1 hour ago - History
Vintage photos show Chicago's crowded beaches are nothing new
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Oak Street Beach from 1929 and 2026. Photos: Chicago Daily News/Chicago History Museum/Getty Images and Carrie Shepherd/Axios
Chicagoans are flocking to the city's premier beaches for the unofficial start of summer.
The big picture: While many have bemoaned the throngs of people clogging the lakefront, it's important to add some context in the form of a long-lost photo from 1929.
- It was busy then, too.
The intrigue: Oak Street Beach has offered Chicagoans a summer respite for hundreds of years, especially before air conditioning became widespread.
- Residents were known to visit the beach before finding a shady spot in the park to sleep on hot nights.
The bottom line: Yes, the beaches are crowded. Just as they've always been.
