Before the skyscrapers: Uncovering a 1958 photo of the corner of Clark & Madison in Chicago
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This week, we're investigating this incredible photo from our Getty archives of a downtown Chicago corner in the 1950s. It's part of our ongoing "History Mystery" series.
State of play: The photo was taken in 1958 at the northeast corner of Clark & Madison streets in Chicago's Loop.
Zoom in (literally): While the location was easy to figure out, the actual spot was a bit harder. The biggest clue was the Blue Note Jazz Club nestled next to Wimpy Burgers.
- The Blue Note moved further north soon after this photo and closed permanently in 1960, years before the New York version.
The intrigue: If you look up the address of the Blue Note, it says 56 W. Madison Street, which would be in the middle of the block and inside the 1 N. Clark Street building today.
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Yes, but: Like many old downtown addresses, this one changed after the mammoth skyscrapers came in and claimed whole blocks.
Zoom out: Like much of Madison Street sprawling west, what we see in the photo is long gone, replaced by skyscrapers or new developments.
The bottom line: Don't you still wish Wimpy's was still around?