We asked readers what piece of Chicago history is displayed in their home and how they got it. Here’s what you said, lightly edited for clarity:
“A souvenir ticket from the opening of the Red Line in 1943. You had to pay the fare and buy a $25 war bond to ride.”
— Scott Greig
“A 1920s icebox manufactured in Chicago, a fire extinguisher made into a lamp manufactured in Chicago and a nice big Chicago flag that used to fly outside 332 S. Michigan Ave.”
— Steve Boerger
“A walking cane from the 1934 Worlds Fair.”
— Sharon Evans
“Two Bears chairs from Soldier Field. It must be about 20 years ago when they remodeled Soldier Field and sold the stadium chairs.”
— Kevin Kammerer
“A light pole banner that says ‘Welcome to Chicago’s jewelry district, Jewelers Row, more than 100 years on Wabash Avenue.’ The wind ripped it off the pole, so I picked it up off the street. It’s now hanging in my engraving shop on Jewelers Row.”
— Leo R. Foertsch
“My ‘85 Super Bowl ticket, framed on my desk.”
— Al Kabelis
“Ten 14×18-inch prints that were purchased by my great-great-grandparents at, and of, the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. They are almost exclusively exterior shots of the buildings, including the water features.”
— Jennie Harrell
“I have a card from Clarence Darrow’s funeral. I found in a book that belonged to my parents, and likely my grandmother before that.”
— Joan Pantsios
“I have a large photo of my great-grandfather behind his bar on Fletcher east of Sheffield circa 1900. With spitoons on the floor, it looks like a saloon in the Wild West. My great-uncle framed it and gave it to me.”
— Jay Massey
“A green-painted seat from Old Comiskey Park. I bought it at a charity auction the White Sox held after the old ballpark was demolished. It’s too weak to sit on, so I use it to display my 2005 World Series ticket stub.”
— Roger Deschner
“About 20 years ago, I had some work done to my West Rogers Park bungalow that was built in 1929 that involved digging up my front yard. Workers dug up two glass milk bottles from the 1920s. … One is a Borden’s milk bottle and the other is from a now-closed local dairy. I use them today as flower vases in my kitchen and think about those workers who built my home almost 100 years ago.”
— Loretta Namovic