Page 81 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Chicago

NEAR NOR TH SIDE  79

The Gold Coast skyline from Oak Street Beach
Restored in 1988 by the walkers, and in-line skaters 1,392 ft (425 m) tall, it is a
architect firm of Skidmore, make the broad expanse of Oak significant addition to the
Owings and Merrill, the house Street Beach a lively place to Chicago skyline. It houses shops,
now headquarters the Society enjoy the sun and watch the a hotel, and condominiums,
of Architectural Historians. It waves. At the southern end of breaking the John Hancock
was renamed in honor of the beach is a pleasant Center’s record as Chicago’s
Seymour Persky, who bought promenade and outdoor eatery. tallest residence.
it for the society. To reach the beach, use the Non-residents can enjoy
pedestrian tunnels at Oak or dinner at the hotel restaurant
Division streets. There are on the 16th floor, or the terrace
z Oak Street Beach washrooms at the beach, but lounge. Both offer spectacular
the nearest changing rooms panoramic vistas of Lake
Between E Division & E Oak Sts,
at N and E Lake Shore Dr. Map 2 D3. are at North Avenue Beach. Michigan, the Chicago River,
Tel (312) 742-7529 (Chicago Park and the city.
District). q Chicago (Red Line) then x Trump
bus 36; Clark/Division. @ 145, 146, Inter national Hotel
147, 155.
& Tower
Just steps from Chicago’s 401 N Wabash Ave. Map 1 D5.
Magnificent Mile is the Tel (312) 588-8000. q Grand (Red
fashionable Oak Street Beach, Line). 7 = 0 h See Where to
one of the city’s several beaches Stay: p144.
that together form a sandy
chain along the lakefront. Completed in 2009 as the
As well as providing a great second-tallest building in
view of Lake Michigan, the Gold Chicago after Willis Tower,
Coast, and towering North Side Trump Tower stands sleek and
buildings, Oak Street Beach shiny on the edge of the
presents a good opportunity Chicago River, reflecting the
to don swimsuit and sandals. skyline in its stainless steel and Trump International Hotel & Tower by
Throngs of joggers, cyclists, dog glass facade. At 92 stories and the Chicago River
Old Money
Chicago has a beautiful sound because Chicago means money –
so the late actress Ruth Gordon reputedly said. By the turn of
the century, 200 millionaires flourished in the city. One of the
most prominent was dry-goods merchant and real-estate
mogul Potter Palmer, who with his socialite wife Bertha
Honore, had an enormous impact on the city’s social, cultural,
and economic life. Chicago’s wealthy began to flock from the
Prairie Avenue District, to the Gold Coast after Palmer built, in
1882, his opulent home (since demo lished) at present-day
1350 North Lake Shore Drive. Department-store owner Marshall
Field (see pp52–3), was less ostentatious in his display of wealth.
Although he rode in a carriage to work, he always walked the last
few blocks so people wouldn’t see his transport. Likewise, he asked
the architect of his $2-million, 25-room mansion not to include any
frills. The influential Field also provided major funding to the Field
Marshall Field Museum (see pp88–91) and the 1893 World’s Fair.

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