SHORT TALES is here! It will be featured on The Bridge on a regular basis and include brief recollections from docents, exhibit hosts, guest services, and education guides.
We all have memorable stories of our tours and shifts. Some have been delightful, others disastrous, demanding, and disappointing. And there have been strange, funny, and enlightening experiences.
Share your stories! Please send your “short tale” to Jill Carlson at an***************@gm***.com. We will look forward to hearing from you.
Here are examples from Howard Sachs, Lisa Ciota and Claudia Winker to get you thinking and remembering.
Howard Sachs, Class of 2007, reported this to the Elevated Architecture Tour Director.
Just wanted to let you know I gave the EL tour to 6 interested people today. As some of the bridges were up. I used the alternate route via Orange Line to Roosevelt Road first. Although I have been an EL docent for many years (and trained many others), this was the first time I used this route. It really worked out great. There was more than enough info to discuss along the Wabash Avenue Arts Corridor and see wonderful murals, and at the Roosevelt station much to discuss and see. We stayed there a good 10 minutes and I didn’t run out of things to discuss. The tourees were pleased as well. Then back on an Orange train to continue the tour as usual. I was skeptical at first of not getting to Clinton station but this route worked just as well. In fact, I enjoyed this route so much I would consider doing it again even if it’s not Bridge Lift Season.
Lisa Ciota, Education Guide, Exhibit Host, Class of 2021: Most Hugs Ever
One of my fondest CAC memories is of an educational workshop in January 2017: Read & Build. Geared toward preschool through kindergarten, the Read & Build workshop consists of story time and a make-and-take craft project. During the craft time, I went from table to table helping the kids build little houses out of cardboard, construction paper, pipe cleaners, etc. As we were wrapping up the workshop, I was on my knees helping a little girl put the final touches on her house when she turned and hugged me. The child sitting next to her quickly joined in on the hug and the next thing I know I’m pinned to the floor with a dozen or so preschoolers hugging me. I believe this was the most hugs I received in a single day in my whole life.
Claudia Winkler, Class of 2007: Bridge Angst
On June 30, 2018, I was heading south on Michigan Avenue to do an 11:30 river tour. It was one of the last bridge lifts of the summer for boats to go into Lake Michigan, and I had to get off the bus at Ontario because all traffic had stopped. I walked south to the river and saw that the delay wasn’t the bridge lift. The delay was because the bridge wouldn’t open.
It had been hot for a few days, and the steel had expanded. Call in the Fireboat! For about 20 minutes, the Fireboat sprayed cool water on the lower level of the bridge, and firefighters were also spraying water from the top level. It finally worked and the steel contracted enough to allow the bridge leaves to be raised, much to the delight of the straggler boaters who had waited until one of the last bridge lifts.
Fortunately, by the time the tour was supposed to leave the dock, the bridge was operating. Tour left on time.
_______________________________________________________________________
CLICK HERE for more stories on The Bridge.
Very fun stories! Thank you all for sharing!
These were entertaining and informative. I’ll try to remember something to report.