicago’s Gold Coast with a giant skeleton holding a Chicago flag and dressed in a Bears uniform. A White Sox flag hangs from a window

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Happy October! When I lived in England over 20 yrs ago, I took these photos while exploring “the North,” specifically Yorkshire and the Lake District. 1. Cat & sheep at Cartmel Priory 2. St. Mary’s graveyard in Whitby 3. Church headstones in Knaresborough 4. York Minster

My photo, taken in 2004, of a cat sitting on a grave with some sheep in the background at Cartmel Priory in the Lake District

My photo of St. Mary’s Church graveyard in Whitby, England, taken on a bank holiday in 2005

My photo, taken in early 2005, of church headstones lined up in Knaresborough

My photo of the interior of York Minster taken in 2004

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Over the past 20 yrs, I've worked at several architecture-related tourist attractions that would always get lots of foreign visitors. Has foreign attendance declined in 2026? It's definitely noticeable. I think people had already booked their trips last year, but now they’re like, “F*ck the U.S."

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

What if you brought an iced coffee *and* a dog to a job interview?

My photo taken a few years ago of my dog, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, and a Gloria Jean’s iced coffee at Yorktown Shopping Center in Lombard. Don’t worry the mall is dog-friendly.

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Looking back to when Chicago’s Streeterville was full of parking lots like this one at Huron & St. Claire, September 1972.

Looking at a parking lot - Huron and St. Claire in Chicago’s Steeterville, September 1972 (photo: Mart Studios)

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

This growing disdain for all things AI is truly bringing the generations together. The President may be a lying, grifting, corrupt rapist, but who cares about that!?! What really gets people upset are data centers!!!

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

My 86-yr-old uncle might’ve retired for the “quiet” life in Paducah, Kentucky but he’s still a Chicago kind of guy: “They’re gonna build a $100 billion artificial intelligence data center down here. This AI crap with people making fake pictures of the fucking Pope. Why? I’m glad I’ll be dead soon.”

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Good morning, JB! It’s always a pleasant surprise whenever I see the Governor while taking a walk down Astor Street.

My photo of Governor JB Pritzker stepping out of his personal residence in Chicago’s Gold Coast

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Happy autumnal equinox to those who celebrate, especially “Fall Guy” and “Pumpkin Spice Latte Gal.”

Photo collage of generic photos of a man and woman whose personality is all about the fall season. Pumpkin Spice Lattes for everyone!

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Happy Gotcha Day to this lovable weirdo. Four years ago today I brought home this guy who was an owner surrender in Minnesota. I still can’t believe somebody did that and he was almost put down. Thanks to Cavalier Rescue Midwest for saving him. ❤️

My photo of my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in his comfort bed with his legs sticking out because why not?

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

I’m old enough to remember everyone bitching about gas prices going up during the Dubya/Iraq War years. That’s right, folks the average price of gasoline went above $2 and people lost their damn minds. How quaint!

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Art Shay captured a city that's long gone. Chicago's Maxwell Street at dawn, 1957.

A black and white photo, taken by Art Shay in 1957, of a Chicago street scene.

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

I believe they live in Oak Park so they’re aware of the zoning changes. Probably thought “How can I turn this into ‘content’?” Well, it worked out as they got plenty of clicks and engagement.

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

“Ed Sheeran looks like Ron Weasley hatefucked a Cabbage Patch Doll. He has the most forgettable music I’ve never heard.”

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

This viral ragebait video was made by "old house influencers" Ken Weiss and Dalton Sturm, who were once on an episode of Hoarders (Season 15, episode titled "Bob" and filmed in St. Louis). This is their full-time "job." They're not genuine, just attention-seeking liars. youtu.be/y_4zLNh-ItI?...

youtu.be

These Frank Lloyd Wright Houses Will Be Demolished | How "Shape Oak Park" Will Destroy the Village

YouTube video by This House

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Lake Geneva, Wisconsin is now the latest candidate to announce a run for mayor of Chicago in 2027.

My photo, taken in 2025, of a large sign that says “Lake Geneva” in blue letters with a big red heart. The water and the historic Riviera are in the background.

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

If I’m gonna post anything about 9/11, I have to make it about art and architecture. My mom’s photo of the WTC sphere, the world's largest bronze sculpture, by artist Fritz Koenig. It was the only remaining work of art to be recovered from the ruins.

A 1970s photo taken by my mom of the World Trade Center and the bronze sculpture known as the Sphere done by artist Fritz Koenig. The world's largest bronze sculpture, weighing 20 tons, it survived the 9/11 attacks though badly damaged and has been on display in Liberty Park since 2017.

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

“I'm walkin' into spiderwebs So leave a message and I'll call you back” 🎶 🎵

My photo taken in September 2023 of a entry doorway covered in a spiderweb somewhere in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood 🕷️

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

This reminds me of Block 37 when the Chicago City Council controversially revoked the landmark status of the McCarthy Building, a post-fire structure built in 1872 by architect John M. Van Osdel. The fight ended up at the Illinois Supreme Court and the building was demolished in 1989.

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

My grandfather, second from the left, taking a break with his fellow sheet metal workers in Chicago, ca. early 1940s. Happy Labor Day!

Historic image of men sitting and leaning against a brick wall outside the place where they all worked in Chicago, circa early 1940s.

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

I’m glad that I’m not on TikTok so I don’t have to see that shit. I’d probably be sending him to jail.

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

What did I do today? Perform and be directed by some young guy for his TikTok. “I’m very popular!” I had to make faces and do multiple takes as he recorded me and the whole time I was thinking “WTF!?!”

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

I think a lot of people have the same question. I’d bet her parents do too.

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

I remember going to a wedding reception over ten yrs ago where I had to make small talk w/strangers at my table. The husband says something like “The biggest mistake this country ever made was giving women the right to vote” and the wife just nodded along. JD & Usha Vance remind me of that couple.

An old photo of couchfucker Just Dumb Vance, a guy who thinks he’s gonna be our next President, with his wife who should take a cold, hard look in the mirror one of these days and ask herself “WTF is wrong with me?”

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

My response to that Rolling Stone article going around with the headline “Rahm Emanuel: ‘You Don’t Like My Ideas? Show Me Yours.’” You want an idea, Rahm? I got one just for you. How about you shut up for once in your fucking life and just fucking disappear.

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Some people might not realize that Mousetrap, the taproom of Off Color Brewing, is a Louis Sullivan design. It was originally part of a factory complex built in two phases between 1899 & 1902, known as Euston & Company. Most of it was torn down, but the small corner brick office building survives.

Richard Nickel’s historic image of the Linseed Oil Plant office for Euston & Company, a Louis Sullivan-designed structure located at the corner of Kingsbury and Blackhawk Streets in Chicago.

My photo taken in December 2022 of the Linseed Oil Plant office, located at the corner of Kingsbury and Blackhawk Streets in Chicago. A Louis Sullivan design from 1898-1902, it has been repurposed and is now home to Mousetrap, the taproom of Off Color Brewing.

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Today marks the 170th anniversary of architect Louis Sullivan’s birth. Only 21 of his structures are still standing in the city of Chicago. Here is a partial photographic survey of what survives: chicagolandarchitecture.substack.com/p/louis-sull...

chicagolandarchitecture.substack.com

Louis Sullivan at 170 in Chicago

Today is the 170th anniversary of architect Louis Sullivan’s birth.

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

21 years ago today we lost Louis Sullivan’s beloved cottage that overlooked the Gulf Coast of Mexico in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. He jokingly referred to the home as “Le Hut” and requested bi-weekly reports from his caretaker on the ground’s conditions, specifically his treasured rose garden.

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Yesterday would’ve been my grandparents’ 83rd wedding anniversary. I first shared this photo on Flickr, and then later saw it all over Pinterest. Wedding dress goals for some people, I guess.

My grandmother’s wedding portrait taken in Chicago August 29, 1943.

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

When you find out your 82-year-old aunt invited her friends over and they drank Black Russians all night and had a sleepover. It’s like the drunk version of Golden Girls or something.

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

That could work. If only the name fit onto a vanity plate.

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Officially changing my name to “Tired Of This Fucking Shit.”

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Too bad I’ll be out of town. My one disappointment with this book is that it only mentions the Charnleys briefly. I can’t believe that the author missed the opportunity to point out that both Burnham’s and Sullivan’s firms had designed houses for the same client in the same neighborhood.

A black and white image of the “first” Charnley House, circa 1882, in Chicago’s Gold Coast. The home was located at Division and Lake Shore Drive and was designed by Burnham & Root. Notice the “Palmer Castle” in the background as well as the wooden pier over the marshy land that was on the Gold Coast at the time. (Chicago History Museum)

Historic black and white photo of the James Charnley House at the corner of Astor & Schiller in Chicago’s Gold Coast. The Charnleys commissioned Adler & Sullivan in 1891 to design this home and construction was completed in May of 1892.

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

That’s awesome that they visited the factory. You could’ve lived in a Lustron. My aunt still owns one in the Chicago suburbs.

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

I shared these screenshots earlier this year. Rest in peace to Dolly, a shining positive light in the world who used her fame & wealth to do good things.

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Timeline cleanse, which we really need today after being exposed repeatedly to that godawful *burrito* photo.

Photo of my smiling King Charles Cavalier Spaniel posing in front of the Riveria in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

Another Photo of my happy King Charles Cavalier Spaniel in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Today’s the birthday of father & son architectural duo Eliel & Eero Saarinen. Yes, they’re birthday twins. Here are 2 modern churches designed by them in Columbus, Indiana: Eliel’s First Christian Church (1942) & Eero’s North Christian Church (1964). If you haven’t been to Columbus, get on it asap!

My photo looking up at Eliel Saarinen’s First Christian Church (originally known as the Tabernacle Church of Christ), constructed in 1942. It was the first modern-style building in Columbus, Indiana and one of the first churches in the United States to be built in a contemporary architectural style. The church's facade is made of brick, stone, and concrete and is known for its freestanding 166-foot-tall (51 m) tower or campanile.

My photo of the North Christian Church, a building and former congregation at 850 Tipton Lane in Columbus, Indiana designed by Eero Saarinen and completed in 1964, after his death. The 192-foot-tall (59 m) structure originally housed a Protestant Disciples of Christ congregation of the same name. After the congregation was disbanded on July 16, 2022, the Bartholomew County Public Library took over the structure.

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

My wish before I die is being one of those people who says “Hi Chicago, you're watching WTTW, Channel 11,” preferably in front of a Louis Sullivan-designed building.

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Don’t forget house museums or buildings of architectural interest: Charnley-Persky House, the Nobel-Seymour-Crippen House, Madlener House, Ernest Hemingway Birthplace in Oak Park, and Holy Trinity Orthodox Cathedral has guided tours most Saturdays.

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Never forget that Pee-Wee Herman said “Bicycle rights!”

Screenshot from the movie “Pee-wee's Big Adventure” where the main character is riding his cherished, heavily accessorized red bicycle that ends up getting stolen.

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Why did I see a bunch of Waymos in a row pass me by on Division near Clybourn? I didn’t know they’re here in Chicago. Another bullshit thing I have to look out for now. 🤮

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

This Lustron House in Lake Geneva, WI was built for nurse Laura Doppke in 1950. The construction crew laid the concrete slab for the prefabricated home, then a semi-truck hauled all of the building materials, including the porcelain-enameled steel walls & shingle roof tiles. It was built in one day.

My photo of the Laura Doppke House, an original prefabricated Lustron located at 308 Maxwell St in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, taken in August of 2022. (Info from Wisconsin Historical Society & Janesville Gazette)

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

My latest real estate roundup. The Huebner & Henneberg brick design you see in the main photo is on the market for the first time in nearly 50 yrs.

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

In the first part of my piece on architects Irving Gill & Joseph Lyman Silsbee, I wrote about what brought Silsbee to Chicago, including his links to Potter Palmer & James Charnley, and the moving sidewalk he designed for the 1893 World's Fair. chicagolandarchitecture.substack.com/p/gill-silsb...

A black and white photo of architect Irving Gill and the tile of my piece "Gill, Silsbee and Chicago Part 1" on my Substack.

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chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

We're living in the world of extremes unfortunately.

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