This week, we wanted to know: What is your favorite CAC tour and why? Here are some of the tours that the CAC community holds close to their hearts:
Graceland Cemetery: Women of Influence
Lynn Osmond, President & CEO
Lynn says:
I know as President I am not supposed to have a favorite child (alias tour). I must say, however, ONE of my favorites is Graceland Cemetery: Women of Influence Tour. Last fall I hosted a group from the Chicago Chapter of the International Women’s Forum, of which I am a member. Every person on that tour were incredibly impressed with its breadth and depth. They felt that this should be a “must do” for women leaders in the City of Chicago. It tells such a compelling story of the women who are the backbone of our modern day city.
River Cruise
Judith Kaufman, Class of 2010
Judith says:
By far my favorite tour is the river on Chicago’s First Lady. Slowly sailing down the river, enjoying the views and the company of (sometimes) a couple of hundred people from all of the globe. What a perfect way to spend 90 minutes.
Claudia Winkler, Class of 2007
Claudia says:
My favorite tour is the River Tour. I would take the tour each summer in the early 2000’s and at the end, I would always say “I could do that.” So in 2007, I became a docent and in 2008, I trained to become a river docent.
I think it’s our best tour because all of our guests get to see many styles of stunning architecture, just not in the right historical order! And they hear great stores about the architects, the cladding, the shapes, the design influences of other buildings around the world, the issues with sway, the importance of Lake MI and the river on our history, and so much more.
Our guests end our tours with so much architectural and historic information and lots of great photos from the river level. I always look forward to doing river tours!!
Chicago Modern
Larry Mages, Class of 2011
Larry says:
The old Modern Tour out of 224 S. Michigan.
- The compare and contrast opportunities are everywhere.
- Federal Plaza is the best place in the world to teach Mies.
- All of the outdoor art and sculpture.
- The building formerly known as “Sears Tower.”
Architectural Highlights by Bus
Jan Elson, Class of 2008
Jan says:
I like doing Highlights by Bus. I think there are a couple of reasons. I grew up in Hyde Park and have lots of connections to the U of C. I know many visitors do not see much of the south side so this is a little intro to some places beyond downtown and trendy neighborhoods near the center of the city. I also like the contrasts between downtown and 2 very different campuses.
Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Maurice Champagne, Class of 2004
Maurice says:
If any of the CAC tours show the “Design Matters,” it’s this one. Rick Talaske designed the acoustics to separate the CourtYard theater chamber from the noise of Navy Pier. There as 7 layers of sound proofing, starting with a corridor of air space, then a layer of Ohio sandstone, air space, cinder block wall, airspace and an acoustic fabric layer and finally a brick wall. The Upstairs Theater was place above the main entrance so that performances there would not interfere with performance in the main CourtYard theater.
Civil War and Chicago’s Role – Rosehill Cemetery and Civil War to Civil Rights – Oak Woods Cemetery
Ed McDevitt, Class of 2010
Ed says:
Not to indicate a morbid fascination, but my faves are two related cemetery tours. The two tours – Civil War and Chicago’s Role – Rosehill Cemetery and Civil War to Civil Rights at Oak Woods Cemetery – are true revelations. They demonstrate the importance of Chicago’s and Illinois’ contributions to the Union during the Civil War and much more besides. In both tours you learn about people whose names you might have heard, but about whom you knew little else. At Rosehill, many Union soldiers and 14 Union generals are buried. The man most responsible for fast railway mail distribution during the Civil War, George S. Bangs, is interred at Rosehill. His ingenuity allowed the Union to “communicate more easily and quickly all over the north just as the railroads were being destroyed in the south and communication in the south,” according to the tour manual.
At Oak Woods, besides seeing a huge Confederate monument and a Union burial ground, you learn about Ida B. Wells and Bishop Ford. You see the elaborate monument to an Illinois politician who is still alive. And among my favorite near-juxtapositions, you visit the burial site of Cap Anson, a Hall of Fame baseball player of the 19th century who in the early 20th century was instrumental in creating the Major League Baseball ban on black players. Just about a long baseball throw from his grave is the burial site of Ted “Double Duty” Radcliffe, one of the greats of the Negro Baseball Leagues, who roomed with Jackie Robinson when they both played for the Kansas City Monarchs. I picture the ghost of Double Duty rising up nightly to thumb his nose at Anson.
No, I do not give this tour. I’ve been on both tours with Mary Jo Hoag, who should be in the CAC Hall of Fame.
Historic Skyscrapers
Pris Mims, Class of 2000
Pris says:
It is hard to choose among all the “children,” but my answer is the one I give to people who ask me “what tour should I take.”
I always say the Historic Skyscrapers tour. Why? Because Chicago invented the skyscraper and people cannot see anywhere else in the world more of these early skyscrapers that reflect the development of that new type of building. The buildings are architecturally significant by great architects, but are easily appreciated by those who have no architectural background. The stories of these buildings are fascinating. These are the reasons why this tour was both docents’ and customers’ No. 1 favorite for many years until the move to the Center.
Jack Kremers, Class of 2013
Jack says:
In 2013 when I became a docent, we learned the Modern and the Historic Skyscrapers tours. For me, it was all about the Modern. It was exciting to be able to share with visitors Mies’ architecture, Inland Steel and the AIC Modern Wing. The Historic was a backdrop to the present. But as I conducted these tours, and later, the River Cruise, I found myself always going back to those late 19th century Historic Skyscrapers. Rather quickly, I realized that what I was really sharing was all a development of the Historic Skyscrapers. Chicago’s architectural story is incomplete without these buildings. This is the birthplace and the realization of the tall buildings, architecture “that changed architecture forever.” The Historic Skyscrapers is the foundation and core of all our tours.
Art Deco
Caroline Duda, CAC Manager of Volunteer Engagement
Caroline says:
My favorite tour is Art Deco. It was the first tour I ever took with CAC (then CAF) and none other than Constance Rajala led the tour. It really opened my eyes to the world of architecture.
Must-See Chicago and Magnificent Architecture of the Magnificent Mile
Carol Garner, Class of 2016
Carol says:
My favorite tour right now is Must See Chicago. The first part of the tour is full of serene unique views of buildings via an “off the beaten path” route with some experiential content and the second half is full of bustle. Usually about half way through the participants, even Chicagoans, are stating that “this is a great tour!”
Very close second favorite, Magnificent Architecture of the Magnificent Mile… for nearly the same reasons. I love a tour with “hidden in plain” view content.
University of Chicago Campus Tour
Tom Burt, Class of 2004
Tom says:
My favorite CAC tour is of the University of Chicago campus. No other tour I do has as great a diversity of building styles, architects, and public art as this tour.
- Styles: neo-Gothic, Prairie style, Brutalism, Mid-Century Modern, Postmodern, contemporary contextualism;
- Architects: Henry Ives Cobb, Frank Lloyd Wright, Eero Saarinen, Walter Netsch, Harry Weese, Ricardo Legoretta, Cesar Pelli, James Carpenter, Jeanne Gang;
- Public art: Henry Moore, Richard Serra, Jene Highstein, Arnoldo Pomodoro.
Nancy Carter, Class of 2013
Nancy says:
I went down to the UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO to take the tour and learn background information for my Highlights by Bus tour. Although I have no links to the University or the neighborhood, I loved the tour so much (thanks Bob Michaelson) I decided to learn it. While on the tour you can see some wonderful 1890’s collegiate gothic building, mid century modern (brutalism, Mies,Walter Netsch. and Aero Saarinen) and some great examples of the worlds great contemporary architects (Rafael Vinoly, Caesar Pelli, Tod Williams and Billie Tsien, Helmut Jahn, HOK, etc.).
Oh and did I mention Robie House? All this while strolling a stunning campus designated a botanic garden.
And Finally… A Little Bit of Everything
Cindy Schneider, Class of 2010
Cindy says:
Tour-takers frequently ask me this question, and I answer that “it’s like asking a mother which is her favorite child.”
I love all my tours — that’s the advantage of being a volunteer. If I didn’t love a particular tour, I wouldn’t give it. And some of this is contradictory. I love the ornamentation of Deco, but I also love the austerity of Midcentury Modern. I love the skyscraper development of Historic Skyscrapers, but also the very different history of Treasures, focusing on events and people. And the River Cruise is a chance to give such an overview!
I can’t wait for this to be over, so I can go out on the street and on the river again!
Mary Brugliera, Class of 1995
Mary says:
I’m often asked that by people when I tell them I’m a docent. It’s always nearly impossible to answer, because I did so many different ones, and they were all terrific in so many ways. Was it Museum Campus, which had a fascinating story and buildings? It never had more visitors than docents, so died prematurely. Churches and Synagogues by Bus, different every time? Talk about history! And so many disasters and losses, not to mention variety of styles. Definitely in the top 5.
Tiffany on Wednesday: fascinating technical issues. Too bad not more glass was typical Tiffany. Mural at Marquette building is unbelievable.
Millenium Park? We learned the tour as it was being built. What is more exciting than that? My last tour, as it turns out, was a Macy’s on State. Definitely one of my favorites because it is a capsule of Chicago’s history, plus a Tiffany ceiling! This one was especially memorable. A hint: it was a private tour that included a marriage proposal. PS: she said yes
Thank you to everyone who so thoughtfully responded to our question of the week! Tune in on Monday for a new question in your inbox.