Yuccabloom: A Memoir of Meaningful Meanderings: Saying Goodbye to Chicago, Part Eight: A Walk Down Michigan Avenue

Taking a walk down Michigan Avenue is much like taking a trip down Memory Lane. This is very much the iconic upscale commercial artery of the city, and a street that draws tourists from around the world. Some of my fondest holiday memories are of crowds packing the pavements of Michigan Avenue and entering and exiting its many vertical malls. I remember entering stores and hearing classic holiday songs played on stereo systems; I remember walking out and hearing the ringing of the Salvation Army bell. I remember the colorful Christmas lights that would enliven the early dark and illuminate the facade of the historic Water Tower. In other words, Michigan Avenue has been woven into the fabric of my life.

These photos, which I took today, are obviously summer photographs. There are no spruce trees strewn with colored lights or decorated with shining ornaments. Nonetheless, these photographs feature some of the most iconic architecture of Chicago. Michigan Avenue is a street that weaves together a variety of architectural styles built during different historical periods. Such a rich weave of multiple architectural styles is the mark of a great city, one that has grown organically over time and with a vision of itself large enough to encompass great diversity. Such a great city is Chicago.

Without further ado, here are photographs of Michigan Avenue.

Looking up at the John Hancock Center, Chicago, IL

Although I have always been partial to the beauty of the Sears Tower, the John Hancock Center has a simple, subtle modernist elegance. The metal beams that crisscross its facade give a sense of motion to what would otherwise seem to be just a chunky block of steel and glass.

The Tribune Tower, Chicago, IL

Home to the Chicago Tribune, the Tribune Tower has an intricate neo-Gothic design. Construction on the Tribune Tower began in 1923 and the building did not open until 1925.

Left to right: the Wrigley Building, Intercontinental Hotel, and the Tribune Tower, Chicago, IL

Together, this trio create a sense of history to serve as an architectural counterpoint to all of the modern architecture cropping up along Michigan Avenue. Without layers of classic architecture like these specimens, Michigan Avenue's architectural profile--indeed, Chicago's--would be far more simplistic and less interesting. It is this complexity that stirs the interest of so many.

Architectural relief, Intercontinental Hotel, Chicago, IL

I find this architectural relief to be fascinating. It seems to blend a variety of artistic styles, including ancient Egyptian, Assyrian, and ancient Greek. Just beautiful to see.

Neo-Gothic detail, Tribune Tower, Chicago, IL

Neo-Gothic detail above main entrance, Tribune Tower, Chicago, IL

Main entrance, Tribune Tower, Chicago, IL

I have always loved Gothic architecture and its elegant complexity. It always brings an element of the spiritual, even to a major commercial district such as this.

Entrance, Wrigley Building, Chicago, IL

Above entrance, Wrigley Building, Chicago, IL

Facade detail and skyway pedestrian bridge, Wrigley Building, Chicago, IL

So much of the architectural detail here is botanical, like flowers and leaves. Beautiful craftsmanship!

Aqua, Chicago, IL

The tallest building here is Aqua, a beautiful skyscraper that has won various architectural awards. Completed in 2007, Aqua is a mixed-use residential building. If you get closer and look up, those ridges start to look even more like waves, giving you the sense of water in motion.

Classic view of the city from Michigan Avenue Bridge, Chicago, IL

This view is simply beautiful. Old and modern architecture standing together.

Architectural detail, Michigan Avenue Bridge, Chicago, IL

I have used the Michigan Avenue Bridge to cross the Chicago River probably hundreds of times, and it is only recently that I have taken notice of this architectural detail, which numbers four, two placed on each end of the bridge.