Portal:Chicago

Fountain of Time, or simply Time, is a sculpture by Lorado Taft, measuring 126 feet 10 inches (38.66 m) in length, situated at the western edge of the Midway Plaisance within Washington Park in Chicago. This location is in the Washington Park community area on Chicago's South Side. Inspired by Henry Austin Dobson's poem, "Paradox of Time", and with its 100 figures passing before Father Time, the work was created as a monument to the first 100 years of peace between the United States and Great Britain, resulting from the Treaty of Ghent in 1814. Although the fountain's water began running in 1920, the sculpture was not dedicated to the city until 1922. The sculpture is a contributing structure to the Washington Park United States Registered Historic District, which is a National Register of Historic Places listing. Part of a larger beautification plan for the Midway Plaisance, Time was the first finished work of art made of concrete. Before the completion of Millennium Park in 2004 it was considered the most important installation in the Chicago Park District. Time is one of several Chicago works of art funded by Benjamin Ferguson's trust fund. Time has undergone several restorations, due to the deterioration and decline caused natural and urban elements. During the late 1990s and the first few years of the 21st century it underwent repairs that corrected many of the problems caused by these restorations. Although extensive restoration of the sculpture has been completed as recently as 2005, supporters of Time continue to seek resources for additional lighting, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation has nominated it for further restoration funding.

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The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference in the National Hockey League (NHL). The club was founded in 1926 as one of the league's first American franchises, joining in the same year as the New York Rangers and the Detroit Red Wings. Owing to the Blackhawks' long history, they are considered one of the NHL's "Original Six" teams—a term reserved for the six teams that comprised the NHL from the 1942–43 season until the league expanded in 1967. The Blackhawks have won the Stanley Cup three times in their 83-year history. Charlie Gardiner, the team's goaltender for its first Stanley Cup win in 1934, became the first European-born captain—and still the only goaltender captain—to win the Stanley Cup. Stan Mikita is the franchise leader in assists (926) and points (1467), and Bobby Hull is the leader in goals (604). Chris Chelios is the franchise leader in penalty minutes (1495). Goaltender Tony Esposito is the club's all-time leader in wins (873) and shutouts (74). Dick Irvin was named the first captain in 1926. The current captain, Jonathan Toews, was the third-youngest captain in NHL history at the time of his selection. (Read more...)

• ... that kids could fight the Great Chicago Fire at Freedomland U.S.A.?
• ... that when Oprah Winfrey was honored at the 2018 Golden Globes, the first person she thanked was Dennis Swanson, the Chicago TV station manager who hired her?
• ... that some regular users of the Schiller Woods magic water pump near Chicago believe that it was covertly blessed by Pope John Paul II in 1979?
• ... that Leander Schnerr survived the Great Chicago Fire and subsequently became the archabbot of Saint Vincent Archabbey?
• ... that Chow Leung started a language school for children in Chicago before writing Chinese Fables and Folk Stories with Mary Hayes Davis?
• ... that decades after its closure, the station house of the Chicago "L"'s Madison station would house a hot dog stand?
• ... that from the old Chicago Station, a five-cent fare would get you as far west as California?
• ... that a Chicago TV station was expelled from the National Association of Broadcasters by mistake?

Stephen Tyrone Colbert (born on May 13, 1964) is an American political satirist, writer, comedian and television host. He is the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a satirical news show in which Colbert portrays a caricatured version of conservative political pundits. Colbert originally studied to be an actor, but became interested in improvisational theatre when he met famed Second City director Del Close while attending Northwestern University. He first performed professionally as an understudy for Steve Carell at Second City Chicago; among his troupe mates were comedians Paul Dinello and Amy Sedaris, with whom he developed the critically acclaimed sketch comedy series Exit 57. Colbert also wrote and performed on the short-lived Dana Carvey Show before collaborating with Sedaris and Dinello again on the cult television series Strangers with Candy. He gained considerable attention for his role on the latter as closeted gay history teacher Chuck Noblet. It was his work as a correspondent on Comedy Central's news-parody series The Daily Show, however, that first introduced him to a wide audience. In 2005, he left The Daily Show with Jon Stewart to host a spin-off series, The Colbert Report. Following The Daily Show's news-parody concept, The Colbert Report is a parody of personality-driven political opinion shows such as The O'Reilly Factor. Since its debut, the series has established itself as one of Comedy Central's highest-rated series, earning Colbert three Emmy nominations and an invitation to perform as featured entertainer at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in 2006. Colbert was named one of Time's 100 most influential people in 2006. His book I Am America (And So Can You!) was No. 1 on The New York Times Best Seller list.

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The Union Stock Yard & Transit Co., or The Yards, operated in the New City community area of Chicago, Illinois for 106 years, helping the city become known as "hog butcher for the world" and the center of the American meat packing industry for decades. From the Civil War until the 1920s and peaking in 1924, more meat was processed in Chicago than in any other place in the world. Construction began in June 1865 with an opening on Christmas Day in 1865. The Yards closed at midnight on Friday, July 30, 1971 after several decades of decline during the decentralization of the meat packing industry. The Union Stock Yard Gate was designated a Chicago Landmark on February 24, 1972 and a National Historic Landmark on May 29, 1981.

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"Chicago gave me more music than any other city in America." — Dave Grohl

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April 25, 2024 – 2024 NFL draft

The first round of the NFL draft is held in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., with the Chicago Bears taking former USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the first overall pick. (Chicago Tribune)