Around the USA

Since I don't have anything else ready, I'm going to share some random vintage photos from around the USA.

Let's start out in Chicago (circa October 1967)! Right in the middle of this photo you see the twin corncob towers of Marina City, a famous mixed-use residential/commercial complex (65 stories tall) that was completed in 1964. I could do a whole post just about those buildings. One interesting fact is that the $36 million dollar cost was largely financed by the union of building janitors and elevator operators. Amazing!

Also prominent in this picture is the Woods Theater, with its huge marquee (how much did that thing cost?!?) advertising Arthur Penn's "Bonnie and Clyde". I love the hyperbole: "THE NATION'S MOST RUTHLESS KILLERS"; "Beautiful Cigar-smoking Murderess". Also, the blood and gore is "Ablaze in Technicolor"! The Woods Theater was demolished in 1989.

Now we'll jump to June 1959 and to Cleveland Ohio. I am guessing that this photo was taken from Cleveland's "Terminal Tower", a 52-story structure completed in 1930. We're looking down toward the Cuyahoga River (famous for catching on fire several times), and the Detroit-Superior Bridge (officially known as the Veteran's Memorial Bridge). I think this is a fascinating look at one of the midwest's "Rust Belt" cities, with it's factories, railroads tracks, barges, bridges, brick buildings, and highways, along with the suburban communities (where the trees are), where the working people lived.

For a change of pace, let's go to Hawaii (circa 1963). The 10-story, 184 feet-tall structure is the "Aloha Tower", located in beautiful Honolulu harbor. Built in 1928 as a lighthouse, it is an example of "Hawaiian Gothic" architecture (which I had never heard of!). During World War II, the tower was painted with a camouflage pattern - I wonder if this happened with any other non-military structure? In recent years the tower and the area immediately surrounding it have fallen into disuse or disrepair, but various plans have been submitted to preserve this landmark.