CHICAGO'S LOOP HAS A SPLIT PERSONALITY.

THERE'S THE BUSTLING STREET-LEVEL LOOP -- WHERE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TEXT AND TALK AS THEY HURRY TO LUNCH MEETINGS AND HOLIDAY SALES AND BROADWAY SHOWS.

AND THEN THERE'S THE OTHER LOOP.

THE ONE OVERHEAD.

IF ONLY MORE PEOPLE WOULD JUST STOP AND LOOK UP.

THEY'D SEE SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SKYSCRAPERS IN THE WORLD!

I'M GEOFFREY BAER AND FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS I'VE BEEN LEADING TOURS AS A DOCENT FOR THE CHICAGO ARCHITECTURE FOUNDATION.

IN THIS SHOW I'LL TAKE YOU ON A WALKING TOUR OF THE DOWNTOWN LOOP.

THIS IS THE STORY OF HOW THE SKYSCRAPER WAS BORN, RIGHT HERE IN CHICAGO'S LOOP.

AND OF THE DREAMERS WHO WERE DETERMINED TO BUILD NOT ONLY HIGHER, BUT MORE BEAUTIFULLY.

IT'S THE STORY OF A CITY THAT CAME BACK AGAINST ALL ODDS FROM A DEVASTATING DISASTER.

AND OF THE RETAIL ROYALTY AND KINGS OF COMMERCE WHO'VE CHANGED THE WAY THE WORLD WORKS.

IN THIS SHOW, WE'LL TAKE YOU INSIDE SOME OF THE LOOP'S MOST ARCHITECTURALLY SPECTACULAR SPACES.

AND WE'LL EXPLORE SOME LESSER-KNOWN NOOKS AND CRANNIES.

WE'LL PAY A VISIT TO THE PLACES YOU REMEMBER FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD.

AND ENCOUNTER SOME OF THE CITY'S NEWEST LANDMARKS.

ABOVE ALL, WE'LL LEARN HOW CHICAGO'S LOOP GREW INTO A GREAT URBAN CENTER THEN FELL ON HARD TIMES AND NOW HAS REEMERGED AS ONE OF THE WORLD'S GREAT DESTINATIONS FOR BUSINESS AND PLEASURE.

THAT'S JUST SOME OF WHAT WE'LL DISCOVER AS WE TOUR CHICAGO'S LOOP.

IF YOU WANT TO LEARN ABOUT THE BIRTH OF THE SKYSCRAPER THERE'S POSSIBLY NO BETTER PLACE IN THE WORLD THAN THIS TWO-BLOCK STRETCH OF SOUTH DEARBORN STREET JUST NORTH OF CONGRESS.

YOU'LL FIND A REMARKABLY INTACT COLLECTION OF SOME OF THE WORLD'S FIRST SKYSCRAPERS.

LIKE THIS ONE, THE MANHATTAN BUILDING FROM 1891.

ITS SIXTEEN-STORY HEIGHT IS UNDERWHELMING TODAY, BUT IN ITS TIME IT WAS NOTHING SHORT OF ASTONISHING.

VISITORS TO THE 1893 CHICAGO WORLD'S FAIR MADE SPECIAL TRIPS DOWNTOWN JUST TO SEE IT.

ITS ARCHITECT WAS WILLIAM LEBARON JENNEY, A FORMER CIVIL WAR OFFICER WHO CALLED HIMSELF "MAJOR JENNEY."

THIS IS THE KIND OF BUILDING THAT MADE EVERYBODY STARE UP IN AMAZEMENT.

MAYBE THAT'S WHY JENNEY PUT THESE GHOULISH FACES ON THE BOTTOMS OF THE BAYS.

SO THE BUILDING STARES BACK!

WHAT MAKES THIS BUILDING SIGNIFICANT ISN'T JUST THE ARCHITECTURE.

IT'S ALSO THE ARCHITECT.

HIS NAME MAY NOT BE AS FAMILIAR AS OTHER ARCHITECTS, BUT WILLIAM LEBARON JENNEY DESIGNED THE WORLD'S FIRST SKYSCRAPER.

AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT MANY PEOPLE CALL JENNEY'S HOME INSURANCE BUILDING, WHICH STOOD AT LASALLE AND ADAMS FROM 1885 UNTIL 1931 WHEN IT WAS TORN DOWN.

THE HOME INSURANCE BUILDING WAS ONLY NINE AND A HALF STORIES TALL, SO WHY IS IT CONSIDERED A SKYSCRAPER?

AND WHAT MADE IT THE FIRST?

WELL, BEFORE THE HOME INSURANCE BUILDING, AND THE ADVENT OF SKYSCRAPERS, THE BASIC WAY OF CONSTRUCTING A BUILDING HADN'T CHANGED MUCH SINCE THE GREAT PYRAMIDS OF EGYPT.

YOU STACKED ONE STONE OR BRICK ON TOP OF ANOTHER.

THE WEIGHT OF EACH FLOOR IS HELD UP BY THE THICK STONE WALLS.

THIS IS CALLED A LOAD-BEARING BUILDING.

IT SIMPLY WASN'T PRACTICAL TO BUILD TRULY TALL BUILDINGS USING LOAD-BEARING WALLS, BECAUSE AS YOU BUILT TALLER AND TALLER, YOU HAD TO MAKE THE WALLS THICKER AND THICKER TO SUPPORT ALL THAT WEIGHT.

THEN CAME THE HOME INSURANCE BUILDING.

IT WAS THE FIRST BUILDING ENTIRELY SUPPORTED NOT BY ITS WALLS, BUT BY AN INTERIOR, METAL FRAME.

THE METAL FRAME CHANGED EVERYTHING.

THE FRAME COULD BE ERECTED TO PREVIOUSLY UNIMAGINABLE HEIGHTS, WITH THE THIN WALLS SERVING ONLY AS A SKIN AROUND THE BUILDING, TO PROTECT THE OCCUPANTS FROM THE ELEMENTS.

EVEN THE WORD SKYSCRAPER COMES FROM CHICAGO.

WELL, SORT OF...

THE OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY TELLS US THE TERM SKYSCRAPER WAS FIRST USED TO DESCRIBE THE HIGHEST SAIL ON OLD WOODEN SHIPS.

LATER IT MEANT A HIGH-STANDING HORSE, A TALL MAN, A TALL HAT OR BONNET AND A TALL TALE.

BUT IT WAS FIRST APPLIED TO BUILDINGS IN AN 1888 ARTICLE IN THE CHICAGO INTER-OCEAN: "THE 'SKY-SCRAPERS' OF CHICAGO "OUTRIVAL ANYTHING OF THEIR KIND IN THE WORLD."

SO HOW DID CHICAGO BECOME THE FIRST CITY OF SKYSCRAPERS?

WELL IT ALL STARTED WITH A CATASTROPHE, THE GREAT FIRE OF 1871.

CHICAGO JUST BEFORE THE FIRE WAS A BOOM TOWN.

THE POPULATION HAD EXPLODED FROM A FEW HUNDRED IN THE 1830S TO 300,000 BY THE 1870S.

MARK TWAIN WROTE: "IT IS HOPELESS FOR THE "OCCASIONAL VISITOR TO KEEP UP "WITH CHICAGO - SHE OUTGROWS HER "PROPHECIES FASTER THAN SHE CAN MAKE THEM."

DOWNTOWN CHICAGO HAD GROWN INTO A DENSELY CROWDED JUMBLE OF WOOD FRAME BUILDINGS.

THE SIDEWALKS WERE MADE OF WOOD TOO, AND SO WERE SOME OF THE STREETS.

OCTOBER 8TH, 1871 WAS UNSEASONABLY HOT.

THAT DAY'S EDITION OF THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE CARRIED AN OMINOUS WARNING.

"THE ABSENCE OF RAIN FOR THREE "WEEKS HAD LEFT EVERYTHING IN SO "DRY AND INFLAMMABLE A CONDITION "THAT A SPARK MIGHT SET A FIRE "WHICH WOULD SWEEP FROM END TO END OF THE CITY."

WITHIN HOURS, JUST SUCH A SPARK SET FIRE TO THE O'LEARY FAMILY'S BARN IN A CROWDED IRISH SHANTY TOWN ON THE CITY'S SOUTHWEST SIDE, AND THE DIRE PROPHECY WAS FULFILLED.

FANNED BY FIERCE WINDS FROM THE SOUTHWEST, THE FIRE WIPED OUT THE ENTIRE DOWNTOWN AND MUCH OF THE NORTH SIDE.

MORE THAN 17,000 BUILDINGS WERE DESTROYED.

SOME 250 PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND NEARLY A HUNDRED THOUSAND WERE LEFT HOMELESS, THIRTY PERCENT OF THE POPULATION.

BEFORE THE ASHES HAD COOLED, CHICAGO VOWED TO REBUILD.

THREE DAYS AFTER THE FIRE THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE PROCLAIMED, "THE "PEOPLE OF THIS ONCE BEAUTIFUL "CITY HAVE RESOLVED THAT CHICAGO SHALL RISE AGAIN."

WITHIN DAYS BURNED OUT MERCHANTS WERE ESTABLISHING MAKESHIFT STORES IN THE RUBBLE.

THE ASHES WERE STILL SO HOT BY THE SIDEWALK THAT AT LEAST ONE PROPRIETOR SET UP SHOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET.

IN A MATTER OF WEEKS MORE THAN 5000 TEMPORARY BUILDINGS HAD GONE UP.

WILLIAM BROSS, PART-OWNER OF THE TRIBUNE, TRAVELED TO NEW YORK TO SEEK HELP FOR THE RAVAGED CITY.

ACCORDING TO HISTORIAN DONALD MILLER, BROSS PROCLAIMED, "GO TO CHICAGO NOW!

"YOUNG MEN, HURRY THERE!

"OLD MEN, SEND YOUR SONS!

"WOMEN, SEND YOUR HUSBANDS!

"YOU WILL NEVER AGAIN HAVE SUCH A CHANCE TO MAKE MONEY!"

THE FIRST BUILDINGS TO RISE DIDN'T LOOK MUCH DIFFERENT FROM THE ONES THAT BURNED DOWN.

BUT TECHNOLOGY ADVANCED RAPIDLY AND WITHIN 20 YEARS, CHICAGO ARCHITECTS WERE BUILDING THE WORLD'S FIRST CITY OF SKYSCRAPERS.

HISTORIAN TIM WHITMAN CALLS IT THE BIGGEST REVOLUTION IN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION SINCE THE GOTHIC CATHEDRALS OF THE MIDDLE AGES.

ARCHITECTS WANTED THESE BUILDINGS TO LOOK AS REVOLUTIONARY AS THE NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT SUPPORTED THEM.

INSTEAD OF HEAVY STONE WALLS, THEIR BUILDINGS HAD ENORMOUS EXPANSES OF GLASS FRAMED BY THIN DECORATIVE MATERIAL.

ASTONISHED PASSERSBY WONDERED WHY THESE TOWERS DIDN'T TUMBLE AT THE FIRST GUST OF WIND.

THE STYLE CAME TO BE KNOWN AS THE FIRST CHICAGO SCHOOL.

BACK HERE ON SOUTH DEARBORN STREET YOU CAN SEE SOME GOOD EXAMPLES OF THE FIRST CHICAGO SCHOOL.

LIKE THE OLD COLONY BUILDING FROM 1894 BY ARCHITECTS HOLABIRD AND ROCHE.

TYPICAL OF CHICAGO SCHOOL BUILDINGS, THE EXTERIOR IS DIVIDED INTO THREE DISTINCT PARTS, EACH REPRESENTING A SPECIFIC FUNCTION.

THE HEAVY-LOOKING BASE OF THE BUILDING ROOTS IT TO THE GROUND, EXPRESSING SOLIDITY, AND OFFERING A GRAND, INVITING ENTRANCE.

ABOVE THAT, THE OFFICE FLOORS FORM A UNIFORM SHAFT, WITH SOARING VERTICAL ELEMENTS CALLED PIERS TO EMPHASIZE THE GREAT HEIGHT OF THE BUILDING.

THE TOP, WHERE THE BUILDING MEETS THE SKY IS DECORATIVE AND CELEBRATORY.

OFTEN THIS THREE-PART ARRANGEMENT IS COMPARED TO A GREEK COLUMN.

INSIDE EVERY EARLY SKYSCRAPER WAS ANOTHER INNOVATION, THE PASSENGER ELEVATOR.

SKYSCRAPERS WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THEM.

AFTER ALL WHO WANTS TO WORK IN A SIXTEEN-STORY WALKUP?

THE EARLIEST ELEVATORS WERE STEAM POWERED, BUT BY THE 1890S HYDRAULIC ELEVATORS HAD REPLACED THEM THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

MOST WERE NOT FITTED WITH SAFETY DEVICES, AND THE CITY HAD NO ELEVATOR INSPECTORS.

NEWSPAPERS DESCRIBED ELEVATORS AS DEATHTRAPS AND PRINTED GRUESOME STORIES OF PEOPLE FALLING DOWN OPEN SHAFTS AND BEING INJURED OR KILLED BY FALLING ELEVATOR CARS.

CHICAGO SCHOOL BUILDINGS ALSO FEATURED ENORMOUS WINDOWS TO LET IN PLENTY OF LIGHT AND AIR IN THE DAYS BEFORE RELIABLE ELECTRIC LIGHTING AND AIR CONDITIONING.

THE WINDOWS OFTEN FEATURED A HUGE CENTRAL PANE OF GLASS FLANKED BY TWO NARROW SASH WINDOWS.

THIS CAME TO BE CALLED A CHICAGO WINDOW.

ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE OLD COLONY BUILDING, THE FISHER BUILDING FROM 1896 IS ANOTHER THOROUGHLY MODERN BUILDING WITH ITS WIDE WINDOWS AND EXTREMELY SLENDER VERTICAL PIERS.

BUT UNLIKE TYPICAL CHICAGO SCHOOL TOWERS, IT'S DRESSED UP TO LOOK LIKE THE GREAT GOTHIC CATHEDRALS OF EUROPE.

IT WAS DESIGNED BY CHARLES ATWOOD FOR HIS BOSS DANIEL BURNHAM.

BURNHAM HAD NO QUALMS ABOUT BORROWING FROM HISTORY.

ESPECIALLY IF THAT'S WHAT THE CLIENT WANTED.

THIS CLIENT'S NAME WAS FISHER, SO BURNHAM'S TEAM FLATTERED HIM BY INCLUDING FANCIFUL SEA CREATURES IN THE TRIMMINGS.

BURNHAM'S PASSION FOR CLASSICAL ARCHITECTURE SPARKED A REVOLUTION WHEN HE WAS CHOSEN AS CHIEF DESIGNER FOR THE CHICAGO WORLD'S FAIR OF 1893.

BURNHAM CONCEIVED THE FAIR AS AN ARTFULLY ARRANGED COLLECTION OF PAVILIONS INSPIRED BY THE CLASSICAL ARCHITECTURE OF ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME.

AND IT WAS A HUGE HIT WITH THE PUBLIC.

SO POPULAR, IN FACT, THAT BY THE TURN OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICISM WAS SWEEPING THE COUNTRY, AND THE INNOVATIVE CHICAGO SCHOOL ALREADY SEEMED PASSé.

IN CHICAGO WE HAVE MANY EXAMPLES OF CLASSICALLY INSPIRED BUILDINGS BUILT IN THE YEARS FOLLOWING THE FAIR.

BURNHAM'S OWN INSURANCE EXCHANGE BUILDING AT WELLS AND VAN BUREN IS A GREAT EXAMPLE, WITH ITS GREEK COLUMNS AND CLASSICAL CORNICE.

THE CLASSICAL CRAZE ACTUALLY OFFENDED SOME CHICAGO SCHOOL ARCHITECTS.

ESPECIALLY THE RADICALLY MODERN AND VERY OUTSPOKEN LOUIS SULLIVAN.

HE CALLED THE FAIR, "AN APPALLING CALAMITY" AND "A NAKED EXHIBITION OF CHARLATANRY."

HE COMPLAINED IT WOULD SET ARCHITECTURE BACK 50 YEARS.

A VISIT TO SULLIVAN'S AUDITORIUM THEATER AT MICHIGAN AVENUE AND CONGRESS REVEALS THE IDEALISTIC WORLD HE IMAGINED.

THE UNDERSTATED EXTERIOR EXPRESSES THE BUILDING'S STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION HONESTLY.

INSIDE IT'S ENCRUSTED WITH RICH, POETIC ORNAMENT.

THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE, SULLIVAN CRUSADED FOR A TRULY AMERICAN STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE, INSPIRED NOT BY OTHER STYLES FROM HISTORY, BUT BY NATURE ALONE.

HE SUMMED UP HIS PHILOSOPHY IN THE SIMPLE MOTTO "FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION."

SULLIVAN WAS JUST SEVENTEEN YEARS OLD WHEN HE ARRIVED FROM BOSTON IN 1873 TO LOOK FOR WORK IN AN ARCHITECTURE FIRM.

YEARS LATER IN HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY, WRITTEN IN MELODRAMATIC THIRD PERSON HE DESCRIBED HIS EXCITEMENT AS HE FIRST GLIMPSED CHICAGO.

"LOUIS THOUGHT IT ALL "MAGNIFICENT AND WILD: "A CRUDE EXTRAVAGANZA, "AN INTOXICATING RAWNESS, "A SENSE OF BIG THINGS TO BE DONE."

SULLIVAN GOT HIS BIG BREAK IN 1886 WHEN HE AND HIS PARTNER DANKMAR ADLER WERE HIRED TO DESIGN THE AUDITORIUM BUILDING.

THEY GOT THE JOB BECAUSE OF ADLER'S REPUTATION AS A MASTER OF THEATRE ACOUSTICS.

BUT BUILDING A 4,000-SEAT OPERA HOUSE IN CHICAGO BACK THEN WAS A FINANCIAL RISK.

MANY PEOPLE STILL VIEWED THIS AS THE AMERICAN FRONTIER.

SO THE DEVELOPER FERDINAND PECK CAME UP WITH AN INGENIOUS PLAN TO ASSURE HIS INVESTORS THAT THE BUILDING WOULD PAY FOR ITSELF.

HE WOULD WRAP A 400-ROOM HOTEL AND STATE-OF-THE-ART OFFICE BUILDING AROUND THE THEATRE, ALL UNDER ONE ROOF.

IT WAS A PROTOTYPE FOR WHAT TODAY IS CALLED A MIXED-USE BUILDING.

THE DEVELOPER HAD PROMISED THE AUDITORIUM WOULD BE READY IN TIME FOR THE 1888 REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION.

IT WASN'T.

BUT A TEMPORARY SKYLIGHT WAS INSTALLED AND UNFINISHED PARTS OF THE THEATER WERE MASKED WITH BUNTING AND SOON-TO-BE PRESIDENT BENJAMIN HARRISON WAS NOMINATED IN THE MIDST OF A CONSTRUCTION SITE.

WHEN THE AUDITORIUM WAS FINALLY DEDICATED BEFORE A WHO'S WHO OF CHICAGO ELITE IN 1889, IT WAS THE LARGEST PRIVATE BUILDING IN AMERICA.

ADLER CREATED AN ELABORATE FOUNDATION TO PREVENT THE 110,000-TON BUILDING FROM SETTLING UNEVENLY ON CHICAGO'S UNSTABLE LAKEFRONT SOIL.

BUT DESPITE HIS BEST EFFORTS, ARCHES IN THE LOBBY AND THE ORIGINALLY LEVEL FLOOR SLOPE DRAMATICALLY TODAY.

BUT IN OTHER WAYS THE BUILDING WAS A TECHNOLOGICAL TRIUMPH.

THESE DECORATIVE VENTS IN THE THEATER'S CEILING ARCHES SUPPLIED AN EARLY AND EFFECTIVE FORM OF AIR CONDITIONING.

THE OBSERVATION DECK ATOP THE SLENDER OFFICE TOWER WAS THE HIGHEST POINT IN THE CITY.

ADLER AND SULLIVAN PROUDLY RENTED THE TOP TWO FLOORS OF THE TOWER FOR THEIR OWN OFFICES.

UP HERE ON THE SEVENTEENTH FLOOR ONE OF SULLIVAN'S YOUNG DRAFTSMEN, FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT WAS GIVEN THIS CORNER OFFICE.

WRIGHT HAD EXECUTED SOME OF THE AUDITORIUM'S ELABORATE INTERIOR ORNAMENT.

THE AUDITORIUM FLOURISHED AT FIRST.

IT WAS THE FIRST HOME OF THE CHICAGO SYMPHONY.

THE GREATEST STARS OF THE DAY PERFORMED HERE: CARUSO, WILL ROGERS, GEORGE M. COHAN, SARAH BURNHARDT.

BUT WITHIN 15 YEARS THE SYMPHONY MOVED TO A NEW, SMALLER HOME THAT WAS EASIER TO SELL OUT.

IN 1929, THE OPERA MOVED OUT TOO, AND THE DEPRESSION AND WORLD WAR II TOOK THEIR TOLL.

BY 1942, THE BUILDING WAS BANKRUPT AND CONVERTED INTO A USO FACILITY.

THE STAGE WHERE THE WORLD'S GREATEST STARS HAD PERFORMED WAS USED AS A BOWLING ALLEY.

ADDING INSULT TO INJURY THE CITY DEMOLISHED A MAGNIFICENT SULLIVAN-DESIGNED BAR IN THE 1950S WHEN IT WIDENED CONGRESS DRIVE AND SHIFTED THE SIDEWALK INSIDE THE BUILDING.

ROOSEVELT COLLEGE NOW ROOSEVELT UNIVERSITY BOUGHT THE BUILDING IN 1946 AND BEGAN RESTORING IT.

THE UNIVERSITY CREATED A LIBRARY OUT OF WHAT HAD ONCE BEEN THE HOTEL'S GORGEOUS DINING ROOM.

IN 1967 ROOSEVELT MAGNIFICENTLY RESTORED THE THEATER UNDER THE DIRECTION OF ARCHITECT HARRY WEESE.

AS REVOLUTIONARY AS THIS BUILDING WAS, IT'S STILL OLD FASHIONED IN ONE VERY IMPORTANT WAY.

IT'S A LOAD BEARING BUILDING.

THAT MEANS THESE GIANT BLOCKS OF GRANITE AND THE LIMESTONE ABOVE ACTUALLY HOLD UP THE BUILDING.

AS I TOLD YOU EARLIER, YOU CAN'T BUILD A VERY TALL BUILDING THAT WAY.

BUT THAT DIDN'T STOP SOME PEOPLE FROM TRYING.

BACK AT OUR LIVING MUSEUM OF SKYSCRAPERS ON SOUTH DEARBORN STREET YOU'LL FIND POSSIBLY THE TALLEST LOAD-BEARING OFFICE BUILDING EVER ATTEMPTED.

THIS IS THE 215-FOOT, SIXTEEN-STORY MONADNOCK BUILDING FROM 1891 BY JOHN WELLBORN ROOT.

THE WALLS AT THE BASE ARE SIX FEET THICK TO SUPPORT THE TREMENDOUS WEIGHT OF THE FLOORS ABOVE.

IN THE YEARS AFTER IT WAS FINISHED, THE BUILDING SETTLED MORE THAN 20 INCHES.

IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY YOU'LL SEE IT'S A LOT MORE THAN A SIMPLE BRICK BOX.

IT CURVES ELEGANTLY INWARD AT THE BASE AND FLARES OUT AT THE TOP.

AND THE DEEPLY RECESSED WINDOWS ALTERNATE WITH GENTLY UNDULATING BAYS.

REMARKABLY THE MASSIVE, MASONRY MONADNOCK BUILDING STANDS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM ONE OF THE PUREST EXAMPLES OF METAL FRAME CONSTRUCTION.

THAT'S THE FEDERAL CENTER BUILT 70 YEARS AFTER THE MONADNOCK BUILDING.

THE FEDERAL CENTER'S ARCHITECT MIES VAN DER ROHE, IS CONSIDERED BY MANY TO BE THE FATHER OF THE MODERN GLASS AND STEEL SKYSCRAPER.

HIS MOTTO WAS "LESS IS MORE."

MIES BELIEVED IN DISTILLING ARCHITECTURE TO ITS PUREST ESSENTIALS.

INSTEAD OF FORM FOLLOWING FUNCTION, MIES TRIED TO INVENT A UNIVERSAL DESIGN, ADAPTABLE TO EVERY FUNCTION.

THIS BECAME KNOWN AS THE INTERNATIONAL STYLE.

IT'S ALSO WIDELY CALLED THE SECOND CHICAGO SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE.

MIES WAS BORN AND TRAINED IN GERMANY AND HEADED THE LEGENDARY BAUHAUS SCHOOL OF DESIGN THERE.

BUT HE CLOSED THE SCHOOL IN 1933, BECAUSE OF GROWING HARASSMENT FROM THE NAZIS.

IN 1937, HE TOOK A JOB IN CHICAGO AS HEAD OF ARCHITECTURE AT WHAT IS NOW THE ILLINOIS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY ON CHICAGO'S SOUTH SIDE.

HE NOT ONLY REDESIGNED THE ARCHITECTURE PROGRAM AT IIT, HE ALSO REDESIGNED THE ENTIRE CAMPUS.

MIES'S PERSONALITY SEEMED TO MATCH HIS AUSTERE VISION.

HIS CHICAGO APARTMENT HAD ALMOST NO FURNITURE IN IT.

AMONG HIS FEW INDULGENCES WERE FINE CIGARS, AND A COLLECTION OF PAINTINGS BY PAUL KLEE.

MIES' FEDERAL BUILDING IS ONE OF FOUR BIG GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS ON OUR TOUR.

HISTORICALLY, MANY GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS IN THIS COUNTRY HAVE BEEN MODELED ON GREEK AND ROMAN ARCHITECTURE.

LIKE THE OLD FEDERAL BUILDING THAT ONCE STOOD ON THIS SITE DESIGNED BY HENRY IVES COBB.

THE 16-STORY DOME WAS LARGER IN DIAMETER THAN THE U.S. CAPITOL DOME.

THE INTERIOR WAS POLISHED GRANITE, WHITE MARBLE AND GILDED BRONZE ACCORDING TO THE BOOK "LOST CHICAGO" BY DAVID GARRARD LOWE.

IT WAS DEMOLISHED IN 1965.

WITH HIS NEW FEDERAL CENTER, MIES REPLACED SPLENDOR WITH SIMPLICITY.

HE CREATED THREE ENORMOUS DARK SLABS, A FLAT ONE, A WIDE ONE AND A TALL ONE AND CAREFULLY ARRANGED THEM ON A BROAD, OPEN PLAZA.

MIES SAID "GOD IS IN THE DETAILS."

AND HE SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS WORKING OUT THE EXACT PROPORTIONS FOR HIS BUILDINGS.

HE EVEN SPECIFIED THE PLACEMENT OF THESE SEAMS IN THE PLAZA'S PAVEMENT.

LOOK HOW THEY LINE UP EXACTLY WITH THE WINDOW MULLIONS AND COLUMNS IN EACH OF THE THREE BUILDINGS.

IN A SENSE, THIS IS MIES' GRAPH PAPER!

WE'RE SO CRAZY ABOUT SKYSCRAPERS IN CHICAGO THAT DETAINEES AWAITING TRIAL AT THE FEDERAL CENTER GET THEIR OWN HIGH-RISE!

IT'S THE METROPOLITAN CORRECTIONAL CENTER, A MASSIVE CONCRETE TRIANGLE, DESIGNED IN 1975 BY HARRY WEESE.

THE SLOT SHAPE OF THE WINDOWS WAS THE RESULT OF A 5-INCH LIMIT IMPOSED BY THE FEDS ON ANY OPENING NOT COVERED BY BARS.

BUT TWO INMATES USED SMUGGLED TOOLS TO WIDEN THE OPENING AND BROKE OUT IN 1985 SO BARS WERE ADDED.

THE EXERCISE YARD IS ON THE ROOF!

IT'S TOPPED WITH WIRE MESH AND CABLES TO FOIL ANY ATTEMPTED HELICOPTER ESCAPES.

DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE JAIL IS THIS MEXICAN RESTAURANT WITH A PAGODA-SHAPED SIGN.

IT'S ONE OF THE LAST RELICS FROM THE DAYS WHEN THIS WAS CHINATOWN.

TODAY, OF COURSE, CHINATOWN IS FARTHER SOUTH AT CERMAK AND WENTWORTH.

BUT UNTIL THE EARLY 1900S IT WAS HERE AT THE SOUTH END OF THE LOOP WHERE THERE WERE MANY LARGE RAILROAD TERMINALS.

THE IMMIGRANTS WERE URBAN CHINESE WHO BECAME SHOPKEEPERS CATERING TO TRAIN TRAVELERS.

BY THE EARLY 1900S THEY WERE BEING FORCED OUT OF THE LOOP BY HIGH RENTS AND RACIAL DISCRIMINATION.

ASK MOST CHICAGOANS WHY DOWNTOWN IS CALLED THE LOOP AND THEY'LL TELL YOU IT'S BECAUSE OF THE "L" TRACKS THAT CIRCLE IT.

WRONG.

ACTUALLY THE NAME ORIGINATED WITH THE CABLE CARS THAT CIRCULATED DOWNTOWN BEFORE THE "L" WAS BUILT.

SOME OF THE CABLE CAR POWERHOUSES ARE STILL STANDING, LIKE THIS BUILDING THAT MANY REMEMBER AS MICHAEL JORDAN'S RESTAURANT ALTHOUGH IT'S CHANGED HANDS SINCE THEN.

HERE GIANT ENGINES POWERED MASSIVE PULLEYS THAT DREW CABLES UNDER CITY STREETS AND PULLED THE CARS ALONG.

THE CITY'S FIRST "L" TRAINS WERE STEAM-POWERED AND THEY STOPPED JUST SHORT OF DOWNTOWN.

THAT'S BECAUSE PROPERTY OWNERS THERE DIDN'T WANT THE NOISE AND SOOT.

BUT STREETCAR BARON CHARLES TYSON YERKES WAS DETERMINED TO BUILD AN ELEVATED STRUCTURE LOOPING AROUND DOWNTOWN.

IT WOULD CONNECT ALL THE PRIVATELY OWNED "L" TRAINS AND MAKE HIM EVEN RICHER THAN HE ALREADY WAS.

AFTER CONSIDERABLE POLITICKING, BRIBERY AND EVEN SOME OUTRIGHT DECEPTION, HE SECURED THE NECESSARY FRANCHISES AND FINISHED HIS SO-CALLED UNION LOOP BY 1897.

IT WAS CONSTRUCTED WITH THE SAME STATE-OF-THE-ART IRONWORK TECHNOLOGY AS THE EIFFEL TOWER.

BUT THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE CALLED IT A "GREAT SPRAWLING SNAKE OF IRON" AND COMPLAINED ABOUT THE NOISE AND TRAFFIC OBSTRUCTION.

IF THE SKYSCRAPERS OF THE LOOP FORM A MAN-MADE MOUNTAIN RANGE, THE SOUTHERN END OF LASALLE STREET IS THE CANYON.

A JOG IN LASALLE STREET, GIVES THE CANYON A TOWERING SOUTHERN WALL FORMED BY THE CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE WHICH WAS DESIGNED BY HOLABIRD AND ROOT AND COMPLETED IN 1930.

THEIR SOARING ART DECO HIGH-RISE SEEMS TO REIGN OVER THE CHICAGO FINANCIAL DISTRICT LIKE A SERENE MONARCH.

HECK, IT'S EVEN SHAPED LIKE A THRONE!

THE 60,000 SQUARE-FOOT TRADING FLOOR IN AN ANNEX TO THE ORIGINAL BUILDING IS BIG ENOUGH TO PARK A 747.

TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS CHANGE HANDS ANNUALLY IN THIS EXCHANGE, NOW CALLED CME GROUP, AS TRADERS SPECULATE IN EVERYTHING FROM GRAIN AND HOG FUTURES TO WEATHER EVENTS LIKE HURRICANES, SNOW AND RAINFALL.

THE CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE WAS FOUNDED IN 1848 AND THE IDEA OF FUTURES CONTRACTS WAS INVENTED HERE IN 1865.

THE CONTRACTS ALLOWED SELLERS AND BUYERS TO LOCK IN PRICES AHEAD OF TIME AS A HEDGE AGAINST FLUCTUATIONS.

BEFORE LONG, INVESTORS WHO HAD NO INTEREST IN ACTUALLY OWNING ANY HOGS OR GRAIN BEGAN TRADING THESE CONTRACTS.

THE ARCANE HAND SIGNALS AND EVEN THE TRADING FLOOR ITSELF MIGHT ONE DAY BE A THING OF THE PAST.

THESE DAYS 80 PERCENT OF ALL CME GROUP TRADES ARE MADE ELECTRONICALLY NEARLY 24-HOURS-A-DAY ON COMPUTERS ALL OVER THE WORLD.

THE BOARD OF TRADE'S HISTORIC TOWER IS LIKE A BIG AD FOR ITS CORE BUSINESS.

A NATIVE AMERICAN AND MESOPOTAMIAN TRADER EXCHANGE GRAIN AND CORN ON THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING.

HIGH ATOP THE TOWER IS A 31-FOOT, 6-TON ALUMINUM STATUE OF CERES, THE ROMAN GODDESS OF GRAIN.

SHE WAS CREATED BY SCULPTOR JOHN H. STORRS, A FORMER STUDENT OF THE GREAT FRENCH SCULPTOR AUGUSTE RODIN.

WE ACTUALLY KNOW WHO MODELED FOR THE STATUE!

SHE WAS A FOURTEEN-YEAR-OLD NAMED MADELYN LA SALLE, ONE OF 11 CHILDREN OF A WEST SIDE BARBER.

THE SCULPTOR DISCOVERED HER IN THE LATE 1920S WHEN SHE WENT DOWN TO THE FINE ARTS BUILDING LOOKING FOR A SUMMER JOB.

LATER SHE WAS VOTED MISS COOK COUNTY.

SHE WAS BRIEFLY MARRIED TO A POLO PLAYING PLAYBOY WHO SPOTTED HER AT THE BEAUTY PAGEANT.

SOME TIME AFTER THAT, SHE MARRIED THE FAMOUS BANDLEADER TED FIO RITO AND OPENED AN ART GALLERY IN CALIFORNIA.

SHE DIED IN 2001, AT AGE 87.

CERES ISN'T THE ONLY SYMBOLIC STATUE HERE.

THESE FIGURES REPRESENTING AGRICULTURE AND INDUSTRY ARE FROM AN EARLIER ILL-FATED BOARD OF TRADE BUILDING BUILT ON THIS SAME SITE IN 1885.

ITS TOWER WAS IMPRESSIVE, THE TALLEST IN CHICAGO.

BUT IT WAS SO POORLY CONSTRUCTED THAT IT THREATENED TO TOPPLE AND HAD TO BE LOPPED OFF IN 1895.

THE REST OF THE BUILDING WAS TORN DOWN IN 1929 AND SOMEHOW THESE SCULPTURES ENDED UP IN A FOREST PRESERVE IN WEST SUBURBAN GLEN ELLYN.

THE PROPERTY HAD ONCE BEEN THE ESTATE OF A PROMINENT GRAIN TRADER.

THEY WERE DISCOVERED IN 1978 AND AFTER SPENDING SOME TIME GUARDING THE ENTRANCE OF ANOTHER DUPAGE COUNTY FOREST PRESERVE THEY WERE RETURNED TO THE BOARD OF TRADE IN 2004.

FRAMING THE BOARD OF TRADE ON EITHER SIDE OF LASALLE STREET, ARE TWO BANKS WITH STATELY CLASSICAL TEMPLE FRONTS, DESIGNED BY GRAHAM, ANDERSON, PROBST AND WHITE.

THEY'RE IDENTICAL, ALMOST.

IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY YOU'LL SEE THE BANK OF AMERICA BUILT IN 1924 HAS SCROLL-SHAPED IONIC COLUMNS.

WHILE FEDERAL RESERVE BANK FROM 1922 FEATURES FANCIER CORINTHIAN COLUMNS.

INSIDE YOU CAN SEE A RARE $10,000 BILL, THE HIGHEST DENOMINATION EVER ISSUED.

YOU CAN ALSO SEE WHAT A MILLION DOLLARS LOOKS LIKE IN SINGLES, TWENTIES AND HUNDRED DOLLAR BILLS.

IT'S ALL PART OF THE MONEY MUSEUM, WHICH TEACHES THE PUBLIC ABOUT MONEY.

AND IT ALSO EXPLAINS WHAT THE FED DOES.

AN EXHIBIT ON COUNTERFEITING INCLUDES SOME CONVINCING FORGERIES.

NOT ONLY IS ADMISSION TO THE MUSEUM FREE, BUT EVERY VISITOR GETS TO TAKE HOME $364 IN SHREDDED MONEY.

ACROSS THE STREET INSIDE THE BANK OF AMERICA, THE 50,000 SQUARE FOOT GRAND BANKING HALL WITH ITS 35-FOOT MARBLE COLUMNS, ELABORATE FRIEZES AND COFFERED CEILING, IS A FULL-BLOWN GREEK TEMPLE.

ARCHITECT LOUIS SULLIVAN SNEERED AT THIS KIND OF HISTORICAL BORROWING AND SUGGESTED THE BANKERS OUGHT TO WEAR TOGAS AND SANDALS AND SPEAK IN LATIN.

BUT I THINK MOST OF US MERE MORTALS ARE SIMPLY AWESTRUCK BY THE GRANDEUR OF A SPACE LIKE THIS.

ONE OF AMERICA'S FIRST COMMERCIAL AVIATION DISASTERS HAPPENED AT AN EARLIER BANK THAT ONCE STOOD RIGHT ON THIS SITE.

IT WAS 5PM ON JULY 21ST, 1919.

THE ILLINOIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK WAS CLOSED, BUT ABOUT 150 CLERKS, MOSTLY FEMALE, WERE STILL AT THEIR DESKS IN THE ROTUNDA.

SUDDENLY A HUGE SHADOW PASSED ACROSS THE FLOOR.

SECONDS LATER A FLAMING AIRSHIP CAME CRASHING THROUGH THE GLASS SKYLIGHT.

IT WAS THE GOODYEAR BLIMP WINGFOOT EXPRESS.

THE CRAFT ON ITS MAIDEN DAY OR SERVICE HAD BEEN ATTRACTING ATTENTION ALL DAY ALONG AS IT FERRIED PASSENGERS BETWEEN GRANT PARK AND ITS HANGAR AT THE WHITE CITY AMUSEMENT PARK ON THE SOUTH SIDE.

AS IT SOARED 1200 FEET OVER THE LOOP ABOARD THE HYDROGEN-FILLED AIRSHIP CAUGHT FIRE.

AFTER CRASHING TO THE FLOOR OF THE ROTUNDA, THE GASOLINE TANKS BURST INTO FLAMES.

NINE BANK EMPLOYEES DIED IN THE INFERNO.

28 OTHER PEOPLE WERE INJURED.

BUT THE PILOT OF THE BLIMP SURVIVED!

HE REALIZED THERE WAS NO HOPE AND PARACHUTED TO SAFETY ALONG WITH ANOTHER CREWMEMBER.

THREE OTHERS ABOARD THE BLIMP PERISHED.

AFTER THE CRASH, THE CITY COUNCIL PROHIBITED FLAMMABLE GAS AIRSHIPS FROM FLYING OVER POPULATED AREAS OF THE CITY.

AN EVEN EARLIER BUILDING THAT ONCE STOOD RIGHT HERE ON THIS SITE WAS THE PLACE WHERE OUR MODERN SYSTEM OF TIME ZONES WAS ESTABLISHED.

AND THERE'S A PLAQUE TO PROVE IT.

IT HAPPENED AT THE GRAND PACIFIC HOTEL, CONVENIENTLY LOCATED NEAR SEVERAL MAJOR TRAIN STATIONS.

THE NATION'S RAILROADS HELD THE GENERAL TIME CONVENTION THERE IN 1883.

UP UNTIL THEN, LOCAL TIME WAS DETERMINED BY THE POSITION OF THE SUN.

IMAGINE THE RAILROADS TRYING TO PRINT NATIONAL TRAIN SCHEDULES WHEN IT WAS A DIFFERENT TIME IN VIRTUALLY EVERY CITY!

ON NOVEMBER 18TH OF THAT YEAR, RAILROAD CLOCKS ACROSS AMERICA WERE SYNCHRONIZED TO A SIGNAL TELEGRAPHED FROM AN OBSERVATORY IN PENNSYLVANIA.

IT CAME TO BE CALLED "THE DAY OF TWO NOONS."

A FEW BLOCKS AWAY, ANOTHER PLAQUE THAT'S EASY TO MISS MARKS THE MOST IMPORTANT SPOT IN CHICAGO, IF YOU'RE A SURVEYOR.

IT'S CALLED NUMBER ONE CITY DATUM, AND IT'S A TINY MARK JUST BELOW THE PLAQUE, CARVED INTO THE GRANITE WALL OF THE NORTHERN TRUST BUILDING AT LASALLE AND MONROE.

SURVEYORS USE IT TO PRECISELY CALCULATE ALL HEIGHTS AND DEPTHS IN CHICAGO.

THE NORTHERN TRUST WAS CHOSEN BECAUSE ITS FOUNDATION WAS BUILT ON BEDROCK IN 1905.

SO IT SHOULD STAY PUT!

ONE OF THE MOST MASSIVE CLIFFS IN THE LASALLE STREET CANYON IS THE ROOKERY BUILDING, FROM 1888, DESIGNED IN A MOORISH STYLE BY JOHN WELLBORN ROOT AND DANIEL BURNHAM.

OCCUPANTS OF THE BUILDING WERE IN FACT CALLED "CLIFF-DWELLERS."

FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION HERE.

THESE SOLID STONE AND BRICK WALLS ARE LOAD-BEARING.

IN CONTRAST TO THE HEAVY STONE EXTERIOR, THE INTERIOR LIGHT COURT LOOKS ALMOST DELICATE.

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT REMODELED BURNHAM AND ROOT'S LOBBY IN 1907.

HIS SMOOTH WHITE MARBLE INLAID WITH GOLD LEAF COVERS THE ORIGINAL IRON WORK.

HE ADDED URNS, PRAIRIE-STYLE LIGHT FIXTURES AND OTHER FEATURES TO THE SPECTACULAR GLASS-ROOFED SPACE.

BUT AS IT AGED, ITS SPLENDOR WAS BURIED UNDER LOW BUDGET ALTERATIONS.

MOST EGREGIOUSLY, THE LEAKY SKYLIGHT WAS COVERED OVER WITH TAR AND PAINT, TURNING THE LOBBY INTO A DARK CAVE.

BY 1989 THE BUILDING WAS VACANT.

THAT YEAR A NEW OWNER HIRED THE RENOWNED RESTORATION ARCHITECT GUNNY HARBOE TO BRING THE ROOKERY BUILDING BACK ITS FORMER GLORY INSIDE AND OUT.

HERE IN THE LOBBY A CHOICE HAD TO BE MADE.

DO YOU RESTORE WHAT BURNHAM AND ROOT DESIGNED OR WHAT FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT REMODELED?

OBVIOUSLY, WRIGHT WON OUT.

BUT TAKE A LOOK OVER HERE ON THIS SIDE, ONE PIECE OF FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT'S MARBLE WAS LEFT OFF SO YOU CAN SEE AN ORIGINAL COLUMN FROM BURNHAM AND ROOT.

THE LOVINGLY RESTORED LIBRARY ON THE 11TH FLOOR WAS PART OF BURNHAM AND ROOT'S OFFICES, WHERE BURNHAM OVERSAW THE PLANNING OF THE WORLD'S COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION OF 1893.

BY THE WAY, THE NAME ROOKERY COMES FROM AN OLD WATER TANK THAT ONCE STOOD ON THIS SITE.

AFTER THE FIRE, THE TANK HOUSED A MAKESHIFT LIBRARY.

APPARENTLY THE PLACE WAS A HAVEN FOR BIRDS, SO PEOPLE CALLED IT THE ROOKERY WHICH IS A TERM FOR NESTING PLACE.

WHEN THE NEW BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED, THE OLD NAME STUCK.

BURNHAM AND ROOT EVEN HID SOME BIRDS IN THE RICH ORNAMENT SURROUNDING THE ENTRANCE ARCH.

IF BURNHAM AND ROOT WERE ALIVE TODAY AND STEPPED OUTSIDE THEIR OFFICE IN THE ROOKERY THEY MIGHT DO A DOUBLE TAKE AT THE BUILDING DIAGONALLY ACROSS THE STREET.

THE DISTINCTIVE CROSS-GABLED ROOF AT 190 S. LASALLE IS CLEARLY AN HOMAGE TO -- OR A RIP-OFF OF -- A BURNHAM AND ROOT BUILDING -- THE MASONIC TEMPLE, WHICH STOOD ACROSS THE LOOP ON STATE STREET NEXT DOOR TO MARSHALL FIELD'S FROM 1892 TO 1939.

IT WAS ONCE THE WORLD'S TALLEST BUILDING.

AFTER VISITING THE TOP, AUTHOR EDGAR LEE MASTERS WROTE, "ONE "COULD SEE COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA, 230 MILES DISTANT."

LIKE MUCH OF HIS WORK, THIS WAS FICTION.

190 S. LASALLE IS THE ONLY BUILDING IN CHICAGO BY ONE OF THE PIONEERS OF POST-MODERNISM, PHILIP JOHNSON ALONG WITH JOHN BURGEE.

POST-MODERN ARCHITECTS THOUGHT MODERNISM WAS BLAND.

EVEN BORING.

SO IN BUILDINGS LIKE THE HAROLD WASHINGTON LIBRARY ON SOUTH STATE STREET, THEY RETURNED TO EXUBERANT DECORATION, AND THEY OFTEN CARICATURED BUILDINGS OF BYGONE ERAS.

THE DESIGN FROM 1991 BY THOMAS BEEBY IS A TAKEOFF ON A GRAND CLASSICAL PAVILION.

ROOFTOP OWLS SYMBOLIZING WISDOM ARE EXAGGERATED TO ENORMOUS PROPORTIONS.

THE WHIMSICAL TERRA COTTA ORNAMENT INCLUDES A PUFFY CHEEKED WINDY CITY MAN AND IMAGES OF MIDWESTERN GRAIN.

BEFORE CHICAGO WAS A CITY OF SKYSCRAPERS IT WAS A BUSTLING FRONTIER TOWN.

AND YOU CAN STILL FIND SOME RELICS OF FRONTIER CHICAGO HIDDEN AMONG THE SKYSCRAPERS.

LIKE A COW PATH IN THE HEART OF THE LOOP!

IT'S RIGHT BEHIND THIS DOOR AT 100 W. MONROE.

ANY COWS IN HERE?

THERE WERE NO COWS LIVING IN THE LOOP WHEN THIS BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1928.

BUT THIS PASSAGEWAY WAS LEFT OPEN ANYWAY BECAUSE THE DEED REQUIRED IT.

IT WAS PART OF A STRIP OF LAND THAT A FARMER NAMED WILLARD JONES RETAINED FOR HIS USE WHEN HE SOLD THIS PROPERTY IN 1840.

ACCORDING TO NEWSPAPER ACCOUNTS JONES WANTED TO BE SURE HE STILL HAD A WAY TO WALK HIS COWS TO PASTURE.

A PLAQUE MARKING THE COW PATH DISAPPEARED YEARS AGO.

AND THERE ARE NO OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS PROVING THAT JONES EASEMENT REALLY WAS FOR A COW PATH.

BUT THAT DIDN'T STOP ORGANIZERS OF CHICAGO'S INTERNATIONAL LIVESTOCK EXPOSITION FROM MILKING THE IDEA FOR PUBLICITY.

THEY PERIODICALLY STARTLED OFFICE WORKERS BY BRINGING COWS TO THE BUILDING FOR PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES.

EVEN AS CHICAGO GREW UP AROUND WILLARD JONES'S COW PATH, THE STREETS WERE STILL UNPAVED.

EVEN A LIGHT RAIN TURNED EVERYTHING INTO A QUAGMIRE.

IN FACT THERE'S A FAMOUS STORY ABOUT A MAN WHO WAS SPOTTED STUCK WAIST DEEP IN THE MUD IN THE MIDDLE OF A LOOP STREET.

A PASSERBY ASKED HIM IF HE NEEDED ANY HELP AND THE MAN RESPONDED, "OH I'M ALRIGHT; "I HAVE A FINE HORSE UNDERNEATH ME."

FINALLY IN 1855, THE CITY COUNCIL ORDERED ALL DOWNTOWN STREETS RAISED UP OUT OF THE MUD.

BUT THAT MEANT THE EXISTING BUILDINGS HAD TO BE RAISED TO THE NEW STREET LEVEL.

A JOB THAT TOOK ABOUT TWENTY YEARS.

ONE AMAZED BRITISH TRAVELER WROTE HOME IN 1867 AFTER WATCHING WORKMEN RAISE A HOTEL FOUR-AND-A-HALF FEET.

"THE PEOPLE WERE IN IT ALL THE "TIME, HE SAID COMING AND GOING, "EATING AND SLEEPING -- "THE WHOLE BUSINESS OF THE HOTEL "PROCEEDING WITHOUT INTERRUPTION."

THERE ARE MANY FAMOUS INTERSECTIONS IN THE LOOP.

BUT THIS ISN'T ONE OF THEM.

IN FACT I BET YOU HAVEN'T HEARD OF IT BEFORE.

I AM STANDING AT THE CORNER OF GARLAND COURT AND HADDOCK PLACE.

THERE ARE ACTUALLY QUITE A FEW OBSCURE LITTLE STREETS INTERSPERSED AMONG THE MORE FAMOUS LOOP THOROUGHFARES.

THEY STARTED OUT AS ALLEYS BUT THEY WERE GIVEN NAMES IN THE 1800'S.

LIKE COUCH PLACE.

IT'S NAMED FOR THE WEALTHY AND POPULAR INNKEEPER IRA COUCH.

HE OWNED ONE OF CHICAGO'S EARLIEST AND MOST FAMOUS HOTELS, THE TREMONT HOUSE, WHICH OVERLOOKED THIS STREET.

THE HOTEL BURNED DOWN AND WAS REBUILT TWICE!

COUCH'S TOMB IS IN LINCOLN PARK, WHICH WAS ONCE A CEMETERY.

THE MAUSOLEUM WAS EITHER TOO BIG OR TOO EXPENSIVE TO RELOCATE.

THEN THERE'S THIS NINE-FOOT WIDE PASSAGE OFF OF JACKSON JUST WEST OF WABASH UNOFFICIALLY CALLED PICKWICK PLACE.

AT THE END OF THE PASSAGE IS A TINY BUILDING JUST 19 FEET BY 19 FEET.

IN THE 1890S THE FIRST TWO FLOORS WERE A RESTAURANT CALLED ABSON'S ENGLISH CHOP HOUSE.

THE BRITISH PROPRIETOR WILLIAM ABSON AND HIS WIFE FANNIE LIVED ON THE THIRD FLOOR.

IT CONTINUED AS A RESTAURANT THROUGH THE MID-1900S UNDER VARIOUS NAMES UNTIL IT WAS CONVERTED INTO OFFICES AND A TINY APARTMENT.

SO WHY IS THIS LITTLE BUILDING LOCATED UP A DEAD END PASSAGEWAY?

SOME ACCOUNTS SAY IT WAS A STABLE THAT SURVIVED THE CHICAGO FIRE, BUT THAT'S HIGHLY UNLIKELY.

A VERY DETAILED 1886 MAP OF CHICAGO SHOWS THE SITE OF THE ABSON'S BUILDING IS ACTUALLY THE BACK END OF A LONG BUILDING THAT USED TO FRONT ON WABASH.

SO IT COULD BE A LEFTOVER FRAGMENT OF THAT.

THIS LOOP BUILDING SHOWS SCENES FROM CHICAGO'S EARLIEST HISTORY, BEFORE THERE WERE ANY PERMANENT BUILDINGS HERE AT ALL.

IT'S THE MARQUETTE BUILDING ON DEARBORN STREET FROM 1895 BY HOLABIRD AND ROCHE.

ABOVE THE ENTRANCE, A BRONZE RELIEF TELLS THE STORY OF FATHER JACQUES MARQUETTE.

HE AND HIS FELLOW EXPLORER LOUIS JOLIET WERE THE FIRST NON-NATIVE TRAVELERS TO SEE THE FUTURE SITE OF CHICAGO.

IN 1673 NATIVE AMERICANS SHOWED MARQUETTE AND JOLIET A SHORTCUT FROM THE MISSISSIPPI TO LAKE MICHIGAN VIA THE CHICAGO RIVER.

IN THE LOBBY, TWINKLING TIFFANY MOSAICS SHOW SCENES FROM MARQUETTE'S LIFE.

THIS ONE DEPICTS HIS FINAL HOUR.

THE INSCRIPTION READS LIKE A 19TH CENTURY POTBOILER.

"TO DIE AS HE HAD ALWAYS ASKED, "IN A WRETCHED CABIN AMID "THE FOREST, DESTITUTE OF ALL HUMAN AID."

A BLOCK NORTH OF THE MARQUETTE BUILDING, OUTSIDE THE SWOOPING CHASE TOWER IS ANOTHER GREAT WORK OF MOSAIC ART.

IT'S MARC CHAGALL'S "FOUR SEASONS," INSTALLED IN 1974.

AT THE DEDICATION, THE ARTIST SURPRISED MAYOR RICHARD J. DALEY WITH A KISS ON THE CHEEK.

IRONICALLY, CHICAGO'S FOUR SEASONS TOOK A HEAVY TOLL ON CHAGALL'S "FOUR SEASONS."

A REPAIR ATTEMPT IN 1988 WAS ONLY PARTLY SUCCESSFUL.

BY 1996 THE ENTIRE WORK HAD TO BE RESTORED AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF $1 MILLION.

ACROSS THE STREET IS THE GLEAMING INLAND STEEL BUILDING FROM 1958 BY SKIDMORE, OWINGS AND MERRILL.

IT'S ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MODERNIST BUILDINGS IN CHICAGO, WITH ITS ARTFUL COMBINATION OF GREEN TINTED GLASS AND STAINLESS STEEL.

OF COURSE, INLAND AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES SUPPLIED ALL OF THE STEEL FOR THE BUILDING.

INSIDE AND OUT THE BUILDING EPITOMIZES THE MODERN IDEALS OF MINIMALISM AND TRANSPARENCY.

IN THE MID-20TH CENTURY SKIDMORE, OWINGS, AND MERRILL POPULARIZED GLASS AND STEEL ALL OVER THE WORLD, WITH BUILDINGS LIKE LEVER HOUSE IN NEW YORK.

BUT NOT ALL OF THEIR WORK WAS AS WIDELY RESPECTED.

IN FACT ONE CRITIC CALLED THEM "THREE BLIND MIES," SUPPOSEDLY BECAUSE THEY CRANKED OUT MEDIOCRE IMITATIONS OF MIES VAN DER ROHE'S WORK.

CRITICS NOTWITHSTANDING, SKIDMORE, OWINGS AND MERRILL BOLDLY WENT WHERE NO ARCHITECT HAD GONE IN 1974 WITH SEARS TOWER.

IT WAS THE WORLD'S TALLEST BUILDING AND IT WOULD BE FOR THE NEXT 24 YEARS.

IT RISES MORE THAN A QUARTER MILE INTO THE SKY, 1450 FEET TO BE PRECISE.

THE ARCHITECT, BRUCE GRAHAM FAMOUSLY USED A HANDFUL OF CIGARETTES TO ILLUSTRATE HIS IDEA FOR THE BUILDING'S STAGGERED PROFILE.

HE WAS MEETING HERE AT THE CHICAGO CLUB WITH HIS ENGINEERING PARTNER DR. FAZLUR KAHN AND THEY WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY COULD MAKE SUCH A TALL BUILDING STURDY ENOUGH.

GRAHAM GRABBED A HAND FULL OF CIGARETTES AND ASKED IF THEY COULD MAKE THE BUILDING OUT OF A SERIES OF SLENDER TUBES.

INDIVIDUALLY THEY'RE NOT SO STRONG BUT BUNDLED TOGETHER, THERE'S STRENGTH IN NUMBERS.

KHAN, LATER SAID GRAHAM'S INNOVATIVE "BUNDLED TUBE" DESIGN "CONSTITUTED A WHOLE NEW ARCHITECTURAL VOCABULARY."

CHICAGO MAY NEVER QUITE GET USED TO CALLING THE BUILDING WILLIS TOWER.

THE GLOBAL INSURANCE BROKER WILLIS GROUP HOLDINGS DOESN'T OWN THE BUILDING, BUT IT BOUGHT THE NAMING RIGHTS IN 2009 WHEN IT LEASED SEVERAL FLOORS.

AN ATTRACTION ADDED TO THE 103RD FLOOR SKYDECK THAT SAME YEAR BECAME AN EVEN BIGGER DEAL THAN THE BUILDING'S NAME CHANGE.

ARE YOU BRAVE ENOUGH TO STEP OUT ON THE LEDGE?

THESE FOUR RETRACTABLE GLASS BOXES DESIGNED BY SKIDMORE, OWINGS AND MERRILL ALLOW VISITORS TO STEP FOUR FEET OUT INTO SPACE.

THEY WERE INSTALLED ON THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING THAT HAS NO SETBACKS, SO THE VIEW UNDER YOUR FEET GOES STRAIGHT DOWN ALL THE WAY TO THE SIDEWALK.

AFTER THE LEDGE OPENED, ATTENDANCE ON THE SKYDECK WENT UP MORE THAN 20 PERCENT TO AN ESTIMATED 1.4 MILLION IN 2011.

WILLIS TOWER IS STILL THE TALLEST BUILDING IN CHICAGO AND THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE.

BUT IN 2009 WE GOT A NEW NUMBER TWO.

TRUMP INTERNATIONAL HOTEL AND TOWER BY SKIDMORE, OWINGS AND MERRILL AND ADRIAN SMITH.

THE BUILDING'S CASCADING SETBACKS ACKNOWLEDGE ITS NEIGHBORS BY LINING UP WITH THEIR ROOFTOPS.

THE 16TH FLOOR RESTAURANT TERRACE OFFERS A REALLY THRILLING EYE-LEVEL VIEW OF THE SURROUNDING SKYSCRAPERS.

THE LOWER FLOORS OF THE BUILDING HOUSE A LUXURY HOTEL, WITH CONDOS ABOVE.

AS OF 2011, THE TOP FLOOR 14,000 SQAREFOOT PENTHOUSE WITH 360-DEGREE VIEWS WAS STILL AVAILABLE FOR JUST $30 MILLION.

TRUMP'S ROOFTOP IS ACTUALLY ABOUT TEN FEET BELOW THE ROOF OF THE AON BUILDING, WHICH PREVIOUSLY HELD THE TITLE OF CHICAGO'S SECOND TALLEST.

SO HOW DID TRUMP STEAL THE TITLE AWAY?

THE ANSWER IS THIS NEEDLE-LIKE SPIRE, WHICH TOPS OFF MORE THAN 200 FEET ABOVE AON'S FLAT ROOF.

THE CHICAGO-BASED COUNCIL ON TALL BUILDINGS AND URBAN HABITAT, WHICH JUDGES BUILDING HEIGHT, COUNTS DECORATIVE ELEMENTS LIKE SPIRES.

BUT FLAGPOLES AND ANTENNAS DON'T COUNT BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT CONSIDERED PERMANENT PARTS OF THE BUILDING.

BY THE WAY, IT WASN'T THE DONALD WHO TRUMPED AON.

IT WAS POWERFUL MAYOR RICHARD M. DALEY.

THE MAYOR WHO WAS FAMOUSLY FOND OF BEAUTIFYING THE CITY DIDN'T LIKE A LOWER FLAT-ROOFED DESIGN THAT TRUMP PROPOSED AND INSISTED THAT A SPIRE BE ADDED.

NOTHING SAYS POWER LIKE A ROW OF SIX-STORY-TALL GREEK COLUMNS.

THEY GRACE THE CITY/COUNTY BUILDING WHERE OUR ALL-POWERFUL MAYORS HAVE PRESIDED SINCE 1911.

THIS IS THE THIRD CITY HALL TO STAND ON THIS SITE, GOING ALL OF THE WAY BACK TO 1853.

THE HALLS OF POWER HERE ARE BUILT IN THE TRADITION OF CLASSICAL STYLE CIVIC STRUCTURES.

FROM HIS FIFTH FLOOR OFFICE IN THIS BUILDING, ONE PARTICULARLY POWERFUL MAYOR, RICHARD J. DALEY, OVERSAW A GENERATION OF MEGAPROJECTS INCLUDING O'HARE AIRPORT, MCCORMICK PLACE AND RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM CITY HALL, THE CIVIC CENTER, WHICH WAS RE-NAMED FOR DALEY AFTER HE DIED.

IN THE SPIRIT OF ITS NAMESAKE AN ENTIRE CITY BLOCK WAS LEVELED TO CREATE IT IN 1962.

IN THIS GREAT CIVIC SPACE DALEY DELIGHTED IN THROWING THE SWITCH EVERY YEAR ON THE CITY'S CHRISTMAS TREE.

[CROWD CHEERING] HIS HONOR ALSO MARCHED ACROSS THE STREET EACH YEAR TO PUT A BIRTHDAY CAKE AT THE BASE OF ONE OF HIS FAVORITE LEGACIES, CHICAGO'S MOST RECOGNIZED SCULPTURE, KNOWN TO EVERYONE SIMPLY AS "THE PICASSO."

ACTUALLY, PICASSO HIMSELF LEFT IT UNTITLED.

PABLO PICASSO MIGHT HAVE SEEMED LIKE AN ODD CHOICE FOR MAYOR DALEY.

AFTER ALL, THE MAYOR WAS A SOUTH SIDE IRISH CATHOLIC.

PICASSO WAS A COMMUNIST FAMOUS FOR HIS LOVE AFFAIRS.

BUT WHEN THE CIVIC CENTER ARCHITECTS TOLD DALEY THAT PICASSO WAS THE WORLD'S GREATEST LIVING ARTIST, THE MAYOR'S MIND WAS MADE UP.

DALEY SENT DELEGATIONS TO COURT THE ARTIST STARTING IN 1963.

THEY BROUGHT HIM GIFTS LIKE A WHITE SOX UNIFORM, AND AN INDIAN WAR BONNET.

ALTHOUGH PICASSO NEVER SET FOOT IN CHICAGO, HE AGREED TO DESIGN A SCULPTURE AND PRESENTED IT TO THE CITY AS A GIFT!

WHEN DALEY SAW PICASSO'S THREE AND A HALF FOOT TALL MODEL HE SMILED AND SAID "I SEE THE WINGS OF JUSTICE."

THE JOB OF FABRICATING THE ACTUAL 50-FOOT, 162-TON SCULPTURE WAS GIVEN TO U.S. STEEL IN GARY.

AFTER LOOKING AT THE MODEL, ONE STEELWORKER REPORTEDLY SAID, "PICASSO MIGHT BE A GREAT ARTIST BUT HE AIN'T NO WELDER."

THE FINISHED WORK WAS SHIPPED TO CHICAGO IN PIECES, AND ASSEMBLED UNDER WRAPS.

>> TODAY WITH THIS UNVEILING IT BECOMES A PERMANENT PART OF THE CHICAGO SCENE.

[CROWD CHEERING] >> (BAER) WHEN IT WAS UNVEILED IN 1967 MANY CHICAGOANS WERE AGHAST.

BUT IT SOON BECAME A BELOVED SYMBOL OF THE CITY.

AND WE'VE LONG OUTGROWN OUR NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT IS... AN AARDVARK, PERHAPS, OR AN AFGHAN HOUND?

OR TRY THIS?

WALK AROUND HERE BEHIND THE SCULPTURE AND VIEW IT FROM ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER AND YOU'LL CLEARLY SEE A PROFILE VIEW OF A WOMAN'S HEAD.

[KISS] IF SHE LOOKS A LITTLE RUSTY, THAT'S BECAUSE SHE'D MADE OF COR-TEN STEEL TO MATCH THE DALEY CENTER BEHIND HER.

THE MATERIAL IS DESIGNED TO RUST OVER TIME, WHICH HELPS PROTECT THE STEEL.

IN CONTRAST TO CITY HALL, MAYOR DALEY WANTED THIS COURTHOUSE AND CITY OFFICE BUILDING TO LOOK AS MODERN AS THE LATEST SKYSCRAPERS.

IT WAS COMPLETED IN 1965.

THE DESIGN TEAM WAS LED BY JACQUES BROWNSON OF C. F. MURPHY.

ONE ASTONISHING FEATURE OF THE BUILDING IS THE GREAT DISTANCE BETWEEN THE SUPPORTING COLUMNS - AN UNPRECEDENTED 87 FEET!

THE BUILDING HAS A MUSCULAR QUALITY THAT'S ALL CHICAGO.

AMIDST THE TEMPLES TO GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE ENTERPRISE SURROUNDING DALEY PLAZA, IS ONE TEMPLE TO GOD.

THIS IS THE WORLD'S TALLEST CHURCH SPIRE-- AT LEAST ACCORDING TO THE GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS.

IT'S THE CHICAGO TEMPLE OF THE FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH.

THEY HOLD SERVICES IN THE SANCTUARY ON THE FIRST FLOOR AND RENT OUT MUCH OF THE SPACE ABOVE TO OFFICE TENANTS.

A CHURCH HAS STOOD ON THIS CORNER SINCE CHICAGO'S EARLIEST DAYS.

IN FACT, THE CONGREGATION PREDATES THE INCORPORATION OF CHICAGO.

THEIR FIRST CHURCH BUILDING WAS A LOG CABIN AT WOLF POINT IN 1834.

THAT CHURCH WAS FLOATED ACROSS THE RIVER AND BROUGHT TO THIS SITE IN 1838.

THE CURRENT BUILDING IS THE FIFTH AT THIS LOCATION.

IT WAS BUILT IN 1924.

THE SPIRE ON TOP IS MORE THAN DECORATIVE.

IN 1952, THE WALGREEN FAMILY BUILT THIS 30-PERSON CHAPEL INSIDE THE SPIRE.

TUCKED UNDER THE ALTER TABLE IS A CARVING OF JESUS, WATCHING OVER THE CITY.

JUST BELOW THE CHAPEL, IS THE HOME OF THE PASTOR.

IT'S SAID THAT FOR MANY YEARS THIS WAS THE ONLY RESIDENCE IN CHICAGO'S LOOP.

THE PASTOR GETS TO ENJOY SOME PRETTY SPECTACULAR VIEWS.

THE NEXT STOP ON OUR TOUR TAKES US FROM SACRED SPACE TO A SPACE SHIP.

AT LEAST THAT'S HOW SOME PEOPLE DESCRIBE THE THOMPSON CENTER AT CLARK AND RANDOLPH.

BUT THE CHICAGO ARCHITECT, GERMAN-BORN HELMUT JAHN, SAYS THE DESIGN WAS INSPIRED IN PART BY CLASSICAL GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.

THE CURVING SHAPE IS AN ABSTRACT VERSION OF THE NEO-CLASSICAL DOME ON THE OLD FEDERAL BUILDING, WHICH I TOLD YOU ABOUT EARLIER.

NOW THAT SYMBOLISM MIGHT BE LOST ON MANY PEOPLE, BUT THIS VAST INTERIOR ATRIUM JUST TAKES YOUR BREATH AWAY.

THERE'S 1.2 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF SPACE UNDER GLASS IN THE 16-STORY ATRIUM.

THE BUILDING IS NAMED FOR LONGTIME GOVERNOR JAMES R. THOMPSON WHO PRESIDED OVER ITS CONSTRUCTION FROM 1979 AND 1985.

OUT IN FRONT OF THE THOMPSON CENTER IS THIS PAINTED FIBERGLASS WORK BY JEAN DUBUFFET CALLED "MONUMENT WITH STANDING BEAST."

THE THOMPSON CENTER SHARES A HISTORY WITH CHICKEN BROTH.

SPECIFICALLY COLLEGE INN BRAND CHICKEN BROTH.

BECAUSE BEFORE THE THOMPSON CENTER WAS HERE, THIS WAS THE SITE OF THE FAMOUS COLLEGE INN RESTAURANT AND NIGHT CLUB.

CHEF JOE COLTON'S SIGNATURE DISHES THERE, INCLUDING HIS SECRET RECIPE CHICKEN BROTH, WERE SO POPULAR THAT THEY STARTED CANNING THEM AND SELLING THEM IN STORES AND BY MAIL ORDER.

THE COLLEGE INN BRAND IS THE ONLY SURVIVING RELIC FROM THE RESTAURANT, AND HOTEL THAT HOUSED IT, THE LEGENDARY SHERMAN HOUSE.

IT WAS FOUNDED BY THE SON OF THE FAMOUS CIVIL WAR GENERAL.

THE SHERMAN HOUSE IS IMPORTANT FOR ANOTHER REASON.

IT WAS THE FIRST PLACE MANY PEOPLE HEARD JAZZ MUSIC.

IN THE SEGREGATED CHICAGO OF THE EARLY 1900S, WHITE MUSICIANS IMPORTED JAZZ FROM AFRICAN AMERICAN CLUBS ON THE SOUTH SIDE FOR WHITE AUDIENCES AT THE COLLEGE INN.

LATER, THE NIGHT SPOT HOSTED BIG NAMED MUSICAL ACTS LIKE TOMMY DORSEY, GENE KRUPA, FATS WALLER AND CAB CALLAWAY.

ELABORATE FLOOR SHOWS ROUNDED OUT AN EVENING OF ENTERTAINMENT.

LATE NIGHT CROWDS AT THE COLLEGE INN OFTEN SPOTTED STARS IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WERE PLAYING IN THEATERS NEARBY.

THE LOOP WAS ONCE THE EPICENTER OF CHICAGO ENTERTAINMENT AND NIGHTLIFE.

PEOPLE CALLED RANDOLPH STREET THE RIALTO, AFTER THE BUSTLING ANCIENT COMMERCIAL DISTRICT IN VENICE, ITALY.

THERE WERE VAUDEVILLE HOUSES, LIKE THE PALACE THEATRE.

TODAY IT'S CALLED THE CADILLAC PALACE, AND IT'S IN THE HOTEL ALLEGRO, WHICH WAS ONCE CALLED THE BISMARCK.

THE DAY PROHIBITION ENDED IN 1933, THE BISMARCK TAPPED CHICAGO'S FIRST LEGAL KEG OF BEER AT ONE MINUTE AFTER MIDNIGHT.

LATER THE BISMARCK WAS FAMOUS AS A PLACE WHERE POLITICIANS LIKED TO MEET AND MANY BACKROOM DEALS WERE CUT HERE.

THERE WERE LEGITIMATE THEATRES ON THE RIALTO TOO LIKE THE SELWYN AND HARRIS.

THE FACADES OF THESE OLD PLAYHOUSES WERE PRESERVED WHEN THE NEW GOODMAN THEATRE WAS BUILT ON THE SITE IN 2000.

BUT THE MOST SPECTACULAR ENTERTAINMENT VENUES WERE THE MOVIE PALACES, LIKE THE ORIENTAL, WHICH OPENED IN 1926.

IT'S ONE OF MANY DESIGNED BY RAPP & RAPP FOR THE BALABAN AND KATZ CHAIN.

THE DéCOR IS A HODGE-PODGE OF ASIAN AND MIDDLE-EASTERN THEMES THAT ONE OBSERVER CALLED "HASHISH DREAM."

THE THEATRE WAS MAGNIFICENTLY RESTORED IN 1998 BY ARCHITECT DANIEL COFFEY.

IT'S NOW THE FORD CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, HOME TO BIG BROADWAY MUSICALS.

OVER ON STATE STREET, RAPP & RAPP DESIGNED WHAT BECAME AMERICA'S PROTOTYPE MOVIE PALACE FOR BALABAN AND KATZ IN 1921, THE CHICAGO THEATER.

HERE YOU COULD PRETEND YOU WERE LOUIS THE 14TH, SURROUNDED BY ACRES OF FAKE BAROQUE OPULENCE.

IT WAS A FITTING BACKDROP FOR THE CONSTELLATION OF STARS THAT GRACED ITS STAGE OVER THE YEARS, FROM BENNY GOODMAN TO JACK BENNY.

THE STAIRWELLS BACKSTAGE ATTEST TO THE STAR ATTRACTIONS BOOKED HERE.

THE FIRST TO SIGN THE WALL WAS FRANK SINATRA.

EVERYONE FROM ROY ORBISON TO JULIE ANDREWS, BILL COSBY AND MARCEL MARCEAU HAVE LEFT THEIR MARKS SINCE.

EVERYBODY HAS SEEN THE FAMOUS "CHICAGO" SIGN, WHICH IS LANDMARKED.

BUT HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED PARIS'S FAMOUS ARCH DE TRIOMPHE HIDDEN IN THE FAçADE OF THE BUILDING BEHIND IT?

THE STARS WHO PLAYED THE GREAT OLD THEATERS BACK IN THE DAY HAD THEIR PICK OF PLACES TO PARTY AFTER THE SHOW.

THE LOOP HAD SO MANY CLUBS AND SWANKY RESTAURANTS WITH FLOORSHOWS THAT THE NEWSPAPERS RAN DAILY COLUMNS LISTING WHO WAS PERFORMING WHERE.

HENRICI'S, A VIENNESE STYLE CAFé, WAS A POPULAR HANGOUT FOR TOURING STARS LIKE AL JOLSON, HENNY YOUNGMAN AND DANNY THOMAS.

IT WAS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM CITY HALL AND A YOUNG MAYOR RICHARD J. DALEY USED TO HOLD COURT THERE EVERY MORNING OVER BREAKFAST.

IMMIGRANT PHILIP HENRICI OPENED IT BEFORE THE GREAT FIRE AND IT LASTED MORE THAN 90 YEARS.

THE BLACKHAWK BOOSTED ITS BUSINESS BY BROADCASTING LIVE JAZZ ON WGN RADIO.

THE BROADCASTS MESMERIZED FOUR-YEAR-OLD MEL TORMé.

WHEN HIS PARENTS TOOK HIM TO SEE A LIVE SHOW THERE, THE BAND INVITED HIM ON STAGE TO SING.

HE WAS SUCH A HIT THAT HE GOT A REGULAR MONDAY NIGHT GIG PAYING $15 A WEEK PLUS DINNER FOR HIS WHOLE FAMILY.

WHEN DEMAND FOR LIVE SHOWS DWINDLED IN THE 1950S, OWNER DON ROTH INTRODUCED THE FAMOUS SPINNING BOWL SALAD, DECLARING, "THE FOOD IS THE SHOW."

GERMAN FOOD WAS POPULAR ENOUGH TO SUPPORT SEVERAL LOOP ESTABLISHMENTS.

OR, MAYBE IT WAS THE BEER.

ON THE WALL OF THE BERGHOFF, THEY PROUDLY DISPLAY LIQUOR LICENSE NUMBER ONE.

THE RESTAURANT SNAGGED IT THE MINUTE PROHIBITION ENDED IN 1933.

THE BERGHOFF DATES FROM 1898 WHEN INDIANA BREWER HERMAN BERGHOFF OPENED A CHICAGO CAFé.

HIS BEER HAD BEEN A HIT AT THE WORLD'S COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION FIVE YEARS EARLIER.

HE SURVIVED PROHIBITION BY SERVING ROOT BEER AND NEAR BEER.

WOMEN WEREN'T ALLOWED AT THE BAR HERE UNTIL 1969!

IT TOOK A SIT-IN, STAGED BY THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF WOMEN TO GET THE RESTAURANT TO RELENT.

TODAY, THE BERGHOFF IS OWNED BY A WOMAN!

SHE'S A FOURTH GENERATION BERHOFF.

THIS WAS ONCE EITEL'S OLD HEIDELBERG, A RESTAURANT INSPIRED BY A GERMAN-STYLE INN AT THE WORLD'S FAIR OF 1933.

THE ATTRACTION WAS SO POPULAR THAT WHEN THE FAIR CLOSED THE EITEL FAMILY BUILT A PERMANENT BEER HALL ON RANDOLPH STREET.

IT WAS NEAR THE PALACE THEATRE AND BISMARCK HOTEL, WHICH THEY ALSO OWNED.

ABOVE THE ENTRANCE A MECHANICAL STATUE OF KING GAMBRINUS, THE PATRON SAINT OF BEER, APPEARED HOURLY FROM A MECHANICAL CLOCK.

THE ITALIAN VILLAGE ALSO HAS A LINK TO THE 1933 WORLD'S FAIR.

THE DéCOR WITH TWINKLING ITALIAN LIGHTS AND MURALS WAS DESIGNED BY AN ARTIST WHO CAME TO THE FAIR AS PART OF A DELEGATION FROM MUSSOLINI'S ITALY.

ITALIAN IMMIGRANT ALFREDO CAPITANINI STARTED THE RESTAURANT IN 1927.

THE FAMILY STILL OWNS IT AND THEY'RE STILL SERVING CHICKEN VESUVIO, WHICH THEY CLAIM TO HAVE INVENTED, AS WELL AS THEIR SIGNATURE HEAPING PLATES OF PASTA SMOTHERED IN SAUCE.

OF COURSE THE LOOP WAS ALSO THE CITY'S PREMIER SHOPPING DISTRICT!

AND THE PREMIER SHOPPING STREET IN THE LOOP WAS STATE STREET.

♪♪ ♪ ON STATE STREET, ♪ ♪ THAT GREAT STREET.

♪ ♪ I JUST WANT TO SAY, ♪ ♪ THEY DO THINGS THEY DON'T DO ♪ ♪ ON BROADWAY.

♪ IMMORTALIZED IN SONG IT REALLY WAS CHICAGO'S MAIN STREET.

DRAWING SHOPPERS FROM THE WHOLE REGION AND HOSTING CIVIC CELEBRATIONS OF ALL KINDS.

IN ITS HEYDAY, THE BUSTLING RETAIL HUB WAS ANCHORED BY SEVEN HUGE DEPARTMENT STORES.

THE FATHER OF STATE STREET WAS DRY GOODS TYCOON TURNED REAL ESTATE MOGUL POTTER PALMER.

HE QUIETLY BEGAN BUYING UP PROPERTY ALONG STATE STREET IN 1867, AND ENTICED MERCHANTS TO MOVE THERE FROM CROWDED, MUDDY LAKE STREET, WHICH HAD BEEN THE CITY'S MAIN SHOPPING STRIP.

THE CROWN JEWEL OF HIS EMPIRE WAS HIS HOTEL BUSINESS.

HE OPENED HIS FIRST PALMER HOUSE IN 1870.

HE WAS BUILDING A SECOND ONE A BLOCK NORTH ON THE SITE OF TODAY'S PALMER HOUSE WHEN BOTH WERE DESTROYED IN THE GREAT FIRE.

AMAZINGLY, AS THE FIRE APPROACHED, THE ARCHITECT JOHN MILLS VAN OSDEL RACED TO THE CONSTRUCTION SITE, DUG A PIT IN THE BASEMENT AND BURIED HIS PLANS AND OTHER IMPORTANT PAPERS.

JUST DAYS AFTER THE FIRE, VAN OSDEL DUG DOWN THROUGH THE ASHES AND RECOVERED HIS BURIED TREASURE, STILL INTACT, PROTECTED BY FIRE-HARDENED CLAY.

HE HAD ACCIDENTALLY STUMBLED UPON A WAY TO FIREPROOF BUILDINGS.

THE RECOVERED PLANS ALLOWED VAN OSDEL TO REBUILD MANY OF HIS PRE-FIRE STRUCTURES.

BUT TO RECONSTRUCT THE HOTEL, PALMER HIRED VAN OSDEL'S ASSISTANT C. M. PALMER WHO MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN POTTER'S COUSIN.

THE POST-FIRE PALMER HOUSE WAS ONE OF CHICAGO'S MOST LAVISH HOTELS.

IT WAS ALSO BILLED AS FIREPROOF.

THE INTERIOR WAS SHEATHED IN ITALIAN MARBLE AND DECORATED WITH MOSAICS.

THE HOTEL BARBERSHOP WAS TILED WITH SILVER DOLLARS.

BUT AUTHOR RUDYARD KIPLING, WHO CALLED CHICAGOANS BARBARIANS, DESCRIBED THE PALMER HOUSE AS "A GILDED AND MIRRORED RABBIT "WARREN, CRAMMED WITH PEOPLE "TALKING ABOUT MONEY AND SPITTING EVERYWHERE," ACCORDING TO THE CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM.

IN THE 1920S, THE POST-FIRE PALMER HOUSE WAS REPLACED YET AGAIN ON THE SAME SITE.

THE ORNATE CEILING IN THE FRENCH EMPIRE-STYLE LOBBY CONTINUES THE HOTEL'S LONG TRADITION OF OPULENCE.

THE 21 PAINTINGS ARE BY FRENCH ARTIST LOUIS PIERRE RIGAL.

THEY WERE RESTORED IN 1996 BY AN ARTIST WHO HELPED RESTORE THE SISTINE CHAPEL, LIDO LIPPI.

THE OPULENCE WOULD HAVE PLEASED POTTER PALMER'S WIFE BERTHA.

SHE WAS THE QUEEN OF CHICAGO SOCIETY AND A PATRON OF THE GREATEST FRENCH IMPRESSIONISTS.

BERTHA PALMER CAN ALSO BE CREDITED WITH THE INVENTION OF THE BROWNIE.

SHE ORDERED THE PALMER HOUSE CHEF TO CREATE A PORTABLE CONFECTION THAT COULD BE ENJOYED BY VISITORS TO THE WORLD'S FAIR OF 1893.

SHE WAS THE HEAD OF THE BOARD OF LADY MANAGERS THERE.

A FEW BLOCKS AWAY ONE OF POTTER PALMER'S FORMER PARTNERS GAVE THE WORLD THE FIRST MODERN DEPARTMENT STORE.

MARSHALL FIELD CAME TO CHICAGO IN THE 1856 AT AGE 21 AND STARTED WORKING AS A DRY GOODS CLERK.

FIELD WAS A QUICK STUDY.

SOON HE AND A CO-WORKER PARTNERED WITH PALMER IN A DRY GOODS BUSINESS AND LATER BOUGHT THE STORE OUTRIGHT.

FIELD'S MOTTO WAS "GIVE THE LADY WHAT SHE WANTS."

AND HE MADE A FORTUNE BY DOING JUST THAT.

HE PUT AN END TO PRICE HAGGLING, AND OFFERED QUALITY MERCHANDISE, COURTEOUS SALES PEOPLE AND A MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE!

FIELD'S WAS SO SUCCESSFUL THAT THE STATE STREET STORE KEPT EXPANDING UNTIL IT TOOK UP AN ENTIRE CITY BLOCK.

THE UNDERSTATED CLASSICAL DESIGN BY D.H. BURNHAM AND COMPANY BECAME THE PROTOTYPE FOR DEPARTMENT STORES THAT BURNHAM DESIGNED AROUND THE WORLD INCLUDING SELFRIDGE'S IN LONDON, GIMBEL'S IN NEW YORK, JOHN WANAMAKER'S IN PHILADELPHIA AND FILENE'S IN BOSTON.

CHICAGO CRINGED WHEN MACY'S RED REPLACED MARSHALL FIELD'S GREEN IN 2006.

BUT MUCH OF THE ORIGINAL MARSHALL FIELD'S IS STILL THERE.

LIKE THE GREAT CORNER CLOCKS IMMORTALIZED BY NORMAN ROCKWELL AND SOARING SIX STORIES OVER THE COSMETICS DEPARTMENT, YOU'LL STILL FIND THIS DAZZLING 6,000 SQUARE FOOT TIFFANY MOSAIC CEILING.

IT WAS INSTALLED IN 1907 AND CONTAINS 1.6 MILLION PIECES OF IRIDESCENT FAVRILE GLASS.

IT TOOK 50 MEN ABOUT TWO YEARS TO COMPLETE IT.

THE VENERABLE WALNUT ROOM IS STILL HERE TOO.

AND CHICKEN POTPIE IS STILL ON THE MENU.

THE DISH DATES FROM A TIME WHEN THERE WERE NO RESPECTABLE PLACES FOR UNESCORTED WOMEN TO EAT DOWNTOWN.

SO AN EMPLOYEE IN FIELD'S MILLINERY DEPARTMENT STARTED BRINGING CHICKEN POTPIES FOR HER CUSTOMERS.

FIELD'S REALIZED THAT BY OPENING A RESTAURANT, WOMEN COULD SPEND THE WHOLE DAY AT THE STORE!

GENERATIONS OF CHICAGO FAMILIES HAVE MADE AN ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE TO THE WALNUT ROOM AT HOLIDAY TIME TO DINE AROUND THE FAMOUS CHRISTMAS TREE.

THE TRADITION STARTED WITH A SMALL TREE IN 1907.

BY THE 1920S THE TREE TRADITION HAD GROWN TO TOWERING HEIGHTS.

EACH YEAR, A FIELDS' EMPLOYEE WOULD TRAVEL TO THE NORTH WOODS TO SELECT A HUGE TREE, WHICH THEY WOULD SHIP TO THE STORE.

THE TREE WOULD BE HOISTED UP THROUGH THE ATRIUM, ALL OF THE WAY UP TO THE 7TH FLOOR, AND THEN INTO THE WALNUT ROOM.

THERE IT WOULD BE LOWERED INTO PLACE AND DECORATED WITH ORNAMENTS, WHICH WERE HAND MADE BY THE FIELD'S ART DEPARTMENT.

AND NO HOLIDAY VISIT DOWNTOWN WAS COMPLETE WITHOUT SEEING THE MARSHALL FIELD'S CHRISTMAS WINDOWS.

FIELD'S STARTED USING THEIR WINDOWS TO TELL A SEEN BY SEEN CHRISTMAS STORY IN 1944 WITH CLEMENT MOORE'S "A VISIT FROM ST. NICHOLAS" A.K.A.

"THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS."

BUT FIELD'S WANTED THEIR OWN CHRISTMAS STORY TO COMPETE WITH RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER CREATED BY RIVAL MONTGOMERY WARDS.

SO IN 1946 THEY DEBUTED "A CHRISTMAS DREAM" STARRING A WINGED ELF NAMED UNCLE MISTLETOE BASED ON THE SWEDISH UNCLE OF A FIELD'S DISPLAY ARTIST.

UNCLE MISTLETOE SEEKS OUT CHILDREN WHO REMEMBER TO BE KIND AND WHISKS THEM OFF TO THE NORTH POLE ON A MAGIC CARPET FOR A VISIT WITH SANTA CLAUS.

AT THE CLOSE OF WWII, CHICAGO'S LOOP WAS STILL VIBRANT, BUT IT WAS ON THE VERGE OF A VERY STEEP DECLINE.

CHICAGOANS WERE MIGRATING TO THE SUBURBS.

INSTEAD OF STAYING DOWNTOWN AFTER WORK FOR DINNER AND A SHOW, WORKERS WENT HOME, POPPED IN A SWANSON DINNER, AND TURNED ON THE TV.

THE INCREASINGLY DESERTED ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT STARTED TO FEEL UNSAFE AT NIGHT AND CLUBS BEGAN CLOSING.

HENRICI'S WENT OUT OF BUSINESS IN 1962 WHEN ITS ENTIRE BLOCK WAS TORN DOWN TO BUILD THE CIVIC CENTER.

IT WAS THE OPENING SALVO IN MAYOR RICHARD J. DALEY'S WAR ON BLIGHT.

IN THE THREE DAYS BEFORE HENRICI'S CLOSED, 22,000 PEOPLE STOOD IN LINE FOR ONE LAST MEAL ACCORDING TO AUTHOR DAVID GARRARD LOWE.

THE DEMOLITION OF ADLER AND SULLIVAN'S GARRICK THEATRE, SPARKED ONE OF CHICAGO'S FIRST PRESERVATION BATTLES.

AND STARTED A LOSING STREAK FOR THE PRESERVATIONISTS.

THE SHERMAN HOUSE CLOSED IN 1973 AND WAS EVENTUALLY DEMOLISHED.

BY THE 1970S WHAT FEW MOVIE PALACES WERE LEFT WERE EITHER SHUTTERED OR SHOWING MOSTLY KUNG FU MOVIES AND PORNOGRAPHY.

MOST STATE STREET DEPARTMENT STORES HAD ALSO CLOSED, REPLACED BY CHEAP ELECTRONICS SHOPS AND TACKY DISCOUNT STORES.

IN WHAT NOW SEEMS LIKE A DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO BRING LIFE BACK TO THE STATE STREET, VEHICLES WERE BANNED EXCEPT CITY BUSSES AND THE SIDEWALKS WERE WIDENED IN 1979.

THE17-MILLION-DOLLAR PROJECT WAS SUPPOSED TO MAKE STATE STREET A KIND OF SUBURBAN SHOPPING MALL WITHIN THE CITY.

BUT THE WIDE, DARK SIDEWALKS AND THE ABSENCE OF CARS MADE THE STREET EVEN MORE DESOLATE, AND THE SOOTY BUS EXHAUST DIDN'T HELP MATTERS.

IN A SHOCKING MOVE, THE NORTH LOOP WAS DECLARED AN URBAN RENEWAL AREA IN 1973.

PLANS WERE FLOATED TO TEAR DOWN VIRTUALLY EVERY BUILDING IN THE NORTH LOOP, JUST AS SLUMS HAD BEEN CLEARED DECADES EARLIER.

THE CITY WOULD SELL THE VACANT PROPERTY TO PRIVATE DEVELOPERS WHO WOULD BUILD SLEEK NEW OFFICE TOWERS, HOTELS, RESIDENCES, THEATERS, SHOPPING AND A NEW PUBLIC LIBRARY.

THE LAKE STREET "L" WOULD BE DEMOLISHED AND PEDESTRIANS WOULD BE FUNNELED THROUGH A NETWORK OF SECOND STORY SKY BRIDGES.

MOST OF THOSE PLANS WERE NEVER REALIZED.

BUT ONE BLOCK WAS COMPLETELY CLEARED.

IN THE 1980S THE CITY SPENT $24 MILLION TO BUY EVERY BIT OF DILAPIDATED BLOCK 37.

BUT DEMOLITION WAS DELAYED BY A PRESERVATION BATTLE.

BY THE TIME THE BLOCK WAS LEVELED IN 1989 DEVELOPERS HAD LOST INTEREST.

AND BLOCK 37 STOOD VACANT FOR DECADES, THE POSTER CHILD FOR THE LOOP'S DECLINE.

THE CITY USED IT IN SUMMERS FOR AN OUTDOOR ART EDUCATION PROGRAM CALLED GALLERY 37, AND IN WINTERS FOR AN ICE RINK.

FINALLY AFTER YEARS OF FAILED ATTEMPTS, A BIG MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT WAS COMPLETED ON BLOCK 37 IN 2009.

ALTHOUGH THE NEW DEVELOPMENT INITIALLY HAD ITS OWN PROBLEMS IN A RECESSION ECONOMY IT WAS PART OF A DRAMATIC REBIRTH OF THE LOOP THAT BEGAN IN THE LATE 1980S.

THE FAILED STATE STREET MALL WAS TORN UP AND CARS WERE WELCOMED BACK IN 1996.

THE CITY BOUGHT UP DISTRESSED PROPERTY AND USED TIFS, TAX INCREMENT FINANCING, TO UPGRADE THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND HELP FUND REDEVELOPMENT.

PLANNERS SET THEIR SIGHTS ON FINALLY BUILDING THE LONG DREAMED-OF THEATRE DISTRICT, AND TURNING THE LOOP INTO A 24-HOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND THEIR DREAM IS COMING TRUE.

TODAY, JOFFREY BALLET DANCERS REHEARSE IN THEIR NEW HEADQUARTERS AT STATE AND RANDOLPH.

IT'S IN THE BASE OF THE NEW JOFFREY TOWER, A CONDO BUILDING BY ARCHITECT LAURENCE BOOTH.

AND MANY OLD OFFICE BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN CONVERTED TO CONDOS TOO.

THEY'RE EASY TO SPOT BY THE BALCONIES ADDED TO THEIR VINTAGE FACADES.

TODAY RESIDENTS FLIP BURGERS OUTSIDE OF WINDOWS WHERE POWER MEETINGS ONCE TOOK PLACE.

THE RESIDENTIAL POPULATION OF THE LOOP, WHICH WAS VIRTUALLY ZERO IN 1978, GREW TO MORE THAN 20,000 BY 2010.

ADDING TO THE ROUND-THE-CLOCK VITALITY IN THE LOOP IS A POPULATION EXPLOSION OF STUDENTS.

MORE THAN 65,000 OF THEM ATTEND SOME 20 INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING.

THAT MAKES THE LOOP "THE LARGEST COLLEGE TOWN IN ILLINOIS" ACCORDING TO THE CHICAGO LOOP ALLIANCE.

MANY OF THESE STUDENTS LIVE IN NEW DOWNTOWN DORMITORIES.

TALK ABOUT A DORM ROOM WITH A VIEW!

AS PART OF THE LOOP'S REBIRTH, THIS IMPORTANT EARLY CHICAGO SKYSCRAPER AT STATE AND WASHINGTON WAS RESCUED FROM NEAR RUIN AND BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED.

IT WAS ORIGINALLY CALLED THE RELIANCE BUILDING.

THE DESIGN BY CHARLES ATWOOD FOR D. H. BURNHAM AND COMPANY WAS ABOUT AS GLASSY A BUILDING AS ANYONE HAD EVER ATTEMPTED!

THE TALL BAYS AND CREAMY GLAZED TERRA COTTA FACADE MADE IT SEEM ALMOST WEIGHTLESS.

AS THE LOOP DECLINED THE RELIANCE FELL INTO A DISMAL STATE OF DECREPITUDE.

THE CITY SPENT $11 MILLION IN TIF MONEY TO PURCHASE THE BUILDING AND HIRED ARCHITECT GUNNY HARBOE WHO BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED THE EXTERIOR.

DEVELOPERS THEN SPENT ANOTHER $20 MILLION TO CREATE THE APTLY NAMED HOTEL BURNHAM.

THE HALLWAYS STILL RESEMBLE THE ORIGINAL BUILDING, WITH THE OLD OFFICE DOORS INTACT.

NO KEY CARDS HERE.

THE OWNERS WANTED TO PRESERVE THE ORIGINAL PLATES AROUND THE DOORKNOBS.

THE BURNHAM IS ONE OF SEVERAL BOUTIQUE HOTELS THAT HAVE POPPED UP WITH THE LOOP'S REBIRTH.

THE WIT HOTEL WITH AN EYE-CATCHING CHARTREUSE ZIG-ZAG INSTANTLY MADE JACKIE KOO AN ARCHITECT TO WATCH WHEN IT OPENED IN 2009.

HER TWO-STORY LOBBY SHOWCASES THE ADJACENT LAKE STREET "L" AS A SORT OF KINETIC SCULPTURE IN THE WORDS OF TRIBUNE ARCHITECTURE CRITIC BLAIR KAMIN.

THE TRENDY OUTDOOR ROOFTOP BAR OFFERS SWEEPING VIEWS OF THE REVITALIZED NORTH LOOP.

EVEN AS THE LOOP REBIRTH WAS HUMMING ALONG, A FORGOTTEN AND DANGEROUS RELIC FROM AN EARLIER LOOP HEYDAY WAS LURKING BENEATH THE STREETS; A 62-MILE LONG SYSTEM OF ABANDONED FREIGHT TUNNELS.

EARLY ON AN APRIL MORNING IN 1992 WATER BEGAN GUSHING THROUGH THE TUNNELS AND INTO BASEMENTS ALL OVER THE LOOP.

A PILE DRIVING CREW HAD FRACTURED ONE OF THE TUNNELS BENEATH THE CHICAGO RIVER AT KINZIE STREET TURNING THE TUNNEL SYSTEM INTO AN UNWELCOME WATER MAIN.

THE FOOD COURT AT THE THOMPSON CENTER, SIX BLOCKS AWAY WAS DESCRIBED AS A LAKE WITH FISH SWIMMING IN IT!

IT TOOK SEVEN DAYS TO PLUG THE LEAK, AND ANOTHER MONTH TO DRAIN ALL THE BUILDINGS.

NO LIVES WERE LOST, BUT DAMAGE WAS ESTIMATED AT $1 BILLION.

THE TUNNELS HAD BEEN CONSTRUCTED OVER A SIX-YEAR PERIOD NEARLY A CENTURY EARLIER.

THE ILLINOIS TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY TOLD THE CITY THEY WERE JUST LAYING TELEPHONE WIRES.

BUT THEY SECRETLY HAD BIGGER PLANS.

FROM THE BACK ROOM OF A BAR CO-OWNED BY ALDERMAN JOHNNY POWERS THEY WERE QUIETLY DIGGING TUNNELS BIG ENOUGH FOR SMALL TRAINS.

SHOCKED ALDERMEN ORDERED A HALT TO CONSTRUCTION WHEN THEY FOUND OUT ABOUT IT.

THAT IS UNTIL THE PROPER BRIBES WERE PAID.

WHEN THE TUNNELS WERE FINISHED, THE OWNERS THREW A SUBTERRANEAN PARTY.

THE SYSTEM WAS HEAVILY USED IN THE EARLY 1900S.

IT GAVE BUSINESSES AN ALTERNATIVE TO CROWDED CITY STREETS FOR SENDING AND RECEIVING MERCHANDISE.

THE TUNNELS BECAME A TOURIST ATTRACTION.

CELEBRITIES, DIGNITARIES AND MOVIE STARS LIKE MAE WEST TOOK PRIVATE TOURS.

THE TUNNELS EVEN APPEARED IN THE 1950 HOLLYWOOD FILM NOIR "UNION STATION" STARRING WILLIAM HOLDEN.

BUT BY THEN THE TUNNEL SYSTEM'S DAYS WERE NUMBERED.

THE LITTLE TRAINS HAD BEEN LOSING BUSINESS TO TRUCKS FOR YEARS.

THE TUNNELS WERE ABANDONED IN 1959.

AFTER THE TUNNEL FLOOD ALL TUNNEL ENTRANCES WERE SEALED WITH WATERTIGHT BULKHEADS.

BUT THE TUNNELS ARE STILL USED FOR UTILITY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS LINES TODAY.

NOW THE FREIGHT TUNNELS MIGHT BE SEALED, BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF STREET LIFE BENEATH THE STREETS.

THE PEDWAY IS A SUBTERRANEAN WARREN OF WALKWAYS NEARLY 5 MILES LONG CONNECTING SOME 50 BUILDINGS.

THE SYSTEM WAS COBBLED TOGETHER OVER DECADES WITH NO MASTER PLANNING.

THE WEBSITE GAPERS BLOCK DESCRIBES A TANGLED WEB OF TUNNELS, CORRIDORS, STAIRCASES AND REVOLVING DOORS WITH UNMARKED ENTRANCES, AND CONFUSING OR NON-EXISTENT SIGNAGE.

BUT YOU DO GET AN INTERESTING PEEK INSIDE SOME BASEMENT BUSINESSES.

THE PEDWAY GREW FROM A SINGLE TUNNEL BUILT IN 1951 TO CONNECT THE STATE STREET AND DEARBORN STREET SUBWAYS.

IN CHICAGO WE CALL IT THE "L" EVEN WHEN IT'S A SUBWAY.

11 MILES OF OUR 105-MILE ELEVATED SYSTEM ARE ACTUALLY UNDERGROUND.

SUBWAYS WERE PROPOSED AS EARLY AT 1902.

AND THEY WERE PART OF DANIEL BURNHAM'S 1909 PLAN OF CHICAGO.

BUT CONSTRUCTION DIDN'T START UNTIL 1938 ON LINES BELOW STATE AND DEARBORN STREETS.

WORKERS CARVED THROUGH CLAY AT A RATE OF 25 FEET PER DAY.

SOME OF THEM USING HAND TOOLS.

WORK WAS DELAYED BY AMERICA'S ENTRY INTO WORLD WAR II.

BUT THE STATE STREET SUBWAY WAS BILLED AS A MILITARY NECESSITY AND OPENED IN 1943.

IT WAS SAID TO HAVE THE LONGEST CONTINUOUS SUBWAY PLATFORM IN THE WORLD.

THE SUBWAYS GAVE PEOPLE A QUICKER WAY TO GET AROUND THE CROWDED LOOP.

THIS INTERSECTION AT STATE AND MADISON WAS CALLED "THE BUSIEST CORNER IN THE WORLD."

PRESIDING OVER THIS FAMOUS CROSSROADS IS ONE OF LOUIS SULLIVAN'S MOST CELEBRATED BUILDINGS, THE FORMER CARSON PIRIE SCOTT STORE COMPLETED IN 1903.

IN HIS DESIGN SULLIVAN BOLDLY EXPRESSED THE BUILDING'S STRUCTURE.

THE GLEAMING WHITE FRAME OF THE UPPER FLOORS IS ROOTED IN A LUSH FOREST OF CAST IRON ORNAMENT.

YOU'LL FIND SULLIVAN'S INITIALS HIDDEN IN THE SWIRLING SHAPES.

EVEN HERE, FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION.

THE IDEA WAS TO CREATE A DAZZLING FRAME FOR THE MERCHANDISE IN THE DISPLAY WINDOWS.

IN 2011, TARGET ANNOUNCED PLANS TO OPEN A STORE HERE.

THIS BUILDING IS THE WORK OF A MASTER AT THE TOP OF HIS CAREER.

BUT EVEN BEFORE IT WAS FINISHED, SULLIVAN BEGAN TO FALL ON HARD TIMES.

HE WAS BITTER WITH ADLER WHO LEFT THE PARTNERSHIP IN 1895 TO TAKE A MORE SECURE JOB.

SULLIVAN'S HOT TEMPER AND HARD DRINKING MADE HIM MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT TO WORK WITH.

AND HIS IDEALISTIC MODERNISM FELL OUT OF FAVOR WITH CLIENTS.

DESPERATE FOR COMMISSIONS, HE WAS FORCED TO TAKE SMALL JOBS IN FAR FLUNG PLACES.

TODAY HIS MIDWESTERN "JEWEL BOX" BANKS IN PLACES LIKE OWATONNA, MINNESOTA AND GRINNELL, IOWA ARE CONSIDERED TREASURES OF AMERICAN ARCHITECTURE.

AS HE SPIRALED DOWNWARD, HIS MARRIAGE DISSOLVED, HE LOST HIS OFFICE, AUCTIONED HIS POSSESSIONS AND MOVED INTO A CHEAP HOTEL ROOM ON THE SOUTH SIDE.

WITH HIS HEALTH FAILING, HE EARNED A SMALL INCOME BY SERIALIZING HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF AN IDEA IN AN ARCHITECTURE JOURNAL.

ON HIS DEATHBED, SULLIVAN WAS SHOWN A COPY IN BOOK FORM, WHICH HAD JUST BEEN PUBLISHED ALONG WITH HIS BRILLIANT MANIFESTO ON ARCHITECTURAL ORNAMENT.

HE DIED IN 1924 AND WAS BURIED IN GRACELAND CEMETERY.

HE HAD DESIGNED MONUMENTAL TOMBS THERE FOR CHICAGO'S RICHEST FAMILIES.

BUT IN THE END HIS OWN GRAVE WAS UNMARKED.

ABOUT FIVE YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH A GRANITE MONUMENT WAS ERECTED ON HIS GRAVESITE BY A COMMITTEE OF ARCHITECTS AND ADMIRERS.

AFTER SULLIVAN'S SAD END, HIS BUILDINGS DIDN'T FARE MUCH BETTER.

IT WAS THE AGE OF URBAN RENEWAL, AND SCORES OF THEM WERE TORN DOWN.

FORTY YEARS AFTER SULLIVAN'S DEATH, ONE MAN BECAME OBSESSED WITH SAVING SULLIVAN'S BUILDINGS AND IT COST HIM HIS LIFE.

PHOTOGRAPHER RICHARD NICKEL BEGAN A PROJECT TO DOCUMENT ALL OF SULLIVAN AND ADLER'S BUILDINGS BEFORE THEY WERE DEMOLISHED.

SOON HE STARTED COLLECTING ACTUAL FRAGMENTS AS THE BUILDINGS WERE TORN DOWN; OFTEN SNEAKING INTO DANGEROUS DEMOLITION SITES TO PRY TREASURES OFF THE WALL.

BEFORE LONG, HIS GARAGE AND BACK YARD WERE FILLED WITH PIECES OF LOST BUILDINGS.

EVENTUALLY HE BEGAN ORGANIZING POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS TO SAVE THE BUILDINGS.

BUT MOST WERE TORN DOWN ANYWAY.

FOR TWO YEARS, PRESERVATIONISTS FOUGHT TO SAVE SULLIVAN'S GREAT STOCK EXCHANGE.

WHEN IT WAS APPARENT THEY COULDN'T WIN, NICKEL AND OTHERS SPENT MONTHS DISMANTLING THE LAVISH TRADING ROOM SO IT COULD BE REASSEMBLED AT THE ART INSTITUTE.

THIS IS THE TRADING ROOM TODAY, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE ENTIRE ROOM HAS BEEN COMPLETELY RECONSTRUCTED IN METICULOUS DETAIL HERE INSIDE THE ART INSTITUTE.

BUT NICKEL'S STORY DOESN'T HAVE A HAPPY ENDING.

NICKEL JUST COULDN'T STAY AWAY FROM THE STOCK EXCHANGE.

HE WAS 43, HE HAD PLANS TO GIVE UP THE FIGHT AND GET MARRIED.

BUT HE KEPT SNEAKING BACK INTO THE UNSTABLE BUILDING.

FINALLY, ON FRIDAY THE 14TH OF APRIL, 1972, NICKEL FAILED TO SHOW UP FOR A FAMILY DINNER.

HIS FRIENDS WENT LOOKING FOR HIM AT THE STOCK EXCHANGE.

THEY FOUND HIS HARD HAT BENEATH A GAPING HOLE IN THE PARTIALLY DEMOLISHED TRADING ROOM FLOOR.

IT TOOK SEARCHERS TWENTY-SIX DAYS TO FIND HIS BODY, WHICH WAS BURIED IN THE RUBBLE BELOW.

NEARLY 40 YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH, NICKEL'S LONG DREAMED-OF BOOK, ABOUT LOUIS SULLIVAN WAS FINALLY PUBLISHED.

NICKEL'S DEATH MAY HAVE HELPED TURN THE TIDE IN AN AGE WHEN CHICAGO SEEMED TO HAVE FORGOTTEN ITS ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE.

MANY BUILDINGS ARE STILL ENDANGERED IN CHICAGO, BUT AS WE HAVE SEEN, MANY OTHERS HAVE BEEN LOVINGLY RESTORED.

AND TODAY EVEN WHEN DEVELOPERS DO TEAR DOWN OLD BUILDINGS THEY SOMETIMES PRESERVE FRAGMENTS.

LIKE THESE FACADES FROM A ROW OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS ALONG WABASH BUILT JUST AFTER THE GREAT FIRE.

DEVELOPERS DEMOLISHED THE BUILDINGS BEHIND THEM, BUT REUSED THE OLD FACADES AS THE BASE OF A GIANT NEW CONDO TOWER CALLED THE LEGACY BY SOLOMON, CORDWELL AND BUENZ.

IT SOARS ABOVE ITS BACKDOOR NEIGHBORS ON MICHIGAN AVENUE, GIVING RESIDENTS A SWEEPING VIEW OF MILLENNIUM PARK AND THE LAKEFRONT.

PRESERVATIONISTS DISAPPROVINGLY CALL THIS A FAçADE-ECTOMY.

BUT NOT SO LONG AGO DEVELOPERS WOULD HAVE WIPED AWAY THAT HISTORIC STREETSCAPE WITHOUT A SECOND THOUGHT.

WITH THE RE-BIRTH OF THE LOOP IN THE 21ST CENTURY, HAS COME A NEW AWARENESS AND PRIDE IN CHICAGO'S ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE.

AND AN EAGERNESS TO SHOW IT OFF!

>> AGAIN, THIS BUILDING IS CLAD IN TERRA COTTA WE SAID IT COULD BE MADE IN ANY COLOR... >> (BAER) ARCHITECTURAL TOURISM IS A BOOMING BUSINESS HERE.

>> IT'S DIVIDED UP INTO THREE PARTS, ITS CALLED TRIPARTIED CONSTRUCTION... >> (BAER) IN 2010 A QUARTER MILLION VISITORS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TOOK CHICAGO ARCHITECTURE FOUNDATION TOURS.

>> SO NOW WE'LL ACTUALLY GO INSIDE THE LOBBY AND TAKE A LOOK... >> (BAER) AND JUST BEYOND THE BORDERS OF THE LOOP, MODERN DAY ARCHITECTS ARE BUILDING ON CHICAGO'S CUTTING EDGE TRADITION.

TO THE SOUTH OVERLOOKING GRANT PARK THE MULTI FACETED FAçADE OF THE SPERTUS INSTITUTE OF JEWISH STUDIES BY KRUECK AND SEXTON SHIMMERS LIKE A JEWEL.

ALSO OVERLOOKING SOUTH MICHIGAN AVENUE, ROOSEVELT UNIVERSITY BROKE GROUND IN 2010 ON THIS DISTINCTIVE ZIGZAG-SHAPED TOWER BY VOA ARCHITECTS.

IT'S CLAD IN MULTICOLORED REFLECTIVE GLASS.

A LITTLE EAST OF THE LOOP IS THE 82-STORY MIXED-USE AQUA TOWER WITH A WAVY FAçADE INSPIRED IN PART BY LIMESTONE OUTCROPPINGS AROUND THE GREAT LAKES.

THE SEEMINGLY RANDOM ARRANGEMENT OF UNDULATING BALCONIES WAS ACTUALLY CAREFULLY CALCULATED TO OFFER EACH RESIDENT A UNIQUE VIEW.

ARCHITECT JEANNE GANG SAYS THE UNEVEN BALCONIES ON DIFFERENT LEVELS ALLOW MODERN DAY CLIFF-DWELLERS TO SEE AND INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER LIKE NEIGHBORS ACROSS THE BACKYARD FENCE.

TODAY CHICAGO ARCHITECTS ARE EXPORTING OUR CITY'S INVENTION, TALL TOWERS, ALL OVER THE WORLD.

ESPECIALLY IN PLACES LIKE CHINA AND INDIA AND THE MIDDLE EAST.

INCLUDING THE WORLD'S TALLEST BUILDING BURJ KHALIFA IN DUBAI BY CHICAGO'S SKIDMORE, OWINGS AND MERRILL AND ADRIAN SMITH.

IT TOPS OUT AT A MIND-BOGGLING 2,717 FEET.

THAT'S LIKE THE WILLIS TOWER WITH THE JOHN HANCOCK BUILDING STACKED ON TOP!

THESE COUNTRIES ARE BUILDING SKYSCRAPERS FOR THE SAME REASON CHICAGO STARTED BUILDING THEM MORE THAN 125 YEARS AGO.

TO MAKE A STATEMENT.

TO PROVE SOMETHING TO THE WORLD.

TO SAY, WE'RE NUMBER ONE.

AND IT MAKES SENSE THAT CHICAGO ARCHITECTS ARE THE ONES DESIGNING TALL TOWERS AROUND THE WORLD TODAY.

AFTER ALL THIS IS THE PLACE WHERE THE SKYSCRAPER WAS BORN.

TODAY THE LOOP IS A MODEL FOR A NEW KIND OF URBAN INNOVATION.

OUR MANMADE MOUNTAIN RANGE, ONCE NEARLY ABANDONED AFTER 5PM, IS TEEMING WITH LIFE NEARLY 24 HOURS A DAY.

WE'RE SHOWING THE WORLD THAT DOWNTOWNS CAN BE VIBRANT AND SUSTAINABLE PLACES TO WORK AND TO SHOP, TO BE ENTERTAINED AND EVEN TO CALL HOME.