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Editor’s note: Norma Green, class of 1978, served as the Docent News editor from 1979-1984. During that time she compiled Tour Tales, the recollections from various docents of “interesting” tours during our earliest days. You might relate to some of the situations, but some are unique to the 70’s. Enjoy!

From the Beginning of Tourdom

“The day of the first CAF Loop tour, we had just graduated the first docent class on the steps of the Chicago Public Library and were offering the first public tour for free. There were all kinds of passersby who really didn’t know quite what was going on but joined us – including a tagalong who was inebriated.

“He kept asking what was happening, and someone explained that the new graduates were going to be pointing out buildings. He said, ‘That’s no big deal, I can do that,’ and proceeded to walk along and point, saying, ‘Here’s a building, there’s a building and over there is another building.’ We were convulsed with laughter over his tour.”

Dress for Success

“My most memorable tour of Glessner House included about 7 or 8 tourees but the one who really stood out was a well-endowed woman in a fishnet top with nothing underneath. She bounced her way through the house and seemed to be  having a good time trying to keep me from finishing my sentences. I did manage to complete the tour but I don’t remember how. Actually I don’t remember too much else about the group, the tour, the day or the house…”

Sound Barrier

“It was to be my first solo Loop tour and my finest hour, or two – a manifestation of all the knowledge and enthusiasm I had been primed with through training class and practice tours. I spent the previous week polishing, editing, and memorizing my introductory comments which were the keystone of the tour – and words that would enlighten, titillate and orient the unwashed masses to Chicago’s outdoor museum of architecture.

“And so, finally, my moment of glory was before me. I introduced myself and just then a deafening roar began above. It seemed that unbeknownst to me, that weekend was the annual air and water show, and throughout the time I had allotted for my brilliant introduction, the Blue Angels, a crack flying team, buzzed overhead – drowning out my talk and distracting my group’s attention from Michigan Ave. cornice lines to their aerodynamic gyrations in the blue beyond. I  really didn’t regain my group’s attention, beyond frantic gesturing and exaggerated mouthing of phrases, until we got to Dearborn St. with only accelerating buses and screeching els there.”

A House is not a Home Museum

“One day I was giving a tour of my Frank Lloyd Wright designed home to some Japanese businessmen. Evidently, the concept of opening a private home there for a tour is unknown.

“I was showing them all the rooms and they kept nodding. Finally, we came into the kitchen where I have some violet plants sitting on glass shelves. One of the men picked up the pot, brought them over to me and said, ‘How much?’ I didn’t sell the flowers but was amused. I would have thought they would have wanted the Wright desk or chair instead.”

Dos this Train go to the Loop

“On one of the first el tours, our chartered train was coming out of Cicero and we had stopped at street level when a guy who had been waiting for a train hopped on between cars (undeterred by the doors that remained shut and the signs that read ‘Chartered’). He started bothering the tourees as he roamed the aisles looking for a seat. We alerted the CTA and two of the burliest crew members on board came back, picked the man up out of his seat, and at the next stop pulled the emergency control. As the door opened, the man could be heard protesting, ‘Hey, this isn’t my stop’ to which the CTA workers replied, ‘Oh, yes it is!’”

In Training

“While going through the training program, we had a February walking tour of the Loop with Carl Condit. It was particularly blustery and we tried to deflect the wind and snow as we strained to hear what Professor Condit was pointing out on a Saturday on pre-malled State Street. We soon gave up note-taking and tried to lock arms to stay warm. For one long moment, we were frozen en masse under the clock at Marshall Field & Co. to get a better look at the grimy, sign-covered but still architecturally significant Reliance Building. While huddled there and looking as one to where Dr. Condit pointed, someone joined us.

“She gave up trying to make out what was being said but stared intently along with us at the cornice being discussed. She looked around every once in a while and finally asked, ‘Has he jumped yet?’ An obvious explanation for why some 30 folk would be gathered to stare at a dirty old building in the middle of winter.”

Leader of the Pack

“I had had the same bus driver for Highlights tour so many times that he began to point things out on his own – whether I did or not. One day he made a detour to show the group something he thought they should see. I began to feel that the bus had a will of its own.”

Zen and the Art of Monument Maintenance

“One quiet afternoon while giving the Graceland tour, a group of motorcyclists rumbled through the cemetery in chrome and leather formation on route to a plot not on the official CAF tour. After they left, we walked over to where they’d been and found the headstone of ‘Papa Snake’ flanked by downturned beer and whiskey bottles – trickling their respective libations below ground – presumably to symbolically quench the thirst of their fallen leader!”

Let it Snow

“A group of Japanese tourists arrived at the Archicenter during a blizzard and insisted on a Loop walking tour as they were leaving town the next day. I cautioned them that we wouldn’t see much, but they were adamant. We had proceeded about one block when they gave up because they couldn’t use their cameras. It was my shortest tour.”

Missing in Action

“I had a group of about 12 Korean architects for a Loop walking tour, and I was working with an interpreter. I’m the kind who moves right along like a Roto-Rooter on my tour as I know I want to finish it in two hours as promised.

“At the end of my tour, the translator turned to me and announced that two of the group were missing. I asked her if she knew where they were last seen and she said, ‘Taking pictures at the Rookery.’ Rather than retrace our steps back about 15 buildings and attempt to find them, I suggested she and the others go back to their hotel and wait for the pair. I never heard what happened but like I say, I move right along so dawdlers beware.”