I took this photo at the intersection of South Archer and Oakpark Avenue's. Seen here in Chicago's Garfield Ridge neighborhood community near Midway Airport, is one of the many green painted Chicago public drinking fountains.After spending the winter months in storage, these fountains are now in place, and ready to quench many a hot Chicago summer thirst. This has always been a favorite seasonal summer sight in the windy city for Me.
8 comments:
Hi Anthony.
Your comment accidently got erased.
could You please send it again?
Thank You.
Eddie.
Nice find, Eddie. Did you know there were at least two fountains at this intersection in the past, on opposite corners? Only one has been appearing for a number of years now.
Do you remember the one on the SW corner of Archer and Kedzie, next to that old magazine store? (Don't get any wrong ideas, I bought only train and guitar mags there!) I haven't seen that fountain in many years, even before that entire block was redeveloped. There's no longer even any evidence in the sidewalk of the connection where the fountain stood.
Interesting to think there was a time when the City considered such a service a necessity to its residents. Even back then, it must have cost a small fortune to maintain and seasonally install/de-install all of them that were located throughout town.
Do you think the remaining fountains are stored off-season in each ward's local Dept. of Streets and Sanitation office? I'll bet the few wards that still have them will continue to use them only until each fountain becomes unserviceable, or until sidewalk repairs eliminate the mounting connections. It's too bad this will spell the end of these quaint reminders of another era.
Hi Anthony!
Yes....I still remember that green water fountain at Archer and Kedzie back during the 1980's. I recall that they would install it there during early to mid April, and remove it around the 2nd week of October it seemed.
I bought many a Model railroader or Trains magazine at that little corner Magazine and Cigar store.
One time I remember a tough seedy looking biker dude thumbing through one of the porno mags, and one of the older female clerks told him..." Sir? I'm sorry but You are not allowed to do that here. Sir"?
He replied very loudly and rudely
"SHUT UP YOU - - - -"!!!
She replied "Gasp! Did You hear what He just said?"
Me and My buddys used to eat at Jimmy's Gyros a few store fronts west of there on Archer. Archer Avenue and Kedzie today is full of Mentally sick people -Panhandlers -Street Gangs -Alchohaulics -and an occasional Druggie or two.
Still, I have happy memorys here.
Thank You.
Eddie.
Hmm, so you heard that exchange? I didn't mean to be so rude to her, I guess I was having a bad day.
OK, just joking, that certainly wasn't me, but I'll bet I've seen that same guy you mentioned!
I used to love hopping off the bus in front of Solar Cine Products, looking at all the camera gear I couldn't afford (although I eventually did buy my first SLR there, a Minolta SRT 201 in the rare all-black finish), and then stopping at the magazine store for Trains, Model Rail Roader, Guitar Player and Popular and/or Modern Photography. I remember Jimmy's, too!
As to the current state of the neighborhood, a fireman friend from the Archer and Sacramento firehouse (where the movie Backdraft was set) recently said he responded to a four-car crash at Archer and Kedzie and only one of the four cars even had its occupant still on the scene. The drivers of the other three cars simply ran away.
Hi again Anthony.
My lovely wife Cheryl and Myself just celebrated our one year wedding anniversary this weekend! I just bought her a Radio Shack police scanner as one of her gifts. She listened to it last night after work for the 1st time, and heard a Chicago Police dispatch call to the White Castle restaurant at Archer and Kedzie.
It turns out, that some African American tough guy was threatening to Kill the workers in the drive thru window. The police converged on the scene and apprehended the BUM. Bravo! Nice going Chicago's finest! Archer and Kedzie can be an unfriendly place at 2 AM.
Thank You.
Eddie.
Maybe they ticked him off by shorting him one slider.
Happy anniversary! It was 18 happy years for me this past April. Seems like it was a year ago I first encountered your blog site, when you had posted some pics from your honeymoon trip. Amazing how time flies.
Thanks Anthony.
You make this blog site
a fun assignment for Me.
Your comments inspire My creativity.
Thanks buddy.
Eddie.
As soon as I saw this photo, I was going to comment on the fountain that used to be on Archer and Kedzie, but you guys beat me to it!!
My friend used to work at the Community Smoke Shop - the magazine store you're talking about. I also know the owner because of my friend's employment, and almost bought his used Cadillac Coupe De Ville in 1986!
The basement of that place was something right out of a horror movie!!
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