Daycare in east chicago indiana: THE Top 10 Daycares in East Chicago, IN | Affordable Prices
THE Top 10 Daycares in East Chicago, IN | Affordable Prices
Daycares in East Chicago, IN
Description:
Inspiring Young minds are here for working families; who want to see their child learn and advance in their everyday living. Our main purpose is children’s’ futures. We believe in the best child care; whichenhances a child’s mind to explore and grow…….
Description:
New Horizons Child Care Ministry located in East Chicago, IN is a Christian-based childcare facility that serves children ages six months to twelve years old. The center offers fun and educational activities topromote and enhance character building, cognitive learning, socialization skills, and Christian values….
Description:
Robertson Child Development Center, Inc. located in East Chicago IN is a licensed childcare center that offers a nurturing environment to children under its care. It provides developmentally appropriateprograms for children age 1 until age 10. The center has a capacity of 96 children at the maximum….
Saint Mary School
4316 Indianapolis Blvd, East Chicago, IN 46312
Costimate: $175/wk
Description:
Saint Mary School provides a quality, developmentally appropriate educational opportunity for children. The center provides a balanced learning program by integrating child-initiated and teacher-initiatedactivities. The school’s program aims to develop the whole child and his/her physical, social, emotional and intellectual growth….
Geminus Head Start
900 Shell St, East Chicago, IN 46312
Costimate: $174/wk
Description:
Geminus Head Start in East Chicago, Indiana, provides a quality, developmentally appropriate educational opportunity for children. The school serves children from three to six years old that provides them witha balance of child-initiated and teacher-initiated activities. The school’s program aims to develop the whole child and his/her physical, social, emotional and intellectual growth.
…
Description:
Heavenly Blessing Daycare is located at 3922 Deodar Street, East Chicago, Indiana. The company offers early childhood care and education for children ages six weeks to five years old, and after-school care forchildren ages six to twelve years old. Heavenly Blessing Daycare is open from Mondays through Fridays, 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM….
Description:
New Horizons Child Care Ministry located in East Chicago IN is a childcare provider that offers a Christian environment for children. It provides activities that foster holistic development among infants,toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children. The center focuses on character building to make sure that children will be responsible members of the society….
Description:
St Paul Lutheran Preshool recognizes and respects the individuality of each child. The staff explores and encourages a child’s individuality by creating an atmosphere of unconditional acceptance. The schoolfosters the individual development of each child and enhance confidence and self-direction.
…
Description:
Apple of God’s Eye Childcare is a local child care company that offers center-based daycare services designed for young children. Located at 410 Vernon Avenue, the facility serves families living in the EastChicago, IN area. Apple of God’s Eye Childcare has been serving the community since they started in 2013….
Description:
Gentle, loving and experienced.
First Aid/CPR Certified.
Fingerprint Card.
Early Learning Lessons.
Nutritious Meals.
Monday-Friday.
Description:
Purdue University Calumet Charlotte R. Riley Child Center is a campus child center and laboratory school. Enrollment is open to the public. Our child center provides preschool/prek and kindergarten programs tochildren of students, staff, faculty, and to the community. The Charlotte R. Riley Child Center is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), state licensed, a Level 4 Paths to Quality and IDEM 5 Star recognized program.
Call us today for a guided tour!
The child center serves children 3-6 years of age, Monday through Friday, from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Several scheduling options are available for busy families.
We believe in building strong partnerships with families and their children. We support parents as the most important teacher in their young child’s life. Mutual, daily communication is key. We encourage your input and participation in all of our programs. We celebrate children and families every day!
Teaching staff use a variety of developmentally appropriate learning strategies and techniques that support the needs and interest of the active learner. Curriculum involves learning through literacy rich activities, exploration, discovery, and play. Each child has the opportunity to experience success and engage in experiences that lead to a life-long love of learning. Our curriculum follows NAEYC standards and criteria, the Foundations to Indiana Academic Standards for Preschool, and The Common Core for Kindergarten.
Activities and experiences are based in the areas of math, science, social studies, language-literacy, music, art, and physical development. Our teaching staff love sharing stories with parents about their child’s day. Teachers document children’s learning experiences through individualized child portfolios. Catch a glimpse of what we do on our Facebook page!
The child center is housed in its own facility in a secure, safe, nurturing environment. Classrooms are bright and airy. A large, enclosed playground, patio, and bike track compliment the facility. There is plenty of space and special spaces for children to move, learn, and grow!
Each classroom is staffed with experienced, trained, dedicated professionals who have degrees in Early Childhood Education and related fields. Teachers are supported in their meaningful work with children and families. Our teachers offer children amazing learning experiences in a creative ways. Come see our teachers in action!…
Description:
Lynn’s Learn & Play.
…
Hello, my name is Lynnette a lovely mother of 4 which all are grown! I am offering a affordable daycare from 6am until 12am.
*State Licensed
*Open 6 days a week
*CPR & First AidCertified
*Accept Action for Children
*Nutritious meals
*Experience with special needs for 17 yrs
*6 weeks to 12 yrs of age
*Music and Movement
*Story time
*Lessons and activities
*Outdoor play
*Clean and Safe Environment
…
Child Life Academy
14421 S Torrence Ave, Chicago, IL 60633
Starting at $275/flat
Description:
Child Life Academy in Chicago, IL is a childcare and a center that serves families with children from Infant, Toddler, Preschool, Pre-K, Kindergarten, and Elementary Program by providing safe, enjoyable, andaffordable child care. Their curriculum aims to provide a variety of activities such as Before and After School, and Pre-Fit Program….
Description:
Tic Tock Around The Clock Child Care in Chicago, Illinois seeks to provide a nurturing, high quality, safe and fun learning environment that is fit for the child’s overall growth and development.
It is a ChildCare provider that can accommodate a certain number of children….
Wee Rock
5400 W 29th Ave, Gary, IN 46406
Starting at $95/wk
Description:
Wee Rock Childcare and Preschool offers a balanced early childhood experience to families in the Northwest Indiana area. By carefully blending traditional values with our Christian educational preschoolcurriculum and play opportunities, we develop the whole child: socially, physically, emotionally, academically and spiritually….
Description:
we offer early childhood experiences for children ages 3 months to 12 years. Your child’s experiences can be full time or part time depending on your family’s needs.
Description:
KidzSpace Learning Center provides care and learning experiences for children ages 6wks.-12yrs. old with an age based lesson plan for your childs development in the areas of Art, Music, Science, Math,Technology, Reading, Writing, Yoga, Healthy meals, Certified Teachers, Transportation, Before and After School Care and Summer Camp and Lots more!!!.
..
Description:
Licensed daycare for ages 6 weeks to 12 years of Age. Willing to pick up and drop of at local schools only.
Description:
Miss Crecia’s DayCare is all about a fun and safe environment. We take the time out to help the children learn their basic skills, such as reading writing and spelling. We have 3 meals a day also a snack aftereach meal is provided. There is also nap time every day. We do arts and crafts and we go on field trips with permission of the parents. We provide full attention to the children at Miss Crecia’s DayCare.
I ALSO ACCEPT STEP A HEAD!
MY FEES ARE: $100 A WEEK OR $20 A DAY IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN 1 CHILD DISCOUNT MAY BE RECEIVED….
Description:
Tomorrow’s Future Childcare Inc. prepares your child for Kindergarten through enriching sensorial, mathematics, language and cultural prorams. It also provides a caring and flexible educational programemphasizing a child-centered approach. The educational philosophy is to educate the whole person and promote personal responsibility and accountability.
The unique and robust curriculum integrates traditional academic subjects with music, theater, art and outdoor education….
Showing 1 – 20 of 28
FAQs for finding daycares in East Chicago
In 2022 what type of daycare can I find near me in East Chicago, IN?
There are a variety of daycares in East Chicago, IN providing full time and part-time care. Some daycares are facility-based and some are in-home daycares operated out of a person’s home. They can also vary in the degree of education and curriculum they offer. Additionally, some daycares offer bilingual programs for parents that want to immerse their children in multiple languages.
How can I find a daycare near me in East Chicago, IN?
If you are looking for daycare options near you, start several months in advance of when you need care for your child. Care.com has 28 in East Chicago, IN as of September 2022 and you can filter daycares by distance from East Chicago or your zip code.
From there, you can then compare daycare rates, parent reviews, view their specific services, see their hours of operation and contact them through the website for further information or to request an appointment.
What questions should I ask a daycare provider before signing up?
As you visit daycare facilities in East Chicago, IN, you should ask the providers what their hours are so you can be prepared to adjust your schedule for drop-off and pick-up. Ask what items you are responsible for bringing for your child and what items you may be required to provide that will be shared among other children or the daycare staff. Also, make sure to check directly with the business for information about their local licensing and credentials in East Chicago, IN.
Blessings Daycare | EAST CHICAGO IN Licensed Home
About the Provider
Description: Blessings Daycare is a Licensed Home in EAST CHICAGO IN, with a maximum capacity of 16 children. The home-based daycare service helps with children in the age range of Infant-Fourteen.
The provider does not participate in a subsidized child care program.
Additional Information: PTQ 1; PTQ 1; PTQ 3; PTQ 3;
Program and Licensing Details
- Capacity:
16 - Age Range:
Infant-Fourteen - PTQ Level:
3 - Enrolled in Subsidized Child Care Program:
No - Current License Issue Date:
Feb 01, 2021 - District Office:
Indiana Family and Social Services Administration – Bureau of Child Care - District Office Phone:
1-877-511-1144 (Note: This is not the facility phone number.)
Inspection/Report History
Where possible, ChildcareCenter provides inspection reports as a service to families. This information is deemed reliable,
but is not guaranteed. We encourage families to contact the daycare provider directly with any questions or concerns,
as the provider may have already addressed some or all issues. Reports can also be verified with your local daycare licensing office.
| Inspection Type/Date | Action needed to correct issue | Date Resolved |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing 2021-06-09 |
An applicant must submit the necessary information, forms, or consents for the division to: obtain a national criminal history background check on the applicant through the state police department under IC 10-13-3-39 | 2021-06-12 |
| Type of correction needed: IC 12-17.2-5-3(d)(2)&(e) A household members fingerprints need to be updated. |
||
| Licensing 2021-06-09 |
The caregiver shall maintain and make available verification of the following: Annual Mantoux tuberculin test or chest x-ray for direct child care providers and all family members over eighteen (18) years of age | 2021-06-16 |
| Type of correction needed: 470 IAC 3-1.1-28.  5(c)(1)The licensees TB test is over one year old. |
||
| Licensing 2021-01-06 |
The licensee shall ensure that no conditions exist in the home or on the grounds where child care services are provided that would endanger the health, safety, or welfare of the children | 2021-01-07 |
| Type of correction needed: 470 IAC 3-1.1-45(a) The water temperature was still not within the guidelines. The water temperature was 132 degrees. The water temperature should be between 100-120 degrees. |
||
| Licensing 2020-12-17 |
The licensee shall ensure that no conditions exist in the home or on the grounds where child care services are provided that would endanger the health, safety, or welfare of the children | 2021-01-07 |
| Type of correction needed: 470 IAC 3-1.1-45(a) The water temperature was 129 degrees.  The water temperature should be between 100-120 degrees. |
||
| Licensing 2020-06-30 |
Licensee shall provide a two and one-half (2) pound or greater ABC multiple purpose fire extinguisher which shall be located on each floor of the building in which child care services are provided, including an additional extinguisher located in the kitchen area of the child care home | 2020-07-07 |
| Type of correction needed: 470 IAC 3-1.1-46(m) A fire extinguisher is needed in the basement and upstairs. |
||
| Licensing 2020-06-30 |
Caregiver shall keep poisonous or hazardous materials that would harm children, including, but not limited to: cleaning supplies | 2020-07-07 |
| Type of correction needed: 470 IAC 3-1.1-48(c)(1) Cleaning chemicals were accessible under the kitchen sink. |
||
| Licensing 2020-06-30 |
The licensee shall ensure that the kitchen is equipped with: a sink with hot and cold running water;in operating condition sufficient to accommodate the food requirements of the number of children in care | 2020-07-07 |
| Type of correction needed: 470 IAC 3-1.  1-45(f)(3)The water temperature was 131 degrees. |
||
| Licensing 2020-06-30 |
The licensee shall identify the location and operation of the gas, electric, and water shut-offs and keep accessible the gas, electric, and water shut-offs in case of emergency. | 2020-07-07 |
| Type of correction needed: 470 IAC 3-1.1-46(q) The gas, electric, and water shut-off need to be labeled. |
||
If you are a provider and you believe any information is incorrect, please contact us. We will research your concern and make corrections accordingly.
Reviews
Write a review about Blessings Daycare. Let other families know what’s great, or what could be improved.
Please read our brief review guidelines to make your review as helpful as possible.
Email address (will not be published):
Display name:
Which best describes your experience?:
Select from belowI have used this provider for more than 6 monthsI have used this provider for less than 6 monthsI have toured this provider’s facility, but have not used its servicesI am the ownerI am an employeeOther
Rating (1=poor, 5=excellent):
Select your Rating1 star2 star3 star4 star5 star
Review Policy:
ChildcareCenter.
us does not actively screen or monitor user reviews, nor do we verify or edit content. Reviews reflect
only the opinion of the writer. We ask that users follow our
review guidelines. If you see a review that does not reflect these guidelines, you can email us. We will assess
the review and decide the appropriate next step. Please note – we will not remove a review simply because it is
negative. Providers are welcome to respond to parental reviews, however we ask that they identify themselves as
the provider.
Top Head Start Programs in East Chicago, IN
We have listed all of the Headstart programs in East Chicago, Indiana . Click on the head start programs to view full details including maps and pictures.
If you do not see your head start listed in East Chicago Indiana listed below, you can add it to our database here – Add Your Program.
US Department of Health and Human Services
Head Start is a US Dept of Health and Human Services program for early childhood education, health, nutrition for low income children and their families.
Office of Administrative for Children And Families
Head Start is managed by the OHS. Head Start promotes school readiness for children who are low income and under 5 years old.
Head Start Program Locations in East Chicago, Indiana
Field Elementary School
3551 Block Avenue
East Chicago, IN – 46312 353
Phone Number: (219) 391-4181
Description blurb: Applications are now being accepted for the Geminus Head Start and Early Head Start Programs.Eligibility for these comprehensive pre-school programs is determined in the following way:Head Start: 1.Must be 3 by August 1 of current year (Birth Certificate required) 2. Present a copy of your child (more)…
See Full Details
Roxanna
900 Shell St
East Chicago, IN – 46312 395
Phone Number: (219) 397-2986
Description blurb: Applications are now being accepted for the Geminus Head Start and Early Head Start Programs.
Eligibility for these comprehensive pre-school programs is determined in the following way:Head Start: 1.Must be 3 by August 1 of current year (Birth Certificate required) 2. Present a copy of your child (more)…
See Full Details
More Area Offices
Due to finding no head start program listings in East Chicago, Indiana, we have listed the area listings for East Chicago, below.
Imani Children’s Academy
11443 S Halsted St
Chicago, IL – 60628
(773) 660-9667
County: Cook
Location: 10 miles from East Chicago
Description blurb: Hours: Mon – Fri from 6 am – 6 pm (more).
..
See Full Details
Bettys Daycare Academy
5725 W Chicago Ave
Chicago, IL – 60651
(773) 261-1433
County: Cook
Location: 24 miles from East Chicago
Description blurb: Hours: Monday-Friday 6 a.m. – 6 p.m. (more)…
See Full Details
Childrens World
3356 S Ashland Ave
Chicago, IL – 60608
(773) 523-0100
County: Cook
Location: 23 miles from East Chicago
Description blurb: Ages 6 weeks – 12 years.
Hours: 6:00 am – 6:00 pm (more)…
See Full Details
Carole Robertson Center 2020
2020 W Roosevelt Rd
Chicago, IL – 60608
(312) 243-7300
County: Cook
Location: 19 miles from East Chicago
Description blurb: Hours: 9am5pm Programs at this Location: Home Visiting Family Child Care Home Network Community Partnerships (more)…
See Full Details
Church of the Living God Day Care
1738 W Marquette Rd
Chicago, IL – 60636
(773) 476-9562
County: Cook
Location: 14 miles from East Chicago
See Full Details
DayCares found in East Chicago Indiana
We offer a large collection of East Chicago Indiana daycare and childcare options, to provide you piece of mind that your child will learn to their maximum potential.
Your child’s safety is also a concern when others are watching them, not to mention you want them to nurture and be sympathetic towards them. Many parents see the importance of a highly rated and high quality daycare child care solution. Find your option in East Chicago Indiana with ease by calling around on one of the many options below.
A Beautiful Combination Daycare Center, Inc.3741 Martin Luther King Drive
East Chicago Indiana, 46312
in county Lake
Phone: (219) 398-2911
A beautiful combination daycare center, inc. is a center based daycare child care facility with a capacity of 32 children allowing the age group of 2 years – 12 years and has the license number 125575.
Geminus Head Start445 East 148th Street
East Chicago Indiana, 46312
in county Lake
Phone: (219) 757-1826
Geminus head start is a center based daycare child care facility with a capacity of 40 children allowing the age group of 3 years – 6 years and has the license number 126028.
Geminus Head Start900 Shell Street
East Chicago Indiana, 46312
in county Lake
Phone: (219) 397-2986
Geminus head start is a center based daycare child care facility with a capacity of 80 children allowing the age group of 3 years – 6 years and has the license number 126162.
Robertson Child Development Center, Inc.4858 – 4860 Olcott Avenue
East Chicago Indiana, 46312
in county Lake
Phone: (219) 398-7232
Robertson child development center, inc. is a center based daycare child care facility with a capacity of 96 children allowing the age group of 1 years – 10 years and has the license number 125873.
Wrights Child CareFor Location, Please Call
East Chicago Indiana, 46312
in county Lake
Phone: (219) 397-7248
Wrights child care is a home based daycare child care facility with a capacity of 10 children allowing the age group of 0 – 12 years and has the license number 45-451936.
Trinity Childcare IiFor Location, Please Call
East Chicago Indiana, 46312
in county Lake
Phone: (219) 398-4823
Trinity childcare ii is a home based daycare child care facility with a capacity of 12 children allowing the age group of 0 – 12 years and has the license number 45-451812.
Trinity Child CareFor Location, Please Call
East Chicago Indiana, 46312
in county Lake
Phone: (219) 398-4823
Trinity child care is a home based daycare child care facility with a capacity of 12 children allowing the age group of 0 – 12 years and has the license number 45-17936.
Toddlers Inn Extended Day Program IiFor Location, Please Call
East Chicago Indiana, 46312
in county Lake
Phone: (219) 398-1514
Toddlers inn extended day program ii is a home based daycare child care facility with a capacity of 12 children allowing the age group of 0 – 12 years and has the license number 45-451805.
Toddlers Inn Extended Day ProgramFor Location, Please Call
East Chicago Indiana, 46312
in county Lake
Phone: (219) 398-1058
Toddlers inn extended day program is a home based daycare child care facility with a capacity of 12 children allowing the age group of 0 – 12 years and has the license number 45-17800.
Tender CareFor Location, Please Call
East Chicago Indiana, 46312
in county Lake
Phone: (219) 354-0440
Tender care is a home based daycare child care facility with a capacity of 12 children allowing the age group of 0 – 12 years and has the license number 45-451974.
Smith DarlingsFor Location, Please Call
East Chicago Indiana, 46312
in county Lake
Phone: (219) 398-6892
Smith darlings is a home based daycare child care facility with a capacity of 12 children allowing the age group of 0 – 12 years and has the license number 45-451832.
Normas Kiddie Care Corner #2For Location, Please Call
East Chicago Indiana, 46312
in county Lake
Phone: (219) 378-1713
Normas kiddie care corner #2 is a home based daycare child care facility with a capacity of 12 children allowing the age group of 0 – 12 years and has the license number 45-17973.
Normas Kiddie Care CornerFor Location, Please Call
East Chicago Indiana, 46312
in county Lake
Phone: (219) 378-1333
Normas kiddie care corner is a home based daycare child care facility with a capacity of 12 children allowing the age group of 0 – 12 years and has the license number 45-16845.
Nikkies Day CareFor Location, Please Call
East Chicago Indiana, 46312
in county Lake
Phone: (219) 397-1560
Nikkies day care is a home based daycare child care facility with a capacity of 12 children allowing the age group of 0 – 12 years and has the license number 45-451853.
New Beginnings Christian Child CareFor Location, Please Call
East Chicago Indiana, 46312
in county Lake
Phone: (219) 397-6028
New beginnings christian child care is a home based daycare child care facility with a capacity of 12 children allowing the age group of 0 – 12 years and has the license number 45-451896.
Mini MiraclesFor Location, Please Call
East Chicago Indiana, 46312
in county Lake
Phone: (219) 629-0377
Mini miracles is a home based daycare child care facility with a capacity of 12 children allowing the age group of 0 – 12 years and has the license number 45-451956.
Lisas Safe Haven IiFor Location, Please Call
East Chicago Indiana, 46312
in county Lake
Phone: (219) 398-5703
Lisas safe haven ii is a home based daycare child care facility with a capacity of 12 children allowing the age group of 0 – 12 years and has the license number 45-17470.
Lisas Safe Haven Day CareFor Location, Please Call
East Chicago Indiana, 46312
in county Lake
Phone: (219) 398-5703
Lisas safe haven day care is a home based daycare child care facility with a capacity of 12 children allowing the age group of 0 – 12 years and has the license number 45-16994.
Kids ParadiseFor Location, Please Call
East Chicago Indiana, 46312
in county Lake
Phone: (219) 677-6891
Kids paradise is a home based daycare child care facility with a capacity of 12 children allowing the age group of 0 – 12 years and has the license number 45-451950.
Gods Little Angels IiiFor Location, Please Call
East Chicago Indiana, 46312
in county Lake
Phone: (219) 397-1719
Gods little angels iii is a home based daycare child care facility with a capacity of 12 children allowing the age group of 0 – 12 years and has the license number 45-17867.
Gods Little Angels Day CareFor Location, Please Call
East Chicago Indiana, 46312
in county Lake
Phone: (219) 397-9330
Gods little angels day care is a home based daycare child care facility with a capacity of 10 children allowing the age group of 0 – 12 years and has the license number 45-17256.
Gods Little Angel Day Care IiFor Location, Please Call
East Chicago Indiana, 46312
in county Lake
Phone: (219) 392-8808
Gods little angel day care ii is a home based daycare child care facility with a capacity of 16 children allowing the age group of 0 – 12 years and has the license number 45-17630.
Anointed Child Care3816 Pulaski Street
East Chicago Indiana, 46312
in county Lake
Phone: (219) 397-5320
Anointed child care is a center based daycare child care facility allowing the age group of 0 – 12 years.
Children Creative Vision Childcare Ministry, Inc.
4001 Deodar Street
East Chicago Indiana, 46312
in county Lake
Phone: (219) 397-7791
Children creative vision childcare ministry, inc. is a center based daycare child care facility allowing the age group of 0 – 12 years.
New Horizons Child Care Ministry, Inc4017 Fir Street
East Chicago Indiana, 46312
in county Lake
Phone: (219) 378-1977
New horizons child care ministry, inc is a center based daycare child care facility allowing the age group of 0 – 12 years.
New Horizons Child Care Ministry, Inc.4901 Mccook Avenue
East Chicago Indiana, 46312
in county Lake
Phone: (219) 378-9848
New horizons child care ministry, inc. is a center based daycare child care facility allowing the age group of 0 – 12 years.
St. Mark Church Quality Childcare Ministry3833 Grand Boulevard
East Chicago Indiana, 46312
in county Lake
Phone: (219) 378-9033
St.
mark church quality childcare ministry is a center based daycare child care facility allowing the age group of 0 – 12 years.
True Light Child Care1257 North Cline Avenue
East Chicago Indiana, 46312
in county Lake
Phone: (219) 923-7222
True light child care is a center based daycare child care facility allowing the age group of 0 – 12 years.
Home Daycare in ZIP Code 46312
Home
>> Indiana Home Childcare
>> Lake Family Childcare
>> Family Daycare in 46312
We currently have 25 family day care providers in our Home Daycare database for ZIP code 46312.
| Name | Address | Phone | Type | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Safe Harbor | East Chicago, IN 46312 | 219-512-3500 | Licensed Home | 12 |
| Amazing Grace Childcare | East Chicago, IN 46312 | 219-433-9520 | Licensed Home | 12 |
| GOD’S LITTLE ANGEL DAY CARE II | East Chicago, IN 46312 | 219-392-8808 | Licensed Home | 16 |
| GOD’S LITTLE ANGELS III | East Chicago, IN 46312 | 219-397-1719 | Licensed Home | 12 |
| GODS LITTLE ANGELS DAY CARE | East Chicago, IN 46312 | 219-397-9330 | Licensed Home | 10 |
| Jolly Jones Kiddie Care | East Chicago, IN 46312 | 219-256-8141 | Licensed Home | 12 |
| LISA’S SAFE HAVEN DAY CARE | East Chicago, IN 46312 | 219-398-5703 | Licensed Home | 12 |
| LISA’S SAFE HAVEN II | East Chicago, IN 46312 | 219-398-5703 | Licensed Home | 12 |
| Mini Miracles | East Chicago, IN 46312 | 219-629-0377 | Licensed Home | 12 |
| Mini Miracles II | East Chicago, IN 46312 | 219-629-0377 | Licensed Home | 12 |
Ms. Rose Child Care
|
East Chicago, IN 46312 | 219-678-3174 | Licensed Home | 12 |
| New Beginnings Christian Child Care | East Chicago, IN 46312 | 219-397-6028 | Licensed Home | 12 |
| Shining Stars | East Chicago, IN 46312 | 219-427-3076 | Licensed Home | 7 |
| Sweet Peas Day Care | East Chicago, IN 46312 | 219-354-8659 | Licensed Home | 12 |
| Tender Care | East Chicago, IN 46312 | 219-354-0440 | Licensed Home | 12 |
| Toddlers Inn Childcare 1 | East Chicago, IN 46312 | 219-398-1058 | Licensed Home | 12 |
| Blessings Daycare | East Chicago, IN 46312 | 219-604-1089 | Licensed Home | 16 |
| Blessings Daycare II | East Chicago, IN 46312 | 219-397-0785 | Licensed Home | 12 |
| Granny V Daycare | East Chicago, IN 46312 | 219-256-8089 | Unlicensed CCDF Certified Home | N/A |
| Inspiring Young Minds | East Chicago, IN 46312 | 773-470-5955 | Licensed Home | 12 |
| Makayla Laudermill | East Chicago, IN 46312 | 219-210-4721 | Unlicensed CCDF Certified Home | N/A |
| Susan Collier |
4011 Catalpa St East Chicago, IN 46312 |
219-354-8183 | Unlicensed CCDF Certified Home | N/A |
| Tolliver Helping Hands | East Chicago, IN 46312 | 219-397-9013 | Unlicensed CCDF Certified Home | 12 |
| Trinity Childcare | East Chicago, IN 46312 | 219-712-9184 | Licensed Home | 12 |
| Songbird Childcare/Trinity Childcare | East Chicago, IN 46312 | 219-712-9184 | Licensed Home | 12 |
Find Child Care | Brighter Futures Indiana
It looks like your browser is out-of-date! For the best user experience, please upgrade to a more modern browser like Chrome or Edge.
FIND CHILD CARE
Indiana’s child care resource and referral agencies provide local, helpful services to families, child care providers and communities in several ways. Indiana families have a lot of options for their children. Find out more about Indiana’s safe, supportive and high-quality programs.
Early Learning Marketplace
Combined Shape CopyCombined Shape
Need help finding a child care that fits your need?
Let the Brighter Futures Indiana team help match you with local programs that fit your family.
Get Started
-
Find Care
Indiana families have two easy, free services to help them find care. Visit Child Care Finder online or call the Brighter Futures Indiana staff at 1-800-299-1627 from Monday-Thursday between 8 a.m.-7 p.m. or Friday between 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Child Care Search
-
Program Types
Either service helps you consider program types, locations, child’s age, days and times needed, schedule preferences, Paths to QUALITY™ participation and other considerations.
In other words, your family’s needs drive the search.Paths to QUALITY
In other words, your family’s needs drive the search.
Local Help Finding Child Care
Families can find information about the different types of child care available locally. Agencies focus on meeting your specific needs. Additionally, they can share characteristics of a quality child care program and connect families to community resources.
Community Members and Organizations can learn about the supply and demand for child care. That includes information on the types of programs available and types of programs parents are asking for. They can also help you explore the gaps between the two.
Select Your Region for Contact Information
-
1. Early Learning Connections, Geminus CCR&R
Serving Lake, Porter, La Porte, Starke, St.
Joseph, Marshall, Elkhart, Kosciusko, La Grange and Steuben counties including the communities of Crown Point, East Chicago, Gary, Hammond, Hobart, La Porte, Michigan City, Portage and Valparaiso.Phone: (219) 685-1500
Toll Free: (844) 685-1500
Website: http://www.geminus.org/Child-Care-Resources.html -
2. The Child Care Resource Network
Serving Adams, Allen, Benton, Blackford, Boone, Carroll, Cass, Clinton, Dekalb, Fountain, Fulton, Grant, Howard, Huntington, Jasper, Jay, Newton, Miami, Noble, Pulaski, Tippecanoe, Tipton, Wabash, Warren, Wells, Whitley and White counties.
Phone: (765) 742-7105
Toll Free: (800) 932-3302
Website: http://www.thechildcareresourcenetwork.org -
3. Child Care Answers
Serving Hamilton, Hendricks and Marion counties.
Phone: (317) 636-5727
Toll Free: (800) 272-2937
Fax: (317) 687-6248
Website: http://www.childcareanswers.org -
4. Chances and Services for Youth (CASY)
Serving Bartholomew, Brown, Clay, Delaware, Fayette, Greene, Hancock, Henry, Johnson, Madison, Montgomery, Monroe, Morgan, Owen, Parke, Putnam, Randolph, Rush, Shelby, Sullivan, Union, Vermillion, Vigo and Wayne counties.
Phone: (812) 232-3952
Toll Free: (800) 886-3952
Fax: (812) 232-1731
Website: http://www.casyonline.org -
5. Building Blocks
Serving Crawford, Clark, Daviess, Decatur, Dearborn, Dubois, Floyd, Franklin, Gibson, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Knox, Lawrence, Martin, Ohio, Orange, Perry, Pike, Posey, Ripley, Spencer, Scott, Switzerland, Vanderburgh, Warrick and Washington counties.
Phone: (812) 423-4008
Toll Free: (866) 200-5909
Fax: (812) 423-3399
Website: https://www.buildingblocks.net
Joseph, Marshall, Elkhart, Kosciusko, La Grange and Steuben counties including the communities of Crown Point, East Chicago, Gary, Hammond, Hobart, La Porte, Michigan City, Portage and Valparaiso.
Child Care Answers
East Chicago, Indiana
“East Chicago” redirects here. For the neighborhood in Chicago, see East Side, Chicago.
| Demography (2010) [8] | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White | Black 9000 | Asian | 35.5% | Islander | Native | 171.8% | ||
| 1910 | 19,098 | 459.9% | ||||||
| 1920 | 35,967 | 88.3% | ||||||
| 1930 | 54,784 | 52.3% | ||||||
| 1940 | 54.637 | −0.3% | ||||||
54. 263 |
—0.7% | |||||||
| 1960 | 57,669 | 6.3% | ||||||
| 1970 | 46,982 | −18.5% | ||||||
| 1980 | 39,786 | −15.3% | ||||||
| 1990 | 33.892 | −14.8% | ||||||
| 20000 | 32.414 | −4.4% |
15 29,698 |
−8.4% | ||||
| 2019 (rating) | 27.817 | [5] | −6.3% | Bureau of the US PERSONAILE Bureau. | ||||
East Chicago is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The population for 2010 was 29,698. census. This is the home of Marktown, Clayton Mark’s Planned Working Community. [9]
The land that became East Chicago was originally a swamp unsuitable for agriculture.
The state of Indiana began selling tracts of land to railroads and speculators after 1851 to fund the local school system. Settlement of the area was very slow at first, and until the 1890s there were no streets or public services in the city. [10] East Chicago incorporated as a city in 1893. The city was named for its location east of Chicago, Illinois. [11]
The 1900 census puts the total population at only 3,411, but the arrival of the Inland Steel Corporation in 1903 turned the city into an industrial center. By 1910, the city’s population skyrocketed to 24,000, aided by immigration from all over Europe and the United States, and quickly became the most industrialized city in the United States, with over 80% of the city’s area dedicated to heavy industry. Inland Steel Corporation will dominate the city’s economy for 19Through the 1990s and through the 1980s, it expanded its massive integrated plant in Indiana Harbor many times over. From 60,000 tons of steel in 1903, it increased to 600,000 tons by 1914 and reached 1 million in 1917, eventually peaking at 8.
6 million tons in 1978. [12] By 1907, East Chicago boasted a navigable waterway to Lake Michigan and the Grand Calumet River: the shipping channel of Indiana Harbor. Steel mills, refineries, construction firms, and chemical plants operated in Indiana Harbor and along its inner canal system. [13]
Republic Steel, Youngstown Steel, LaSalle Steel and U.S. Steel eventually opened steel mills in the city. During World War I, East Chicago was nicknamed “America’s Arsenal” (not to be confused with Detroit’s label as “Democracy’s Arsenal” during World War II) and “America’s Workshop”. [14]
The rivalry developed between Indiana Harbor, home of the “East Side” for Inland Steel and most working-class families, and the “West Side” of East Chicago, a residential enclave of local business people. Locals spoke of “Sister City” to describe the spatial, residential, and class divisions that underlie the city’s identity. The nickname “Sister City” persists to this day.
[13]
During the 1910s, several thousand Mexicans immigrated to East Chicago to work in factories during the labor shortage of 1917-1918 due to U.S. involvement in World War I, and also acted as strikebreakers during labor unrest in 1919. Most were single men who eventually hoped to return to Mexico, but many stayed and were eventually joined by their families. The small Mexican community underwent voluntary and forced repatriation over the course of 1930s and 1950s (1,800 were deported in 1932 alone), but those who remained eventually paved the way for subsequent Hispanic immigration after 1965.
Black Americans also began to arrive in the 1910s and 1920s as part of the first wave of the Great Migration, and this continued from the 1940s to the 1960s. According to the city’s 1959 Demographic Survey, there were 1,000 Mexican families, 10,000 African American families, and 3,000 Polish families living in the city. There were also a large number of families who identified as Puerto Ricans, Romanians, Serbs, Italians, Lithuanians and Croats.
Representatives of more than 70 nationalities were represented, more than 59communities of Protestant, Orthodox, Catholic churches, as well as Jewish synagogues.
Like neighboring Gary, Indiana East Chicago quickly gained a reputation as a bustling industrial city plagued by heavy pollution, ethnic and racial tension, organized crime, illegal gambling and clubbing, political corruption, prostitution, and other vices. The city continued to grow rapidly in the 1910s and 1920s, with a peak population in 1960 of 57,669. However, the population of East Chicago began to decline in 19In the 1960s, as the suburbs, whitewashing, car availability and highway construction meant that workers no longer needed to live in the city, but could drive from the less polluted suburbs.
But it was the steel crisis of 1974-1986 that completely devastated East Chicago, as did other industrial cities such as Gary, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and South Chicago. The population of East Chicago declined to 47,000 in 1970, 34,000 by 1990, and 29,000 by 2010.
Peak employment at Inland Steel reached 25,000 at 1969, and successive layoffs over the next 30 years were devastating to society; by 1998, Inland Steel employed only 9,000 people. [15] Inland Steel was acquired by Ispat International in 1998. [16] The Indiana Harbor plant and the Youngstown steel mill were taken over by ArcelorMittal in 2006. [17]
The Indiana Harbor Public Library and the Marktown Historic District are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. [18]
In 2009, toxic substances were found in parts of East Chicago. lead and arsenic pollution, appointed leader of the US Navy Superfund Site. The site is divided into three zones: public housing and residential real estate. [19] Residents’ longstanding fears of lead pollution were confirmed in 2016 by EPA testing that particularly affected more than 270 families at the West Calumet development. [20] [21] As governor of Indiana, Mike Pence refused to declare the Superfund site a state of emergency; [22] His successor Governor Eric Holcomb issued Executive Order 17-13 declaring a state of emergency in East Chicago.
[23] [24]
Geography
According to the 2010 census, East Chicago has a total area of 16.155 square miles (41.84 km2). 2 ), of which 14.09 square miles (36.49 km 2 ) (or 87.22%) is land and 2.065 square miles (5.35 km 2 ) (or 12.78%) – water. [25]
Demographics
2010 Census
As of census [4] In 2010, there were 29,698 people, 10,724 households and 7,197 families residing in the city. The population density was 2107.7 inhabitants per square mile (813.8 / km 2 ). There were 12,958 housing units at an average density of 919.7 per square mile (355.1/km). 2 ). The racial makeup of the city was 42.9%. African American, 35.5% White, 0.6% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 18.1% from other races, and 2.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 50.9% of the population.
There were 10,724 households out of which 40.
8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 27.9% were married couples living together, 31.4% were living in a household with no husband present, 7.7% were living in without a wife, and 32.9% have non-family people. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.75 and the average family size is 3.42.
The median age in the city was 30.9 years. 31.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.4% were between 25 and 44 years old; 22.2% were between 45 and 64 years old; and 11.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender composition of the city was 46.8% male and 53.2% female.
Census 2000
As of census [6] In 2000, 32,414 people, 11,707 households and 7,937 families lived in the city. The population density was 2706.3 people per square mile (1044.7 / km 2 ). There were 13,261 housing units at an average density of 1,107.
2 per square mile (427.4/km). 2 ). The racial makeup of the city was 36.54%. White, 36.08% African American, 0.51% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 23.98% from other races, and 2.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 51.61% of the population. Whites who are not Hispanic or Latino made up 12.10% of the city’s population. 54.3% spoke only English at home, while 42.9% Spanish and 1.2% Polish at home.
There were 11,707 households out of which 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.8% were married couples living together, 26.7% had a female householder living with no husband present, and 32.2% don’t have a family. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.75 and the average family size is 3.41.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 30.5% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 26.
8% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 13 .3% aged 65 and over. older. The average age was 31 years. For every 100 women, there were 91.7 men. For every 100 women aged 18 and over, there were 86.1 men.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,538, and the median income for a family was $31,778. The median income for males was $32,588 compared to $21,678 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,517. About 22.5% of families and 24.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.3% of those under the age of 18 and 15.6% of those aged 65 and over.
Transportation
The nearest commercial airport to East Chicago is Gary/Chicago International Airport in nearby Gary, but does not serve scheduled passengers. The nearest commercial airport with scheduled passenger service is Chicago Midway Airport.
The South Shore Line has a station in East Chicago.
US 12 and US 20 pass through the Indiana Harbor and East Chicago areas, respectively, before joining both sides.
Indiana State Road 912, the Kline Avenue Freeway, connects East Chicago to the Indiana Tollway and the Borman Expressway, and serves the lakefront casinos and steel mills.
Bus Transit
The city operates a free bus service known as East Chicago Transit. It has three routes: Route 1 Crosstown, Route 2 West Calumet and Route 4. Woodmar Mall. GPRT Route 12 stops in East Chicago en route from Hammond to Gary. STEP operates Route 892, a dedicated operating shuttle between Gary, East Chicago and the UPS’ Hodgkins facility. His schedule coincides with UPS shifts. The route is operated in cooperation with UPS, which partially finances its operation.
The East Chicago Public Library System operates the main library at 2401 East Columbus Drive and the Robert A. Pastrick Branch Library at 1008 West Chicago Avenue at Baring Avenue. [26] East Chicago also has two charter school options: East Chicago Urban Enterprise (K-8) and East Chicago Lighthouse Charter School (K-7).
Industry
Aerial view of Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal surrounded by Indiana Harbor Works
East Chicago is home to the following businesses and industries:
- ArcelorMittal Indiana Harbor Works, the largest steel mill in the United States. Indiana Harbor Works includes the East Mill, originally Inland Steel, and the West Mill, owned for most of its life by Youngstown Bedsheet and Pipe. [27]
- Steel USA “East Chicago Tin”, Department of Steel Finishing, Gary Works. [28]
- Indiana Harbor and Ship Channel complex.
For 105 years, East Chicago was home to the Inland Steel Company (1893–1998).
Showboat Casino opened in 1997 and employs about 900 people. Other major employers include Amoco Oil Co., Union Tank Car, American Steel Foundries, USG Corp. and St. Catherine’s Hospital.
Notable People
- Government
- Gonzalo P. Curiel – U.S. District Court Judge
- Earl Harris – Indiana State Legislator
- William C. Cavanaugh – Wisconsin State Assemblyman
- Vincent Mroz – Secret Service Agent
- Jerome Reppa – Indiana Lawyer and Politician
- Richard Williams – Diplomat, Writer, First US Ambassador to Mongolia.
Cavanaugh – Wisconsin State Assemblyman - Military
- Emilio A. De La Garza, Jr. – United States Marine Corps, Medal of Honor recipient, Vietnam War
- Movies – TV
- John Hubbard – actor
- Betsy Palmer – actress and TV presenter
- Frank Reynolds – ABC TV news anchor
- Steve Tesic – Oscar-winning screenwriter.
- Music
- Som Keith – blues singer, songwriter and slide guitarist
- Mighty Mo Rogers – blues musician, songwriter and producer
- Sports
American Chamber of Commerce in Macau. Retrieved 2020-10-08. external link
- Chicago portal
- Indiana portal
- Official website
- East Chicago. Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). 1911
★ 10 Easy Day Trips from Chicago ★
- Holland Michigan Hotel Prices and Photos
- Madison, Wisconsin (Hotel Prices & Photos)
- Golden Rock State Park, Illinois
- Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Indiana (Hotel Prices & Photos)
- Lake Geneva, Wisconsin (Hotel Prices & Photos)
- St. Louis, Missouri (Hotel Prices & Photos)
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Hotel Prices & Photos)
- Grand Rapids, Michigan (Hotel Prices & Photos)
- Devil’s Lake State Park, Wisconsin ( hotel prices and photos)
- Indianapolis, Indiana (Hotel Prices & Photos)
Not only is Chicago an exciting city, but there are plenty of exciting places to explore that are just a short drive from the hotel.
Located in the northeast corner of Illinois, you can easily make day trips to other cities, towns, and natural areas in Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, and the state of Illinois. So, the next time you need a break from the city or just getting to know this part of the Midwest, check out these day trips from Chicago.
Holland, Michigan
Authentic Dutch windmill in Holland Michigan with spring tulips
Holland, Michigan (hotel prices and photos)
Holland, Michigan is only two hours and 15 minutes from Chicago, makes it the perfect place for a day trip. This city is inspired by the Netherlands and still retains a historically Dutch heritage today. Here you can stroll through tulip gardens, see windmills and slow down the pace of life for a whole day. Early May is a popular time to visit because that’s when the Tulip Time Festival takes place with food, parades, music and dancing. The famous New Holland Brewery is also here to relax after sightseeing and after shopping.
If you don’t want to drive or have a car, you can also get to Holland by train from Chicago in about three hours.
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin (Hotel Prices & Photos)
In about three hours, you can reach Madison, Wisconsin from Chicago and experience a refreshing change of pace in a big city where you can see and do. It’s a student city known for its top-notch cheeses and beers, and a very bike-friendly city that’s fun to explore on two wheels. There are several lakes to paddle in, the State Capitol building to tour in, and plenty of arts and culture spots to attend a live performance or visit a festival.
Gold Rock State Park, Illinois
Waterfall at Hungry Rock State Park
Golden Rock State Park, Illinois
Golden Rock Park! This park is an outdoorsman’s dream with plenty of hiking, rock climbing, ice climbing and camping to keep you busy for the weekend.
But about an hour and a half by car, it’s also the perfect distance for a day trip. Hungry Rock has some really impressive rock formations, waterfalls, and canyons, and it’s just outside the town of Oglesby, Illinois. You can also go rafting on the Vermillion River and spend the night at Starved Rock Lodge if you have more than a night to spend here.
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Indiana
Indiana Dunes
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Indiana (Hotel Prices and Photos)
You should drive about an hour for a day trip if your destination is Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. This natural wonder includes a 15-mile beach along Lake Michigan with spectacular dunes and plenty of outdoor recreational opportunities. You can rent a sandbox from a nearby shop and try snowboarding down the dunes. It’s also the perfect place for horseback riding along the beach and some serious exercise while hiking the dunes.
There’s also cross-country skiing in the winter, bird watching on migrations, and taking the kids to the natural play area at the Paul H. Douglas Center.
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
View of Lake Geneva in autumn Wisconsin
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin (Hotel Prices & Photos)
Lake Geneva is a beautiful place north of the Wisconsin border and about an hour and a half from Chicago by car . It has been a favorite among Chicago families for generations and is located on a beautiful eight-square-mile lake. Come here to have fun on the water or get active on the 21-mile Geneva Lakeside Promenade. This is a popular wedding venue in Chicago. There are plenty of quaint restaurants and inns here where you can spend more than a day here.
St. Louis, Missouri
Gate Arch
St. Louis, Missouri (Hotel Prices & Photos)
If you are going to drive longer, about four and a half hours, you can also visit St.
taking Interstate 55 from Chicago. St. Louis is known for its famous Gateway Arch, but there are also plenty of great authentic BBQ restaurants to test out if you’re a meat lover, and the Missouri Botanical Garden and Forest Park offers plenty of outdoor recreation opportunities. Make a pit stop in Bloomington, Illinois, which is halfway along the way, to grab a bite to eat and stretch your legs on this day trip.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee
Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Hotel Prices & Photos)
Milwaukee is another Wisconsin city that’s great for a day trip from Chicago, especially if you love good food and beer. The ride only takes about an hour and a half, or alternatively, you can take the Amtrak train from Chicago for some automotive exploration. You’ll find plenty of great vendors here selling everything from seafood to chocolate and more at the Milwaukee Public Market, as well as plenty of breweries for tasting local craft beers.
It’s also fun to bring your own kayak or rent one in Milwaukee to take a boat ride down the river and dock along the way at bars and restaurants when you need a break with delicious snacks. In Milwaukee, you can also take tours of the Harley-Davidson Museum or attend one of the city’s many summer festivals.
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Architecture Grand Rapids Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan (Hotel Prices & Photos)
The city of Grand Rapids, Michigan is also about three hours drive from the hotel and is a great place for lovers art and craft beer lovers. This is a great place for the spring and fall seasons where you can see the leaves turn and the seasons change. The best breweries in town to visit are Founder’s Brewing and Brewery Vivant, but there are dozens more worth stopping by if you’re a beer lover and don’t drive!
Devil’s Lake State Park, Wisconsin
Rocks at Devils Lake State Park
Devil’s Lake State Park, Wisconsin (Hotel Prices & Photos)
If an epic outdoor getaway is what you’re looking for for your day trip trips from Chicago, be sure to consider Devil’s Lake State Park.
Near Baraboo, Wisconsin, this is the best rock climbing spot at Chicago , which is great for hiking, boating, rowing, and swimming. There are also campsites nearby and a park if you have more than a day to spend here.
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana (Hotel Prices and Photos)
Within three hours from Chicago, you can also make a day trip to the city of Indianapolis, which is an ideal destination for families with children. The children’s museum here is one of the best in the world, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a large and impressive race track for car enthusiasts. You can also check out White River State Park for some outdoor time.
What to see in Chicago. The main attractions of Chicago (with photo)
On December 3, 1818, Illinois became the 21st state of the United States. Our selection today, compiled in honor of this date, illustrates the rich contribution of Illinois to the treasury of attractions in the United States.
Chicago’s Windy City is the state’s modern industrial and commercial center. The building style of the Western world, with its skyscrapers and low-rise residential areas, originated here. There are many bars, restaurants and nightclubs with a unique tradition of jazz music. In the city center are attractions such as the Water Tower, the John Shedd Aquarium and Aquarium, the Museum of Freedom and others. And not far from Chicago are some of the most famous golf courses in the world.
Indiana Dunes National Park
Indiana Dunes National Park is one of the most beautiful places in the state. These are more than forty kilometers of dunes that were formed naturally under the influence of winds from Lake Michigan. In addition to incredibly beautiful landscapes, you can find many unusual plants that do not grow anywhere else in the world. Here you can simultaneously see tundra berry bushes, dogwood, pines and even cacti. This is one of the most photogenic landscapes, which is very often used in American cinema for filming westerns.
Shawnee National Forest
Located in southern Illinois, the Shawnee National Forest is one of the most famous and most popular American national parks among tourists. Its area is about 1100 square kilometers. The forest is a habitat for rare plants and animals that appeared here several million years ago during the melting of the glacier. At the initiative of President Frank Roosevelt, these territories are subject to careful protection. The Little Grand Canyon is also located here – one of the most picturesque places in the entire United States.
The city of Springfield, or Lincoln Land, is the capital and administrative center of the state. Here is the largest number of memorials dedicated to this president. The Sixth Capitol, the library of the 16th President, as well as the house-museum and his resting place are located here. It is worth saying a few words about the Capitol, which was built in the Renaissance style. This is a domed building, in the design of which scenes were used, telling about key moments in the history of the state.
Its construction began at the end of the nineteenth century and took about four years. It is also interesting that Springfield is the birthplace of the animated series The Simpsons. The creators say that in order to understand everything that happens in their city, you need to watch the series.
Fort de Chartres
The Fort de Chartres Historical Site is an 18th century monument built during the French colonization. It is located on the east bank of the Mississippi and is a fortified building that houses offices, a museum, and a chapel. On the official website, you can see a souvenir shop belonging to Fort de Charts, as well as read historical information about this place. The building needs constant repair, as the Mississippi current adversely affects its condition.
Official name:
State of Illinois(IL)
Capital of Illinois:
Largest city:
Other major cities:
Aurora, Highland Park, Rockford, Joliet, Danville, Belleville, Freeport.
State nicknames:
Lincoln Land, Prairie State
State Motto:
State Independence, National Union
State Established:
1818 (21st in order)
The name of the state of Illinois comes from the language of the native inhabitants of North America – the Indians. According to different versions, the word ”
illinois ”
is either from Illiniwek, which means “a tribe of higher people”, or from irenwewa, which translates as “he speaks as always.” The state is located on the Central Plains, and 60% of its territory is occupied by prairies, the rest is occupied by hills. It borders Wisconsin to the north, Lake Michigan to the northeast, Indiana to the east and southeast, Kentucky to the south, and Iowa to the west. The southern border runs along the Ohio River, the western and southwestern – along the Mississippi River. There are more than 500 rivers in the state (the largest is Illinois) and 950 lakes. The highest point – Charles Mound is located at an altitude of 376 m above sea level.
The distance between the extreme points in the south and north of the state is almost 650 km, due to this, the climate of Illinois at different latitudes can differ markedly. Most of the state lies in a humid continental climate with hot, humid summers and cold winters. On average, Illinois has about 50 thunderstorm days per year, slightly above the national average. The state is also vulnerable to tornadoes, which hit about 35 annually. Despite the fact that the strength of tornadoes in Illinois does not exceed tornadoes in other states, the death rate from them has always been significantly higher here, due to its high population density. So, during one of the strongest tornadoes in the history of the United States “The Tri-State Tornado”, which happened in 1925, 613 people died in Illinois.
Population of the state of Illinois
About 12,900,000 people live in the state (the fifth most populous state in the US and the first in the Midwest). The average population density in Illinois is about 90 people per km2 (twelfth place in the USA).
The racial composition of the state of Illinois
- White – 71.5%
- Black (African American) – 14.5%
- Asian – 4.6%
- Native Americans (Indians or Eskimos of Alaska) – 0.3%
- Native Hawaiian or Oceanian – less than 0.1%
- Other races – 9%
- Hispanic or Latino (of any race) – about 15.8%
The largest ethnic (national) groups among the population of the state of Illinois
- Germans – 21.1%
- Irish – 13.3%
- Poles – 7.9%
- English – 6.7%
- Italians – 6.4%
- “Americans” – 4.6%
- Swedish – 2.4%
- French – 2.2%
- Dutch – 1.6
History of the State of Illinois
In what is now Illinois, the Illinois North American Indian tribes lived at least seven thousand years ago. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Illinois tribes suffered greatly from wars with the Iroquois and other northern tribes provoked by European expansion..jpg?1436794859)
As a result, they were driven out of these lands and replaced by the Potawatomi, Miami, Sauk and others tribes. A characteristic feature of the Indian settlements was the construction of earthen mounds (mounds), on the flat tops of which residential and religious buildings were built, about eighty of them have survived to this day.
The first Europeans to explore the lands of the “Prairie State” were the French Jacques Marquette and Louis Jollier. In 1673 they went up the Illinois River and scouted a route to Lake Michigan. In 1682, the French built Fort St. Louis on the banks of the Illinois River. Perched on a high hill, this log-palisade settlement was a base for French soldiers, hunters and merchants for several decades.
The French practically did not master the “Country of Illinois” (as the territory of the modern states of Illinois, Indiana and Missouri were called at that time), limiting themselves only to hunting and trading with the Indians. In 1763, after the end of the French and Indian War, the rights to the lands of Illinois (as well as all the North American colonies of France located east of the Mississippi) passed to Great Britain.
The British, like the French, did not leave a noticeable mark in the history of the state. In 1778, during the Revolutionary War, the British were expelled from these places by the Kentucky militia under the command of J. R. Clark, and the territory became part of Virginia. In 1809The US government created the Illinois Territory, which included, in addition to Illinois proper, Wisconsin, eastern Minnesota, and western Upper Michigan. In 1803, Fort Dearborn was built on the shores of Lake Michigan near the mouth of the Chicago River, named after the US Secretary of War. The fort was destroyed in 1812 during the war with Great Britain and rebuilt again in 1816. Around the fort, the city of Chicago gradually grew, which today has become the largest city in the state and the third largest in population. During Prohibition, Chicago became infamous for its organized crime, the most famous of which was Al Capone. On December 3, 1818, Illinois became the twenty-first state of the United States.
The first capital of the new state was the city of Kaskaskia, located on the Mississippi, in 1820 it was transferred to Vandalia, and in 1839- in Springfield. Since its founding, Illinois has remained a “free” state, in which slavery was legally prohibited, although in fact a number of black slaves lived on the estates of wealthy landowners (mainly in the south of the state, in the region known as “Little Egypt”). In Illinois, the political career of one of the most famous anti-slavery fighters and the sixteenth US President, Abraham Lincoln, began.
Illinois Attractions
There are more forests in the south of the state, it is here that one of the largest forests is located (more than 1000 km 2
) protected forests in the US – Shawnee National Forest.
“Garden of the Gods” in Shawnee National Forest
Waterfall at Starved Illinois Rock Park
Mississippi River in Alton, Illinois.
Cahokia Mounds Historic Site.
Indian Burial East of St. Louis
Lake Michigan
Chicago is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan, at the very beginning of the canalized waterway from the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River
Chicago is the birthplace of Hemingway and skyscrapers eight-meter sculpture “Marilyn Forever”
Sears Tower (1970-1973, height – 442 m, with antenna – 527 m, the tallest building in the United States and the third on the planet
Old Water Tower, Chicago. The main historical landmark of Chicago is the Water Tower – one of the few buildings that survived the “Great Fire” of 1871 (now it houses a tourist information center).
Illinois State Capitol in Springfield
The state capital, the city of Springfield, is the very place that gave the whole state one of its nicknames – “Lincoln Land”. Young Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) practiced here as a lawyer from 1837.
- Three US Presidents have chosen Illinois as their political base: Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses Grant and Barack Obama.
- In the US state of Illinois, a bill has been passed that requires dating sites to check the past of users for relations with the law. This measure is introduced to protect consumers. Criminal records will be checked through government databases.
- The Art Institute of Chicago is one of the finest collections of fine arts in the United States. It has unique paintings by Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artists. The museum’s collection also includes paintings by Rembrandt and Hals.
- The Smokefree Workplace Act was one of the first in the US to be passed in Illinois, with nearly three-quarters of the state’s citizens supporting it.
- In the city of Morton, is the “pumpkin capital” of the world. In 2010, in preparation for Halloween, festival participants in Illinois simultaneously lit 32,000 pumpkins.
- The longest bar in the world is 208.5 meters long and is located in a bar in Rock Island, Illinois.
- The tallest man in the world ever recorded in the history of mankind – Robert Wadlow, was born in Alton, Illinois, at 1918. He reached the final height of 8 feet 11 inches at the age of twenty-one, and died of inflammation of the legs.
He reached the final height of 8 feet 11 inches at the age of twenty-one, and died of inflammation of the legs. Ridiculous and ridiculous laws of the state of Illinois
Sculpture Cloud Gate Perhaps the most favorite tourist attraction in Chicago. Sculpture Cloud Gate is located in the business district of Chicago, on the territory of Millennium Park. The original attraction is often referred to as the “big Chicago bean”. Well, the real name that the sculptor gave to his creation is translated into Russian as “Cloud Gate” (Cloud Gate). Cloud Gate is a voluminous, oval, curved arch sculpture, which is made of steel polished to a mirror effect, due to which, on the surface there is a distorted reflection of both the people themselves and the skyscrapers surrounding the sculpture, as well as clouds.
Willis Tower It is in the city of Chicago that the skyscraper is located, which until 1998 held the title of the tallest building in the world. We are talking about the Willis Tower – a 108-storey skyscraper with a height of 413 meters.
It was this building, after the completion of its construction in 1974, that took away the title of the tallest skyscraper in the world not from anyone, but from the New York towers – the Twins! Moreover, today the Willis Tower remains the second tallest skyscraper in the United States, second only to the Freedom Tower in New York.
Millennium Park Where in Chicago can you have a good time, take a break from the bustle of the city, take a walk in an unusual place, enjoying the surrounding nature, the beauty of landscapes and architecture? Any tourist who has been here will certainly answer that this place is Millennium Park. Bursting with green plantings and perfectly trimmed lawns, the 10-hectare city park is located on the shores of Lake Michigan and is a true oasis amid skyscrapers and the hustle and bustle of city life.
Chicago Skydeck Observation Deck, located at an altitude of 412 meters in the second tallest skyscraper in America – Willis Tower. Skydeck Observation Deck is a whole floor with transparent walls, which offers absolutely incredible and stunning views of the city of Chicago, its environs and the great Lake Michigan.
Chicago Skydeck was opened in 1974 and has been one of Chicago’s top attractions ever since. A high-speed elevator will take you from the entrance lobby of the skyscraper to the level of the site in a record 55 seconds.
John Hancock Center Or “Big John” as Chicagoans often refer to it, is a hundred-story skyscraper located in Chicago, in an area of the city called Stritterville, two blocks from the shore of Lake Michigan, near the Military -sea port. The high-rise building is a well-known landmark of Chicago and attracts tourists with its unusual appearance, as well as an observation deck located at a level of 300 meters. Part of the observation platform in winter is reserved for the construction of an ice rink, which, due to its location on one of the upper floors of a skyscraper, is the highest ice rink in the world.
Buckingham Fountain This is one of the most impressive sights in Chicago. The Buckingham Fountain is located in the center of Grand Park and really impresses with its size and beauty, from a distance resembling a huge wedding cake with pyramidal shapes.
In fact, the fountain is a monument to a specific person. It was given to the city of Chicago by a wealthy resident named Kate Buckingham. Thus, she immortalized the memory of her untimely deceased brother Clarence, to whom Kate was strongly attached.
A 100,000 m² urban green oasis in downtown Chicago. It was created at the beginning of the 21st century and almost immediately gained popularity for its original design, convenience and beauty of landscapes. Unusual sculptures, art objects and installations are scattered throughout the park. The territory hosts exhibitions of contemporary art. Under the park there is a railway station and a large underground car park.
The unique fountain in Millennium Park, designed by Jaume Plens, is a real engineering find. The design is a video installation placed on large facade screens, from which jets of water splash out. The image on the screens is constantly changing and is reflected in the water surface of the black marble pool.
To implement this solution, quite complex technical research was required.
Sculpture in Millennium Park. The locals have nicknamed it the “mirror bean” because the outline of the structure really resembles a bean. The object has become one of the symbols of progressive Chicago, the avant-garde of contemporary art and the territory of inspiration for trendy artists. The design of the sculpture was developed by the master Anish Kapoor invited from London.
An embankment stretching along Lake Michigan for several hundred meters. The pier was built at the beginning of the 20th century for purely practical purposes – to provide logistics along the river and lake. In parallel, tourist ferries were launched. Very soon, the inhabitants chose this place and began to arrange picnics there. Over time, cafes, well-equipped playgrounds, gardens, shops and attractions appeared.
Paris has the Champs Elysees, New York has Fifth Avenue, and Chicago has the Magnificent Mile.
This is a shopping street, one of the sections of Michigan Avenue, around which the most prestigious areas of the city are located. In these places, real estate costs fabulous money. Shops, hotels and restaurants are concentrated on the Magnificent Mile, there are always a lot of people here – both residents and visitors to Chicago.
School and museum founded in 1879 by an organization of American artists. At 189In the 3rd year, the organization received a new building, which is still located. The museum exhibits a rich collection of impressionists (Monet, Renoir, Cezanne), as well as works by Picasso, Matisse, Warhol and many other worthy masters. Also at the Art Institute of Chicago, you can look at exhibitions of weapons, photography, African art and Asian culture.
An unusual museum and at the same time a research center for the Western Hemisphere. It is located in a building built for the opening of the World Exhibition in 1893 years. The exhibits are shown in dynamics, many copies are made in full size.
For children, there is a reduced copy of the railway, which functions like a real one, and a puppet palace.
Museum complex on the shores of Lake Michigan, which houses collections dedicated to the natural history of the planet. The exposition has about 20 million copies, so even a cursory inspection will take several days. The space of the museum is divided into thematic areas: anthropology, geology, zoology. A valuable relic of the Field Museum is the largest surviving skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Rex.
A space theater and museum built with funds from retired businessman Max Adler. The first visitors were admitted to the planetarium in 1930. Thanks to the generous donations of the former businessman, quite a large number of navigational and astronomical mechanisms were purchased for the exposition. The Chicago Planetarium is the first planetarium in the United States.
Huge aquarium on the Chicago Museum campus. It is considered one of the largest indoor aquariums in the world.
It contains huge whales, sharks, penguins, crocodiles, octopuses and a considerable number of various fish. In addition to marine life, iguanas, snakes, birds, otters, fur seals live in the Shedd Aquarium – more than 2000 species of animals and 25 thousand individuals in total.
A complex where exhibitions, presentations, shows and other cultural events are constantly held. The Chicago Children’s Choir also performs here. The center opened at the end of the 19th century. At first it housed the Chicago Public Library and the Veterans Union. Later, both organizations moved to other places, and the building received the status of an urban cultural center open to all comers.
Cultural monument of the early XX century, one of the important art centers in Chicago. From the very opening, the theater was used very widely, it hosted concerts, shows of magicians, theatrical performances, performances of comedians. A lot of people always gathered for the performances, as the site very quickly won people’s love.
Today, the popularity of the theater remains at a high level; artists from all over the States come here on tour.
The Chicago skyscraper, which was considered the tallest in the world until 2009 (then the championship passed to the Sears Tower). It should be noted that the tallest skyscrapers in America have always been built in Chicago. Willis Tower consists of 110 floors, the height of the building is 442 meters, and together with antennas on the roof – 527 meters. Bruce Graham was the chief architect of this grandiose project. The structure up to the 90th floor is supported by a system of powerful internal supports.
A 100-story skyscraper, another grandiose high-rise building in Chicago. Among the locals, the name “Big John” is firmly attached to the skyscraper. Construction was completed by 1970. On the 94th floor there is an observation deck, from where you can look at Chicago from a truly “mind-blowing” angle. Inside the skyscraper is divided into a business part and residential areas.
Arena for the most popular sport in the USA. The stadium always gathers full stands of fans during numerous cups. Wrigley Field has been the home ground of the Chicago Cubs for over 100 years. The stadium is an open space with stands installed around the perimeter. On the roofs of the surrounding houses, enterprising owners also organized places for spectators.
Lake Michigan Zoo, one of the oldest in the New World. It opened in the middle of the 19th century. Now the zoo is one of the most popular attractions in Chicago, it is open seven days a week on a very convenient schedule. A comfortable and natural habitat has been created for the animals, sometimes it seems that they just roam among the trees and can easily approach visitors.
A picturesque architectural composition on the territory of Grath Park. The fountain was built with private funds from one of the bankers. The sculptural group is made in the Rococo style and from a distance resembles a wedding cake.
The four layers of this “cake” symbolize the states surrounding Michigan, and the jets of water are the lake itself. In the warm season, light shows are arranged here, in which several light sources take part.
One of the oldest buildings in the city, dating back to 1869. The tower survived the “great fire” of 1871, during which almost the entire city was destroyed. Several times they tried to demolish it, but the residents stood up for the structure. It is believed that the ghost of the caretaker lives in the tower. During the fire, he climbed to the very top and hanged himself to avoid an agonizing death from the fire.
The river connects the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico, the total length of the channel is a little over 250 km. As a result of the rapid industrial development of Chicago in the 19th century, the waters of the river were heavily polluted, after heavy rains and floods, epidemics flared up in the city. At 1900 the channel was redirected to the Mississippi River basin.
There are 38 drawbridges across the Chicago River within the city limits.
The largest freshwater lake in the United States, part of the Great Lakes system. The Michigan Territory lies entirely within the United States, unlike other lakes. The reservoir is called the “third coast of the States” after the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, as there are excellent sandy beaches. You can swim in the lake all summer, even at the end of August the water remains quite warm.
Chicago (Americans pronounce “Shikagou” with the accent on the second syllable) is the 3rd most populous city in the US with over 2.7 million residents (2,718,782 as of 2013). At the same time, together with the suburbs, the city forms an agglomeration (metropolitan area), numbering more than 9.6 million people.
Informally, Chicagoans refer to the city and its suburbs as “Chicagoland”. It is worth noting that even the locals did not agree on exactly what territory Chicagoland covers, it is important that, like in many large US cities, the city itself smoothly flows into crowded suburban areas.
And speaking of Chicago, one must also mean its suburbs.
Located on the southwestern shores of Lake Michigan, Chicago has a relatively short but turbulent history. Being not only the largest city in the entire Midwest, today it is the largest transport, industrial, economic and cultural center of North America. As a Democratic stronghold, many well-known politicians have come out of Chicago, including Barack Obama (senator from Illinois). In recent years, Chicago has acquired the status of one of the world’s financial centers. O’Hare International Airport occupies an honorable 2nd place in the list of the world’s busiest airports in terms of takeoffs and landings (2008). In 2007 alone, 1.15 million foreign tourists visited the city, in addition to 32.8 million compatriots.
Chicago is known for its unsurpassed architecture, excellent cuisine, and many opportunities for recreation and leisure. Situated on an area of 60,000 hectares, the city has many park areas.
Only in the city itself, in addition to the suburbs, the area of parks is 3,000 hectares. Chicago has a reputation for being one of the most exciting cities to explore on foot. Each of the districts of the city (neighbourhoods) has its own unique look and character. District Loop (Loop) or in Russian “loop” – the central business district of the city. It is home to the city’s leading museums and theaters, as well as first-class shopping on State Street. Most skyscrapers are located in the Loop area. In addition to the Loop, the river divides Chicago into three main parts: the North Side (North Side), the West Side (West Side) and the South Side (South Side).
Some of Chicago’s iconic landmarks include the John Hancock Center skyscraper, the Millennium Park fountain and Cloud Gate sculpture
mile.” Streeterville, Old Town, the Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, Lakeview are places where you can find unique shops and restaurants, as well as get in touch with the nightlife of the city.
Art galleries, as well as trendy clubs in the areas – River North, Bucktown, Wicker Park. You can get acquainted with ethnic cuisine and buy souvenirs in Greektown, Little Italy, Chinatown. In addition, you can find German enclaves in Lincoln Square, and Swedish enclaves in Andersonville. The South Side is home to the University of Chicago and the Museum of Science and Industry. It also hosts the largest city parades.
The skyscrapers of the Loop and a view of the Gold Coast at night
Chicago statistics for 2013
Racial composition:
- White – 02.61%
- African American – 31.4%
- Hispanics – 28.8%
- Asian – 6.0%
- Mixed race – 1.5%
- Indians – 0.1%
Income and housing:
- Average per capita income – $28548
- Average cost of a house – $211400
- Average rental price – $943
- Unemployment (June 2014) – 8.2%
- Residents living below the poverty line – 23. 0%
0%
Chicago Facts
- City area – 237 square miles
- Shoreline along Lake Michigan within city limits – 26 miles
- Total length of bathing beaches – 15 miles
- Number of parks – more than 550
- Number of theaters – more than 200
- Number of art galleries – more than 200
- Number of restaurants – more than 7300
- Total number of annual parades in Chicago – 36
The status of the “Gangster City” confirms that the sights in the United States are traditionally the exact match of the specifics of a particular city in America. The scale and uniqueness of the cultural heritage of Chicago will leave no questions in terms of what to see in the USA.
What is the first thing to see in Chicago?
The city, whose fame and popularity fly ahead of itself, will provide the experienced tourist with a portion of fresh and unforgettable impressions.
So, a trip to the States is definitely not possible without a visit to Chicago.
1. Millennium Park
North view of the park from Aon Center in Chicago J. Crocker
7. Willis Tower
View of the Chicago skyscraper Willis Tower at dusk
Places of interest in the United States have undergone many changes over the past century. For example, in the 20th century, the Willis Tower
proudly held the status of the tallest building in the world. Lead by Bruce
Graham
– chief architect of the construction process Willis
—tower
, the construction of the tower was solemnly completed at 1973 year. In terms of structural features, the tower features a square base made up of nine square tubes, while a system of heavy internal supports supports the entire structure. Today, the tower houses many trading companies and offices of television and radio broadcasting.
8. John Hancock Center
John Hancock Center – 100-story skyscraper in Chicago
The main attractions of Chicago, briefly described as “high-rise buildings”, make an incredible impression not only from the visual perfection of the design, but also from their structural feature.
Hancock Center
filled with trendy boutiques, restaurants and shops. What makes this high-rise building special is its design: the inside of the skyscraper is literally empty. The structure received the American Institute of Architecture’s Quarter-Century Award for Outstanding Durability and Reliability in Architectural Design.
9. Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago Main Building in Grant Park vagueonthehow
Art Institute of Chicago Main Staircase Leon petrosyan
Chicago Landmarks –
is, first of all, a complex of unique high-rise buildings and cultural and educational centers. The Art Institute of Chicago is not just a place where the anvil of contemporary world art is forged, but also a full-fledged art museum with unique exhibits. A collection of vast impressionistic heritage of American culture is showcased in the spectrum of the city’s contemporary cultural environment. In addition, this is one of the oldest educational institutions in the United States, which is famous for its cohort of famous teachers and alumni.
10. Museum of Modern Art
Center facade of the Museum of Modern Art Chicago Céline
Exhibition detail at the Museum of Modern Art Chicago Phil Roeder
One of the world’s largest museums, with a huge and stunning collection of post-war fine art. The museum is located in the heart of Chicago. The landmark was founded in 1967. The museum was designed by Joseph Kleihues
who created a unique and amazing building in the central area of the city.
11. Field Museum of Natural History
North facade of the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago Ancheta Wis
Stanley Field Hall, view from above
If newcomers are interested in what to visit in Chicago in the first place, then the natural history museum will be the first and correct decision. Built in 1893, the museum managed to create a unique exposition of stunning historical artifacts. Among the exhibits of the museum: “Sue
“- a full-fledged skeleton of a tyrannosaurus rex, a huge, priceless collection of dinosaurs and exhibits dedicated to the native inhabitants of the United States – the Indians.
12. Museum of Science and Industry
Museum of Science and Industry near Lake Michigan in Chicago
Aviation Hall at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago Wilhelm Joys Andersen
German submarine U-505 in the hall of the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago Learjet
Chicago attractions, mostly , are cultural institutions of various types. Among them, there is a unique museum, which presents exhibits of a very interesting purpose. The structure is an elongated domed top, a kind of pantheon. The exhibits of the exhibition premises represent different historical periods of the United States. One of the most amazing exhibitions is the exposition dedicated to the Second World War. Thus, the museum presents a German submarine, which was captured during the successful operation of the American forces. In addition, in the museum you can enjoy the majestic and the first of its kind, a diesel train, as well as a spaceship.
13. Chicago Cultural Center
The Chicago Cultural Center is one of the most visited places in the city of Chicago. Victorgrigas
Preston Bradley Main Staircase and Tiffany Dome Hall at the Chicago Daderot Cultural Center. Tiffany stained glass dome with zodiac signs in the center Rob Saker
14. DuSable Museum of African American History
Wide staircase in front of the Dusable Museum in Chicago TonyTheTiger
Connoisseurs of historical documents and the history of African American struggle
for rights in the US will no doubt be shocked by the huge thematic display. The exhibition contains documentation that reveals the history of Africans in North America. The museum widely covers the life of African Americans
, as well as the peculiarities of the culture of this people, the history of slavery, struggle and suffering.
15. Adler Planetarium and Museum of Astronomy
“Man goes into space” sculpture at the Adler Planetarium and Astronomical Museum in Chicago
What to see in Chicago after the many museum complexes and countless high-rise buildings? In this case, it is undoubtedly worth visiting another cult place – the planetarium.
The Chicago Planetarium is the first planetarium in the United States and is located on Chicago’s North Island.
16. Shedd Aquarium
Part of the Wild Reef exhibit at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago Sage Ross
17. Botanical Garden
One of the landscapes of the Chicago Botanic Garden
A beautiful green corner of the Chicago Botanic Garden
The Japanese Garden on the grounds of the Botanical Garden
Rhododendrons of the Chicago Botanic Garden
Aspiring botanists should definitely visit this perfect botanical garden. The bearer of the status of the largest garden in the whole country, is located in the suburbs of Chicago and is characterized by the presence of a huge collection of rare plant species.
18. Lincoln Park Zoo
Chicago Lincoln Park Zoo on Lake Michigan IIP Photo Archive
Polar bear at Chicago Lincoln Park Zoo Cosmo1976
Zoo’s large grounds, many animal species on display, and downtown location – parameters that determine the degree of prestige of this place.
Entrance to the zoo is free.
19. Buckingham Fountain
Clarence Buckinge Memorial Fountain in Grant Park at night
The stunning Buckingham Fountain is located in Grant Park in Chicago. The “entrance gate” of the city must be seen with one’s own eyes, since the rococo sculptural group is infinitely huge and perfect.
20. Wrigley Field Baseball Stadium
Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs redlegsfan21
American tradition embodied in a large, prestigious and modern stadium. Team Chicago Cubs
» regularly performs at this place and continues to delight the fans with a beautiful and impressive game.
Chicago Attractions: What else to see in Chicago?
Based on the above Chicago attractions photos with names and descriptions, you can plan your trip to the USA with confidence. However, you should not stop there, because the number of outstanding places was not limited to this.
21. Water tower
Historic Chicago Water Tower Adsitm
Chicago Water Tower is the only remaining piece of old Chicago 19century. It now houses a gallery displaying the work of local photographers.
22. Water Tower Place Mall
Escalators at Water Tower Place Brion VIBBER
Water Tower Place is a seven-story building on Michigan Avenue. shopping
, branded
shops and delicious food – that’s what awaits the guests of this huge skyscraper.
23. Willis Tower observation deck
Chicago landscapes from the glass balcony of the observation deck of the skyscraper Willis Tower Olga Bandelowa
Skydeck
platform on top of Willis
Tower
will allow you to survey the vast Chicago land and feel the power and spirit of American freedom.
24. Chicago River
Bridge over the Chicago River in downtown Chicago
Originally, the natural course of the river directed the flow into Lake Michigan, but, by mutual decision of the authorities, engineering work was done to change the direction of the river towards the south.
25. Lake Michigan
City skyline of Chicago with Lake Michigan
The largest northern lake in the United States is Michigan. The beautiful and unique water surface of the lake will complement the pleasant experience of visiting Chicago.
City of modern architecture, bizarre sculptures and majestic natural reservoirs. Restaurants, newfangled branded
boutiques and hotels in Chicago are indicators of the excellence and progress of the city. Read also about and get inspired for your next trip to the USA.
Magnificent America | Tour operator “Kilimanjaro”: travel and tours in Africa
-
Day
April 123
Moscow – New York
10:10 Departure from Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport to New York by Aeroflot flight SU 100
12:15 Arrival in New York.
Transfer airport – hotel.
Hotel accommodation.
New York – Big Apple, City of contrasts, Second Rome, and finally – the Capital of the World!
New York is a free-spirited city of contrasts.
The city of the “Big Apple” – as the Americans lovingly call it, is the center of American and all world capital, the unprecedented luxury of Manhattan and the poverty of colored quarters are concentrated here. The city does not fall asleep for a minute, yellow taxis scurry about endlessly here. New York City has absorbed the features of American life so strongly, like a sponge, that getting to know it is getting to know all of the USA. The expression “New York is a Big Apple” originated among jazz musicians who had a proverb: “There are a lot of apples on the tree of success, but if you managed to conquer New York, you got a big apple.” And according to another version: the first tree planted by the settlers and bearing fruit was an apple tree. Therefore, the “apple” has become a symbol of New York.
New York – a city that can give a complete picture of all the modern diversity of culture and art, nationalities and religions.
The main advantage of this huge metropolis is its diversity, thanks to which it always knows how to present exactly the side of its character that will appeal to you: fashionable boutiques or museums, mirrored skyscrapers or ancient buildings, the voices of the Metropolitan Opera or hip hop parties
In addition, New York is a concentration of monuments of culture and art, huge shopping centers, beautiful parks, world-famous concert halls and trendy nightclubs.
New York is also considered the main financial and economic center of the entire globe and causes the most conflicting feelings – from delight and adoration to hatred and envy.
Here everyone can find something unusual and attractive, as well as feel like a part of something incredibly global and majestic
-
Day 224 April
New York
Breakfast at the hotel
New York City Sightseeing Tour with Statue of Liberty Cruise
The tour includes: The Monuments of Battery Park overlooking the Statue of Liberty.
Downtown, September 11 Memorial, famous Wall Street, Stock Exchange building. A trip along the Embankment to the South Seaport, from where you can see the panorama of bridges, including the famous Brooklyn Bridge. Visit Times Square, Broadway Theater Quarter, United Nations, Rockefeller Center. Inspection of the Performing Arts Center – Lincoln Center, then you will see the famous Opera House – Metropolitan Opera, Central Park, the famous Fifth Avenue, theatrical Broadway, the museum district. Liberty Enlightening the World is the main symbol of New York and the entire United States, as well as one of the most famous sculptures. This is a gift from French citizens for the centenary of the American Revolution. The Statue of Liberty is located on Liberty Island, 3 km southwest of the southern tip of Manhattan. The statue holds a torch in its right hand and a tablet in its left. The inscription on the tablet reads “eng. JULY IV MDCCLXXVI” (written in Roman numerals the date “July 4, 1776”), this date is the day the United States Declaration of Independence was adopted.
With one foot, “Freedom” stands on broken chains. The statue is open to visitors, usually arriving by ferry. The crown, which can be reached by stairs, offers extensive views of New York Harbor. The museum, located in the pedestal, houses an exhibition of the history of the statue. The museum can be reached by lift.
Overnight at a hotel in New York
-
Day 325 April
New York
Breakfast at the hotel
Free day in New York.
You can see the sights of the city, attend concerts or shows, go shopping.
Attractions.
– The Empire State Building, Chrysler Building and Woolworth are impressive skyscrapers. – – The Rockefeller Center, which is a large-scale complex of 19 buildings and underground galleries, is recognized as a prominent monument of modern architecture.
– Also one of the most famous buildings in New York is the Brooklyn Bridge, which connects the Brooklyn and Manhattan districts.
It is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the country and is especially beautiful at night when it lights up with bright lights. – Well, the title of the main religious building of the city is St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the height of the towers is about 100 meters.
– The most famous square in New York is considered to be Times Square, the main feature of which is a lot of various illuminated advertisements.
– No less famous is Broadway Street, where a huge number of theaters (Metropolitan Opera, Carnegie Hall, etc.) are located, famous for their musicals.
– And the best place to relax was the Central Park, on the territory of which there is a zoo, children’s carousels, variety sites, a lake with a boat station, artificial pools and ponds.
– In addition, New York is famous for its museums, which simply cannot be counted here. Moreover, their lion’s share is located on the so-called Museum Mile, where almost every street has a museum.
Of these, the most famous and popular are: – Guggenheim Museum of Contemporary Art;
– Madame Tussauds;
– Metropolitan Museum of Art;
– Barrio Museum.
Overnight at a hotel in New York
-
Day 426 April
New York – Philadelphia – Washington
Breakfast at the hotel.
Moving to Philadelphia .
Philadelphia – the fifth largest city in the US, Pennsylvania, located on the east coast between New York (140 km) and Washington (200 km).
Philadelphia is America’s largest economic, political and tourist center. It is a popular city with travelers from all over the world. There are many attractions that are reminiscent of the most significant events in the history of America.
Philadelphia is called “the city of brotherly love”. After all, this is how its name is translated from Greek.
And the locals simply call their city “Fili”. First of all, Philadelphia is the city that William Penn chose as a model of religious freedom and colonial enterprise, and where Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson championed the cause of independence. But it’s also the quiet, staid city that comedian William Claude Fields made an unflattering comment about when he chose the words “Better than playing Philadelphia” as his epitaph on his tombstone, and where the master of horror storytelling Edgar Allan Poe composed his famous poem “The Raven.” .
Although the modern city has a diverse Jewish and Italian community, it is based on Anglo-Saxon roots, which gives it a certain arrogance. As Mark Twain said: “In Boston they ask: “What does he know?”, in New York: “What is he worth?”, in Philadelphia: “Who were his parents?”
During the sightseeing tour you will be able to see: Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Old City, the oldest street in the USA, Rodin Museum, Dupont Gardens
– Independence Hall – a historical monument that the whole state of Philadelphia (USA) is proud of.
Within the walls of this building in the XVIII century. decisions were made that determined the fate of the entire state. Independence Hall proclaimed the Declaration of Independence and adopted the first US Constitution. The building itself was built shortly before these events – in 1753. Initially, the building, erected in the Georgian style, was intended for meetings of the state government. Today, Independence Hall is the most popular tourist attraction in the city. The tour of the palace starts from the Courtroom. Then visitors enter the room where the Continental Congress met, which declared the independence of the United States. Today, the interior of the room from the time when the most important documents for America were signed is completely recreated here. In addition, in Independence Hall you can see George Washington’s antique chair, his silver inkwell and other personal items of the first US president. – The Liberty Bell is rightfully considered a symbol of the independence of the state.
It is exhibited on the territory of Independence Hall in a separate pavilion. The Liberty Bell was the first to notify the people of Philadelphia of America’s independence. Initially, the object was installed in the bell tower of Independence Hall. Today, in its place is the Century Bell, cast for the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the declaration of independence. Every tourist can climb the tower and see it with their own eyes. In addition, the bell tower offers a stunning view of the heart of the city – Independence Square. – Christ Church – One of Philadelphia’s major historical landmarks, Christ Church, an Episcopal church in Philadelphia’s Old Town. Founded in 1695 as a ward of the Church of England, it was instrumental in establishing the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States. From 1754 to 1810, the 60-meter bell tower was the tallest structure in North America.
Notable church members included George Washington and Betsy Ross, and Benjamin Franklin lies buried in the churchyard next to the church.
– Elfreth’s Alley is the oldest street in the United States, on 32 Street houses that retain the flavor of a bygone era, which were built between 1728 and 1836. On the same street is the building of the old station, from which you get the impression that it floated out of the Great Depression. The alley is a National Historic Landmark.
Elfret Alley is named after Jeremiah Elfret, a local blacksmith who had a house on this street. Among the inhabitants of which were merchants and members of their families. A separate tour is conducted along the street as part of the Philadelphia tour, during the tour you can feel the real atmosphere of the 18th century, on the street where each house is unique in its own way.
– Rodin Museum – The largest collection of works by the sculptor Auguste Rodin outside Paris, this elegant museum was founded by collector Jules Mastbaum, who died before the museum opened its doors at 1929, the interior of the museum is full of marble inlays and tall windows, the façade of the Rodin Museum looks out over a French garden laid out by French landscape designer Jacques Grebe.
The Rodin Museum displays more than 140 works by the French sculptor in bronze, marble and plaster. In front of the entrance to the museum stands the sculptor’s most famous work, The Thinker.
– DuPont Gardens – one of the best landscape gardening ensembles in the USA, with its greenhouses and fountains, waterfalls, gardens and glades, as well as the famous “conservatory” with “hanging gardens”.
More than 11,000 of the most diverse plants are collected here – in flowerbeds, lawns, in 20 outdoor and 20 winter gardens.
Who is this genius? Pierre Dupont (1870-1954) – Chairman of the DuPont and General Motors companies, great-grandson of Eluther Ireni Dupont, who fled from the French Revolution to America and founded the very chemical corporation DuPont de Nemours.
Pierre Dupont was an extraordinary person: the broadest outlook and encyclopedic education combined in him with the daydreaming of a child.
Collecting all over the world and growing the most outlandish plants was his hobby. Arrival at Washington in the evening.
Overnight at a hotel in Washington DC
-
Day 527 April
Washington
Breakfast at the hotel.
Washington – the capital of one of the most powerful world powers, the center of American democracy and a symbol city for every US citizen. All the power structures of the country are located in Washington: the Congress, the Pentagon, the IMF, the World Bank, the presidential administration.
This city is interesting for tourists because here you can learn a lot about the history of the United States and understand what the “American spirit” is. The best achievements of culture are exhibited in numerous museums, monuments to the first presidents adorn wide avenues, the majestic Capitol building hovers over the city as a symbol of democracy and freedom.
Washington is a unique city in many ways. It organically combines pretentious state buildings with spacious landscapes and greenery of lush parks. The main monument of the city is the Washington Monument. According to an unwritten rule, no building in the capital should be higher than this obelisk. That is why there are no skyscrapers in Washington DC.
Washington captures with its severity and solemnity. Crowds of people, crazy traffic and round-the-clock non-stop – all this remained in New York. Washington DC has its own special charm.
Washington Sightseeing Tour
During the Sightseeing Tour you will be able to see: The White House, Capitol, Embassy Road, Lincoln Memorial, Arlington Cemetery.
– White House – a fairly modest white building that houses the US Presidential Administration. The mansion was built in 1800 under the second American President John Adams.
The building consists of six floors (including basement and basement). Two floors are occupied by the family of the incumbent president, the rest are administrative offices, reception halls, dining rooms. Along with the tour, you can see the historical chambers of the White House: Blue, Green, Red rooms and some others. – Capitol – the building of the US Congress, located on the hill of the same name. It appeared along with the White House in 1800. The building was built in a solemn classical style. The name “Capitol” was borrowed from the Roman Empire, and a deep meaning was invested in it. As the ancient Capitol Hill towered over the Eternal City, so the American Capitol claims universal dominance.
– Embassy Road – one of the avenues where foreign embassies are located.
– The Lincoln Memorial is a complex located within the National Mall.
It is dedicated to President Abraham Lincoln. The idea to erect a monument to commemorate the 16th president arose immediately after Lincoln’s death, but the memorial did not appear until 1922. The building of the complex is somewhat reminiscent of the ancient Greek Parthenon. The 36-column column symbolizes the 36 states (during Lincoln’s presidency, there were only 36 states). , an integral part of the city are memorials dedicated to the presidents of Jefferson, Roosevelt, Washington
– Arlington National cemetery – a cemetery where soldiers were buried in the Civil War 1865. Over time, this place became the last refuge for several American presidents. John Kennedy and his wife are buried here. The cemetery is located on a picturesque plain and attracts attention with slender rows of white memorial plates. Every year a solemn procession lays flowers on the graves.
Overnight at a hotel in Washington DC
-
Day 628 April
Washington – Shenandoah National Park – Roanoke
Breakfast at the hotel
Departure from Washington via scenic Skyline Drive and Shenandoah National Park.
– Skyline Drive extends 170 km from north to south through Shenandoah Park, America’s natural treasure. In these parts of the state of Virginia, nature appears in its original form – the way Columbus once saw it.
There are 75 lookouts along the route, offering stunning views of the Shenandoah to the west and the foothills of the mountain range to the east.
Keep your eyes on the road while enjoying the views: deer, bears and other owners of the forest call the Shenandoah their home and cross the road every day.
– Shenandoah National Park . – US National Park, occupying part of the Blue Ridge ridge slope of the Appalachian Mountains, west of Washington in Virginia. From the west it is bounded by the valley of the Shenandoah River, from the east by the hills of Piedmont. A highway known as Skyline Drive runs along the crest of the hill, but 40% of the park is untouched by human activity.
Founded in 1926. The park was opened on December 26, 1935. The total area of the park is 805.39 km². The highest point of the park is Mount Hawksbill with a height of 1235 m.
The park protects a natural complex of pine forests with oak and magnolia on the slopes of the mountain range with the poetic name of the Blue Mountains. There are about 100 species of trees and several hundred other plants in the forests of the park. The fauna includes such animals as black bear, lynx, white-tailed deer, wapiti, skunk, opossum, raccoon, marmot and other animals, as well as numerous birds, including wild turkey and collared hazel grouse.
The waterfalls are perhaps the biggest attraction of the park. The highest of them, Overall Run, has a drop height of 29 m. A footpath from the highway leads to it; one way trip is about 5 km.
Roanoke is a city in the North American state of Virginia.
The Roanoke River flows through the city, to which the city owes its name. In our time, this city is the commercial and cultural center of a number of surrounding areas of Virginia.
Due to its convenient location among vast pastures, rich tobacco plantations and iron mines, from an insignificant village quickly became a significant trading city; has banks and an opera, is lit by electricity. Extensive machine-building, metal-rolling, locomotive, car-building and sawmill factories, canned meat factories and much more.
Overnight at the hotel in Roanoke.
-
day 729 April
Roanoke – Asheville
Breakfast at the hotel
Transfer from Roanoke along one of the most beautiful roads in the USA – Blue Ridge Parkway . Visit to Biltmore Castle .
Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the most beautiful roads in the United States. America’s Favorite Drive is what the Americans call the Blue Ridge Parkway.
The road begins in Washington, the capital of the United States, and passes through historical sites remembered from the time of the Civil War.
Its length is about 750 km. It follows the crest of the Appalachian Mountains through Virginia and North Carolina and connects the Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks. The highest point of the route is in North Carolina, where the Rocky Mountains National Park is located. This is a great trip for lovers of leisurely driving on winding roads who want to enjoy the beauty of the surrounding nature. The absence of trucks, a small number of cars, many places to stop and rest, where you can listen to the silence and admire the mountain scenery, make the trip pleasant and unforgettable.
The journey ends in Virginia, in the Shenandoah National Park. Here is a unique road – the Dragon’s Tail. Its length is 17 km. which account for 386 turns. Blue Ridge Parkway is especially beautiful in early autumn, when the leaves are just beginning to fall.
Asheville , located on the Blue Ridge Parkway, is one of America’s finest small towns. There are art galleries, a theater, a symphony orchestra, an opera, as well as boarding houses, sanatoriums, and an agricultural market.
Famous American writer Thomas Wolfe was born and raised in Asheville. The action of his novel “Look back at your house, angel” takes place on the streets of the city. The writer’s house, where his memorial is located, now belongs to the state of North Carolina.
A special, relaxed atmosphere reigns in the city, extravagantly dressed residents of the town stroll along the streets, shop windows are full of a variety of stained-glass items.
People come here for Asheville’s uniquely inviting atmosphere, eclectic music, out-of-the-ordinary art, unique handicrafts, and breathtaking mountain charm.
Asheville is home to the largest private residence in North America Biltmore Estate is a residential complex and tourist attraction.
The estate was built by George Washington Vanderbilt II between 1889 and 1895 in the style of French Renaissance architecture in the form of a castle XVI. Its area is 16622.8 m², it is a mansion of 250 rooms. The Gilded Age estate is now owned by the descendants of George Vanderbilt II and managed by his grandson, Bill Cecil. Although the estate is privately owned, it is open to tourists, with about one million visitors a year.
In 2007, Biltmore was ranked #8 on America’s Favorite Architecture by the American Institute of Architects.
Overnight at the hotel in Asheville.
-
day 830 April
Asheville – Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Chattanooga
Breakfast at the hotel
Trip to the East Coast’s most visited Great Smoky Mountains National Park .
Great Smoky Mountains National Park , without a little – the most popular park in the US – every year more than 11 million people visit this park! Surprisingly, according to this parameter, the park bypasses even such mastodons as Yellowstone, Grand Canyon and Yosemite.
Great Smoky Mountains is translated from English as “Great Smoky Mountains”. The park got its name (smoky – smoky, smoky) because of the frequent fogs that cover the tops of the hills. Cherokee Indians called these mountains “blue”.
Located between North Carolina and Tennessee in the highest mountain range of this mountain range in the heart of the Southern Appalachians, the park was founded in 1934.
This is a huge area of mountains, waterfalls, flowers and wildlife. The park offers visitors 800 miles of well-maintained trails along which you can see bears, turkeys, marmots, raccoons and even moose, which were reintroduced to the park in 2001. It is believed that here is the largest variety of salamanders in the world. Great Smoky Park has over 1,660 species of flowering plants, more than any other national park in America. This earned the park the nickname “The Wildflower Park”.
Also, the famous Appalachian Trail passes through the territory of the protected area of the Park – the longest walking route in the world, passing along the mountain system of the Park from Maine to Georgia.
One of the main attractions of Great Smoky Mountain Park is the Falls. There are a very large number of them here. Picturesque paths (trails) will surely lead you to one of the park’s waterfalls.
The park’s trails are attractions in their own right. They are very picturesque and walking on them is a pleasure.
In June 1976, within the framework of the UNESCO “Man and the Biosphere” program, this protected natural area was awarded the status of an international biosphere reserve, in 1983 – the status of a natural World Heritage site.
City of Chattanooga – located on the border of the states of Georgia and Tennessee, located on the shores of two lakes – Chickamauga and Nickajack and is considered a popular tourist destination. Traditionally, the Cherokee Indians lived in these places – obviously, the name of the city of Chattanooga (as well as the name of Lake Chickamoga nearby) was “inherited” from them.
It is the county seat of Hamilton County. About one hundred and seventy thousand people live in the city, and if you count together with the suburbs, then more than five hundred and twenty thousand.
The city has its own university, a number of enterprises operate in such industries as the chemical and metallurgical industries, as well as mechanical engineering. Not far from the city there are several large hydroelectric power plants and nuclear power plants.
The city became famous throughout the country after the release of the film “Sun Valley Serenade” – one of the main songs performed in it is called “Train to Chattanooga”. It was written by Harry Warren (music) and Mac Gordon (lyricist).
The amazing city of Chattanooga has a number of notable assets:08 Until 1970, it was used as a terminus, and today it is a unique hotel with original lighting at night.
– The magnificent Garden of River -Galleri , located near the veterans bridge, which has beautiful and original sculptures,
– the oldest hanging bridge Walnat -Street
3, connecting the central central cities with Northshore area,
– a huge Tennessee Aquarium , consisting of two structures with original glass vaults,
– there is also a small zoo , located in the center of Warner Park, and other scenic parks.
Overnight at a hotel in Chattanooga.
-
Day 901 May
Chattanooga – Rock City Park – Atlanta
Breakfast at the hotel
Visit to the observation deck from which you can see the 7 states Lookout Mountain in Rock City
Rock City Park is located in northern Georgia at the top of Lookout Mountain, offering stunning views of the 7 surrounding states.
There are many paths in the park, many of which lead under heaps of stones through narrow passages, hence the name of the Rock City park – Stone City.
Also, the paths lead through a tension bridge that sways terribly, and installations of toy gnomes with cunning lighting. The cave of the gnomes attracts young travelers. And along with them – and their parents.
One of the main attractions of Rock City Park is the waterfall. Everyone who visits Rock City takes a photo against its background.
Clean air, great views of the surroundings, a heap of stones and paths between them – these are the main attractions of Rock City Park, located near the city of Chattanooga and , a two-hour drive from Atlanta.
And in the fall, a labyrinth is laid in the cornfield at the bottom of the park. This is a traditional autumn fun in the southern United States.
Moving to Atlanta.
Atlanta is the historic capital of Georgia and the business capital of the new South.
Atlanta has earned the playful name Hotlanta for its summer heat.
Its importance as a tourist city has been boosted by two attractions: the Georgia Aquarium and Coca-Cola World, plus a giant panda exhibit at the Atlanta Zoo. Beyond the rides, you’ll find a galaxy of restaurants, extensive knowledge of the Civil War, miles of pedestrian streets, trails and alleys, and a plethora of African-American history.
Atlanta remains a lovely city, green with its trees and beautiful with its elegant homes. Separate areas are like friendly small towns. Racial tension in “a city too busy to hate” is minimal.
The city is proud to be home to human rights titan Martin Luther King Jr. The symbol of the city is the fabulous phoenix, which has risen from the ashes. Modern prosperity came to the city after its complete destruction in 1864, when the Civil War was going on. Two years later, the central government carried out the reconstruction of the South from here, and the former liveliness is preserved here.
Atlanta is a city of skyscrapers, parks, museums, nightclubs and festivals of all kinds. Atlanta has a modern architectural look, with fine shops here and there, fashionable restaurants and lively nightclubs.
Despite the fact that the capital of the New South is very modern and elegant, it has managed to retain its unique charm in the 21st century, familiar to us from the cult film Gone with the Wind.
Atlanta proudly calls itself the center of the world’s culinary arts. Tourists can check the truth of this statement in one of the restaurants of traditional southern cuisine.
. Experienced diners can dine at The Sun Dial, located on the top floor of a 250-meter skyscraper
– Linked to Peach Square Peachtree Center you will see hanging vines and tropical plants, mirror ponds and gushing fountains.
– The High Art Museum is housed in a stunning white building, housing a rich collection of American crafts, African art and fine contemporary painting.
– Atlanta is the birthplace of Coca-Cola, so the family-friendly permanent World of Coca-Cola Exhibit introduces visitors to the history and advertising of this bubbly American icon. The drink itself is offered free of charge, and you can look into a good gift shop.
– In addition, CNN TV was born in Atlanta, and you can take a 55-minute tour of its studios in the huge CNN Center on Marietta Street, where you can look into the news service broadcasting to the whole world , whose audience is 2 billion people.
– The Martin Luther King Jr. Home Museum will leave the most touching memories.
Overnight at a hotel in Atlanta
-
Day 1002 May
Atlanta – Montgomery – Mobile – New Orleans
Breakfast at the hotel
Transfer to New Orleans.
On the way, check in the cities of Montgomery and Mobile.
Montgomery – the capital and second most populous city of Alabama located on the Alabama River (before European colonization, the Alabama tribe lived on the left bank of the river – from which the name of the state later came) , USA.
It is also the administrative center of Montgomery County of the same name. Named after General R. Montgomery, who died during the assault on Quebec during the American Revolutionary War 1775-1783.
Montgomery is a significant city in American history. In 1861, representatives of the southern states founded the Confederate States of America here, and Montgomery became the capital of the Confederation. In 1886, the tram service appeared here for the first time in the United States. At 19In the 1950s, a movement of African Americans for the abolition of racial segregation began in Montgomery, which was crowned with success. Martin Luther King, who preached at the local Baptist church, played a significant role in this. This church (Neo-Gothic Church of St. John) is an object of pilgrimage for many visitors to the city.
Other attractions in Montgomery include the local Classical Capitol building (a national treasure), the home of the only Confederate President Jefferson Davis (the “First White House of the Confederacy”), the neoclassical residence of the state governor, the Civil Rights Movement Memorial Fountain; several museums (Fine Arts, Francis Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald…), a zoo and ancient buildings.
Woodworking and cotton processing industries are developed in the city. The city’s largest employer is Maxwell Gunter Air Force Base. Montgomery is considered a training city, there are several universities and colleges on its territory and people come here to get a good education (University of Alabama, University of Aeronautics – US Air Force training center …).
Mobile is the third largest city in Alabama. It is a port in Mobile Bay on the Gulf of Mexico and the quintessence of the South.
The city is of great economic importance to the state of Alabama.
Mobile was founded in 1702 by the French under the leadership of Jean Baptiste de Bainville and was called in its entirety Fort Louis de la Mobile.
Mobile Bay was the site of the great battles of the Civil War in the 1860s. As the only seaport in the state, the city quickly developed as an export center, exporting iron ore and steel, as well as timber and agricultural products, from Birmingham.
Mobile is also one of the main bases and training centers of the US Coast Guard. The city is home to the University of South Alabama Medical Center, Springhill College, Mobile College, the 16,000-seat Community Sports and Recreation Complex, and the headquarters of American International University York.
Southerners are a special people, traditionally very nice, hospitable, friendly. Strangers in a park or a movie theater can compliment my handbag just walking by and say, “What a cool jumpsuit you have.” A cute tradition: strangers can give children a small sweet – candy or a bag of raisins.
Alabama is a safe and comfortable place to live, and not at all touristy and therefore peaceful…
New Orleans is the capital of Louisiana.
Influenced by two distinct cultures, arrogant Europeans and rabid Third Worlders, New Orleans has been called both the “Paris of the New World” and the northernmost Caribbean city.
Somehow it has long been customary that in New Orleans there is a spirit of freedom, ease of perception of what is happening, hence the second name The Big Easy and, in fact, the third – “Carefree City”. Priceless monuments in New Orleans side by side with overloaded garbage trucks and luxurious delicacies. It is the birthplace of Louis Armstrong and the cradle of jazz culture. Never be in a hurry when walking through the streets of the French Quarter in New Orleans, because at any moment you can start a spontaneous conversation with a complete stranger to you.
In 2005, New Orleans was hit by the devastating Hurricane Katrina, which killed nearly 2,000 people. But even after the hardships and hardships, the motto of the locals remains “Laissez les bons temps rouler” (“Let the good times take over”) – they rebuilt the city and enjoy life again. New Orleans is perfect for those who like to walk the streets from restaurants to souvenir shops, listen to jazz and blues.
But lovers of extreme nature can enjoy crocodile swamps and voodoo dolls. Overnight at a hotel in New Orleans
-
day May 1103
New Orleans
Breakfast at the hotel
Full day sightseeing tour of New Orleans and surroundings.
An exciting walk through the city’s old French Quarter or “Vieux Carre” and get to know its history. The diverse architectural styles and landscaping of the Garden District will introduce you to the old American part of New Orleans.
– Bourbon Street: The street was named after the Bourbon dynasty. Sting himself sang about it.
It adorns the French Quarter of New Orleans and in the evenings becomes a kind of door to the world of all kinds of entertainment.
– Jackson Square: is located in the heart of the French Quarter (former Army Square). Its cast-iron fences and gardens have been perfectly preserved since the middle of the 19th century.
Of course, the monument to Jackson himself, sitting on a rearing horse, catches the eye. The square has become the concentration of the creative stratum, this is a kind of Parisian Montmartre – a place where musicians, artists and ordinary people gather to enjoy art.
– Saint Louis Cathedral: is a building with three spiers that dominates the city. By the way, it is often from here that tourists look at the statue of Jackson, it is visible at a glance. Saint Louis Cathedral dates back to 1727.
Children of noble people were baptized in this temple, famous personalities were buried and couples were married. Unfortunately, the building burned down completely at the end of the 18th century, and a completely new one appeared in its place.
– Saint-Louis cemetery is considered one of the ancient architectural monuments. Its history is shrouded in a mass of legends and legends, according to one of which the famous voodoo queen Marie Laveau was buried in this cemetery.
To a wide circle of people, she is better known as the “Queen of Voodoo.” Many come to the grave to seek advice from the mighty Mary, others charge their amulets here and ask to be endowed with mystical power. – Royal Street: is one of the most charming streets in the French Quarter.
At the beginning of the colonial era, the financial center of the city was located here, as well as its main street. Today, this picturesque street is filled with antique shops where you can buy massive inlaid cabinets, furniture decorated with gilded bronze, crystal candelabra – objects of luxurious southern life.
– St. Charles Avenue: It is home to historic mansions of unique beauty, once home to the most prestigious families in the city.
– French Market: A great place for anyone looking to buy something to remember their trip to Carefree City.
Naturally, things of own production are in the greatest demand: wicker baskets, household utensils, pieces of furniture and toys for children. You will also take a short trip to Lake Pontchartrain, across which the famous 38 km bridge is thrown and visit the residential area of the city restored after Hurricane Katrina.
There are also several notable historical sites in the New Orleans area. These include a place called Chalmitte (Chalmette), it was here in 1815 that the battle for the city took place, which was led by the illustrious General Andrew Jackson. The city boasts an abundance of natural attractions. There are many attractive parks and gardens on its territory, there is an excellent Botanical Garden, and in the vicinity you can find untouched nature reserves.
Trip to the national historical park and reserve of the famous pirate Jean Lafitte .
This tour offers visitors to enjoy the scenery of the wild and observe the inhabitants of the swamps. This is a great opportunity to see alligators, snakes, turtles, egrets, storks, hawks, owls and eagles ( tickets are paid extra ). Plantation tour will take you to the historical events of the 19th century Southern State. You will travel to Destrehan Plantation , located 45 minutes from New Orleans. Back in the middle of the 19th century, this place was one of the centers for slaves working on sugar plantations. The Plantation Buildings are a classic example of Greek Revival buildings that are listed as an American National Historic Site and are associated with important events in Louisiana’s history.
Not far from the city is one of the oldest plantations – Oak Alley. Everything here, both outside and inside the main estate and houses, remains the same as it was back in the 18th century.
And not only in the houses of the owners, where the interior of all rooms was brilliantly preserved, but also you will see the houses in which black slaves lived, and much more. It was on this plantation that the shooting of the famous film “Gone with the Wind” took place. If time permits, we will make a small cruise down the Mississippi River on a real vintage paddle steamer (Steamboat Natchez) . You will have the opportunity to look at New Orleans from a different angle, and for photographers, the opportunity to capture a panoramic view of the city. The river cruise takes two hours, during which a live jazz band will play all the time and a buffet will be presented.
In the evening (optional) – visiting the most famous jazz hall in New Orleans – Preservation Hall Jazz Club. Even if you are not a fan of jazz, this is worth a visit.
This is a small building, designed for 125 people, but in practice it fits much more. True fans of music are not embarrassed by not too attractive conditions: the lack of a free table and chair. You will be offered to touch the early jazz, stay in its power for 4 hours, and the oldest musicians (many under 80 years old) will be guides to its world. This is jazz almost from the first mouth. Overnight at a hotel in New Orleans
-
Day 1204 May
New Orleans – Chicago
Breakfast at the hotel
Transfer to the airport. Flight from New Orleans to Chicago.
Chicago – one of the most beautiful cities in America, the economic, industrial, transportation and cultural capital of the Midwest, dates back to 1674, when the French Jesuit Jacques Marquette founded a missionary post on this site.
Chicago owes its name to a traditional Indian dish made from shikaakwa, a wild onion.
Chicago is the third most populous city in the US; the largest metropolis of the state of Illinois, stretching along the coast of Lake Michigan (from the language of the Ojibwa Indians “big water”), on the banks of the Chicago River and the Calumet River. Chicago is often referred to as the “Second City”, which implies economic leadership (after New York).
Today the city has many nicknames, but one is used most often – “City of Winds”. Its origin is associated with both weather conditions and politics. Indeed, very strong winds blow from the lake, the gusts of which are intensified by a large cluster of skyscrapers. But for the first time this nickname was used in 1893 by the editor of the New-York Sun, Charles Dana. He was outraged by the empty speeches of American politicians at the World Columbian Exposition, who used the event only to raise their personal rating.
At the mention of Chicago, perhaps, the mafia groups and the times of Prohibition are first of all remembered.
However, most likely, no one will think that this city is one of the cultural capitals of the United States. At least, this is evidenced by a great variety of museums, luxurious theaters and elegant architecture. Moreover, Chicago is the birthplace of the blues and a city where real jazz is very popular. This city is full of impudence and vanity, there is something fascinating in it …
Chicago – “the pearl of America” - is famous throughout the world as a city of advanced architecture. Even a month is not enough to see Chicago in its entirety, with its suburbs, churches, old streets and houses. But in order to fall in love with this city, and never forget it, a day is enough.
Airport pick up
Chicago.
Sightseeing tour of Chicago with a visit to the observation deck of Willis Tower, Downtown, Magnificent Mile.
You will be told the fascinating history of the city from the first settlers to the present day and will be introduced to the modern life of the city, you will be fascinated by the unique Chicago architecture.
We’ll walk Millennium Park , built in 2004 on the north side of Grant Park, on top of the depot and large covered car park, and has become a major Chicago landmark. This is the largest rooftop park in the world (its area is 101,000 m2). The construction of the park cost half a billion dollars.
Three main « highlights » parka – Cloud Gate, Crown Fountain Pravitz3 Pravillion and
The park’s main attraction is the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, a 4,000-seat stage designed by world-renowned architect Frank. The pavilion consists of curved stainless steel surfaces, reminiscent of a delicate flower or the unfolding sails of a ship.
“Cloud Gate” – Gate Cloud Gate – a visiting card of Chicago, and a kind of magnet, the center of attraction for every visitor to the city – a three-story steel structure polished to a mirror finish weighing 110 tons, resembling a drop of mercury, popularly called the “Big Bean” The curved mirror surface reflects visitors in a bizarre way, the skyline of Michigan Avenue, skyscrapers and the sky itself.
Since its installation in 2004, Cloud Gate has been one of the most popular Chicago sculptures Walk along Magnificent Mile – a street famous for its numerous boutiques, fashionable hotels and expensive restaurants, which is especially popular with residents of the city and tourists. The Magnificent Mile is the place where all the most famous designer stores are located: Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Coach, Prada, Armani, etc.
You will see the unique complex Marina City – a residential complex with all necessary services, including a pier for the arrival of yachts, Merchandise Mart (Merchandise Mart) – the second largest building in America after the Pentagon, Lake Point Tower (Lake Point Tower) – the tallest residential building in the world, House of Jewelers – a skyscraper of 40 floors with a height of 159 meters, built for the sale of jewelry, the building even has an elevator for cars – for the safety of buyers , Wrigley Building (Wrigley Building) – a slender architectural masterpiece – a skyscraper owned by chewing magnate Wrigley.
You will learn a lot of interesting things about the Chicago skyscrapers, including the tallest building in the USA – Sears (Willis) Tower , which was erected in 1973, and until 1996 remained the tallest building in the world, the Tribune building Tower (Tribune Tower), built in 1922 in the Gothic style and is one of the very first skyscrapers in America, as well as other buildings of the Chicago School of Architecture of the late 19century, 80% of which are included in the list of architectural masterpieces of the world.
Sears Tower – the tallest building in the United States (110 floors, height 443 m), consisting of nine towers of various heights, connected into a single structure. You can climb to the observation deck (Skydeck Chicago) – or 4 glass balconies on the 103rd floor, at a height of 442 meters, protruding outside the building, which test everyone for fear of heights, and reward the most daring with stunning photographs against the backdrop of the city; a view of the entire city, the surrounding area and Lake Michigan, and on a clear day, the adjacent territories of four states: Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana.
If you want to really visit Chicago, you need to experience it at least once. Due to the popularity, the queue to the 103rd floor can take 2 hours, and spoil the feeling a little. To avoid this, you should purchase a Fast Track Ticket in advance – $ 35, or a General Admission Ticket for $ 18, and do not yawn. During the sightseeing tour you will see the skyline of the city and Downtown Chicago (business center), Gold Coast (“Gold Coast”) – the most prestigious residential area of the city, where many beautiful old mansions have been preserved.
Admire the famous Buckingham Fountain , one of the largest and most beautiful fountains in the world, considered Chicago’s “gateway” and located on Columbus Drive in Grant Park and see sculptural works by such masters as Picasso, Miro and Caldera, as well as the world-famous Chagall mosaic “4 Seasons”.
Chicago can rightfully be called one of the cultural centers of the country.
Museums and theatres, universities and galleries are located here, numerous parks adorn the territory of the city. From the walls of the University of Chicago came the largest, compared with other educational institutions, the number of graduates who later became Nobel Prize winners. Learn about the history of the Great Chicago Fire and take photos at the Water Tower, one of the few remaining after the fire.
And, of course, you will hear the story of the Chicago mafia and the famous Al Capone
Night in a hotel in Chicago
-
Day 1305 May
Chicago
Breakfast at the hotel
Continuation of the sightseeing tour.
You can see the Bahai Temple, the Polish Corridor. Take a cruise on Lake Michigan.
Wilmette Bahai Temple (Baha’i temple) made of carved stone, as if woven from lace, truly amazes with its majesty and belongs to one of the wonders of the state of Illinois.
It is the oldest of the seven Bahá’í temples worldwide and the only one in the Western Hemisphere. Designed by Canadian Louis Bourgeois, the building opened on May 1, 1953. The snow-white, openwork temple has nine sides, a high dome, and is buried in a colorful garden with mirrored ponds, flower meadows and tall junipers. At the top is the main part of the temple (or the Auditorium), which is flooded with light during the day. The entire interior consists of delicate, lacy details. In the openwork ornaments of the temple, one can find identification signs of all world religions, which, as it were, say: “Come and join in prayer, and meditate in an atmosphere of beauty and light.”
The founder of Baha’i – Baha’u’llah (1817-1892) is revered as the last in a series of “manifestations of God”, where there are – Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Zarathustra, Krishna, Jesus Christ, Muhammad, Baba. Baha’i temples are meant to serve as sites of interfaith activity. Therefore, on the outer pillars of the temple are symbols representing some of the world’s religions, including the Star of David (Judaism), the cross (Christianity), the swastika (an ancient religious symbol) and others.
The Baha’i religion is unique. Its main concept is that all people are equal, and the world is one for all.
Originating in the middle of the 19th century, it is the most widespread (on a territorial basis) after Christianity. The Baha’i teachings have been translated into 800 languages.
Some principles of the Baha’i teachings:
“Any prejudice that divides people – racial, national, class, political or religious should sink into the past.”
“Men and women should have equal rights and opportunities.”
“Religion must be in harmony with reason and science.”
“Every person is able and obliged to independently seek the truth.”
“It is necessary to create a World Federation of Peoples to achieve universal peace and harmony on the planet.”
The Wilmette area is clean and well maintained, with huge and beautiful houses, with magnificent flower beds and giant trees.
The Grant Park Museum Park in Chicago is unofficially named Polish Corridor. Located in the business district of Chicago, on the territory of the city park, in front of Lake Michigan, and is the best place for viewing, it is located on a ledge into the lake. Chicago is especially beautiful at dawn and in the morning. It is at this time that you can take especially successful photos here.
Chicago is an international city. And among its communities, including, there is a Polish one, inhabiting the Milwaukee Avenue area. It was thanks to this community that the so-called “Polish Corridor” appeared in Chicago. In this part of the Grant Park, bronze sculptures of famous historical figures of Poland, including Copernicus, were placed, not far from the planetarium.
Grant Park was laid out in 1844. Originally called Lake Park. In 1901, it was renamed in honor of the 18th President of the United States, Ulysses Grant, an army general, an Illinois resident and a legendary commander during the American Civil War.
It is here that all the iconic events and festivals in the city are held, as well as celebrations dedicated to Independence Day, the Chicago Marathon starts and finishes. Here America said goodbye to Abraham Lincoln, and in 2013 Barack Obama, after winning the election, delivered an address to the nation. One of the main attractions of Grant Park is the famous Buckingham Light and Musical Fountain made of Georgia pink marble in the rococo style, one of the largest fountains in the world. It was created in 1927 by a resident of the city of Kate Buckingham in memory of her brother.
Evening dinner cruise.
Enjoy beautiful views of Chicago on an evening cruise on Lake Michigan. The yacht is equipped with 3 floors, including a lounge, a dance floor and an upper deck for parties. Guests will enjoy live music, entertainment, a lot of delicious treats and drinks.
During your visit to Chicago, indulge in an evening dinner cruise from Navy Pier.
The cruise will provide an unforgettable experience of breathtaking and world-famous skyscrapers such as the Sears Tower, John Hancock Tower, AON Center, as well as offer a gourmet menu consisting of 4 course courses, in each course there is a choice of several options: cold snacks (3 options) , hot appetizers (4 options), hot (6 options), dessert. The boat’s route runs south along the coast, passes along the Adler Planetarium, and then moves north to Montrose Bay, after which it returns to the Navy Pier. The dress code for evening cruises is full dress (jackets are required for men). During the evening cruise, people in shorts, jeans, sneakers are not allowed. Evening Dinner Cruise Start: 19:00. Boarding: 1 hour before departure. Recommended season: May – October (cruises operate all year round) Duration: 3 hours. At the time of boarding, tourists must have with them: voucher, photo ID, money (to pay for drinks). Adler Planetarium or Art Institute Chicago
Adler Planetarium and Adler Astronomy Museum – Listed as a US National Historic Landmark.
It was built at the expense of businessman Max Adler, and became the first not only in the United States, but throughout the Western Hemisphere. It is one of the most high-tech spectacular projects in the world. Even if you are completely far from science, and you can reliably recognize only the Moon in the night sky, it is still worth paying attention to the Chicago Adler Planetarium. At least in order to see what they are – modern high-tech museums dedicated to space. The Adler Planetarium appears before its guests in several guises: it is a fascinating museum, a real scientific institution, a space theater, and a restaurant with original futuristic interiors. The monumental building of the planetarium is spread over 11 thousand square meters. m, next to this colossus you feel like a grain of sand in outer space. And the history of the creation of this giant began at 1928, when Max Adler, an enthusiast who retired from business, decided to give his native city something really worthwhile.
Two years later, he made his dream come true, and in 1930 the first American planetarium opened its doors to visitors. In addition to the construction itself, the philanthropist sponsored the purchase of numerous astronomical, navigational and clock instruments, the collected collection is still considered one of the richest in the world. 1960s. In pursuit of the task of expanding its scientific and educational mission, the planetarium was not only enlarged territorially, but also acquired cutting-edge technology. In particular, a Zeiss Mark VI projector was purchased for him. In 1973, the underground part of the planetarium was built, and for a quarter of a century, visitors got inside through the underground entrance with the original glass structure. The external appearance of the Grunsfeld building has been preserved to this day, but one could only dream of seeing such spectacular performances and high-tech “stuffing” 85 years ago.
In the Adler Planetarium
The pavilions and halls of the planetarium are located on two levels.
The centerpiece is the Grainger Sky Theater, the oldest celestial theatre, which uses the latest digital projectors. Our Solar System, a permanent exhibition dedicated to the solar system, is housed in the Sky Pavilion. Its main task is to tell about the celestial bodies endlessly circling around our Sun. Here you will learn about the planets, their satellites, minor planets (such as Ceres and Vesta), and with the help of interactive attractions, children can create their own crater on Mars and imagine a meteorite falling to Earth. In the Mission Moon pavilion, the eternal satellite of the Earth — the Moon, as well as the history of travel to it, comes to the fore. The main exhibit is a recreated ship of the Gemini 12 mission and related artifacts. The interactive device Moon Wall will allow you to feel yourself flying over the lunar surface. The permanent exhibitions located on the lower level cover a wide range of topics related to astronomy and celestial observation techniques.
There are also space theaters here, where fascinating space-themed performances and spectacular 3D shows broadcast by a modern digital system take place all day long. Unique performances seem to take viewers into outer space with comets flying by. The guests witness the birth of supernovas and galaxies in our Universe, see the result of the absorption of black holes. By the way, behind the main building there is a scientific observatory with a full-fledged telescope, where lectures for astronomy enthusiasts are organized in the deep evenings with the opportunity to observe celestial bodies.
After visiting the museum itself, do not deny yourself the pleasure of taking a walk around its surroundings, nearby there is a sculpture “Man goes into space”, which allows you to measure time by the Sun. The path leading from the planetarium to the Shedd Aquarium, from 1998 was named the “Road of Solidarity” in honor of the movement of Lech Walesa, on it you can see the monuments of the great Poles: Havlicek, Kosciuszko and Copernicus (a copy of the statue of Thorvaldsen).
By the way, the views of Lake Michigan here are simply excellent, it is no coincidence that the park near the planetarium is popular among newlyweds who come in search of romantic scenery for wedding photos. Art Institute Chicago is a world-renowned art museum with over 260,000 works of art and artefacts, including old masters, impressionists, post-impressionists, prominent representatives American art.
Like many American museums, the Art Institute of Chicago’s collection of paintings is more than 90% made up of gifts and donations from individual citizens.
The Art Institute of Chicago became one of the leading museums in the world in 1922, when paintings by Claude Monet, Edouard Manet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley and Camille Pissarro from the collection of Bertha Honore Palmer
2 To the most 2 Significant works of the museum’s American collection include paintings by Mary Cassatt, Grant Wood, Edward Hopper, John Henry Twachtman, and Childe Gassam.
Overnight at a hotel in Chicago
-
Day 1406 May
Chicago – Detroit
Breakfast at the hotel
Transfer to Detroit.
Detroit (Michigan)
It was founded on July 24, 1701 by the Frenchman Antoine Lome as a Canadian trading post for the fur trade with the Indians. However, in 1796 year this region was transferred to the United States. Like a phoenix, Detroit rose from the ashes after an 1805 fire destroyed much of the city. However, empires do not rest on logs and bricks: the favorable location on the waterway of the Great Lakes system has made Detroit a major transportation hub. The rebuilt city remained the capital of Michigan until the mid-19th century. The city’s economy at this time relied entirely on the successful shipbuilding industry.
At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, Detroit entered its “golden age”: luxurious buildings and mansions with architectural delights were built, and Washington Boulevard was brightly lit with Edison light bulbs.
For this, the city was nicknamed the “Paris of the West” – and it was here that Henry Ford created his own car model and founded in 1904 Ford Motor Company. Duran (“General Motors”), the brothers Dodge (“Dodge”), Packard (“Hewlett-Packard”) and Chrysler (“Chrysler”) were inspired by his example – their factories turned Detroit into a real automobile capital of the world. The rapid economic growth in the first half of the 20th century required a large number of workers, so the black population from the southern states, as well as Europe, came to Detroit to work. A large number of private cars appeared in the city, as well as a network of highways and interchanges.
At the same time, an advertising campaign was being promoted, the task of which was to portray public transport as not prestigious, as “transportation for the poor.” When you have your own car, it no longer makes sense to live close to work: earn money in the city, live in the green suburbs! At that time, no one suspected that the move of engineers and skilled workers beyond the city limits would initiate today’s depopulation.
.. And even when there are too many cars, an old “broken” horse can also be used for household needs. So, in the 50s, the erosion of the river bank became a real environmental problem in Detroit – and it was creatively replaced with another environmental problem, strengthening the coastline with old “wheelbarrows”. This “cart” is still there – rusty and green piles of cars still poison the water with paint and oil. But who in the middle of the last century could have known that in a few decades many areas of the city would also look like garbage dumps?
Beginning of the end
What was the government’s purpose in making fun of public transportation? Of course, everything rested on economic benefits: people should buy more. But they did not foresee that the move of the wealthiest part of the population from downtown Detroit would put the entire service sector out of work: employees of banks, hospitals, store owners.
Having gathered the essentials, they rushed after the source of income, leaving only low-paid African-American workers in the city living on the benefits of the unemployed and the homeless.
Poverty and lack of prospects pushed the “abandoned” people in the center to criminal gangs, and Detroit quickly gained notoriety as one of the “blackest” and most dangerous cities in the United States.
But the troubles of “Western Paris” did not end there: in 1973, the oil crisis broke out, bankrupting American automakers: their cars were not only expensive, but also consumed a lot of gasoline.
At the same time, Japanese economy brands entered the market with confidence, and it became impossible to compete with them. Employees of closing factories lost their jobs and dispersed wherever their eyes looked.
Today
The population of Detroit and its suburbs has decreased by 2.
5 times: if at the beginning of the 1950s 1.8 million people lived here, today there are hardly 700 thousand of them. The city itself in some places looks like a picture of the ruins of a human civilization enslaved by aliens from the science fiction film “Battlefield – Earth”. Broken-glass buildings with trees growing out of their walls are strangely intertwined with streets brightly lit by shop windows and graffiti-filled ghetto quarters.
Detroit’s sparsely populated downtown, despite everything, remains a collection of cultural and sports centers, as well as architectural monuments of the past century and continues to attract tourists.
In addition, Detroit is still home to major automakers and a limited number of workers. Numerous Arab immigrants found refuge here.
All the last authorities do not stop trying to revive the city and approved the construction of several casinos: they did not strengthen the economy of Detroit, but at least slightly revived local leisure.
But the local ruins are of interest to Hollywood directors – they are ready to pay for such realistic and unforgettable scenery for anti-utopian films, horror films, scenes of disasters and crimes.
In addition, abandoned houses serve as a real art space for the most restless artists in Detroit. One of them, a certain Heidelberg, turned an entire block into eerie installations, decorating walls, fences, lawns, and poles with a variety of rubbish: plush toys, discarded mixers, boots… Tourists, by the way, found Heidelberg’s works to be a good and, most importantly, free attraction.
Has a worldwide reputation as the automotive capital of the world. Detroit’s popular nicknames are Motor City and Motown.
Tell an American you’re planning a trip to Detroit and watch him raise his eyebrows in question. He will ask “Why?” and warn you about the cripplingly high prices, the boarded-up houses and the rubbish circling at their bases, and the foreclosure mortgages selling homes for $1.
You will hear: “Detroit is a hole. They’ll kill you there.” All of the above is true, and although the city has an alcohol-apocalyptic mood to some extent, it is also the spark that ignites the fire of urban energy – energy that you will not feel anywhere else. Artists, entrepreneurs and young people come here, so the spirit of independence and independence prevails here, we can say that “here people decide their own destiny.” They are turning empty spaces into urban farms and abandoned buildings into hostels and museums. Detroit experienced its heyday at 19The 60s, when the American automobile industry was intensively developing and when the legendary band Motown played, which still has fans. But, since the end of the 20th century, Detroit has been steadily in crisis – the city has dilapidated, and the crime rate is going through the roof. But this does not mean at all that it is impossible to relax and see various sights in Detroit. The main thing here is to know where and what is.
Ford Museum Visit
The Henry Ford Museum is, without exaggeration, a treasure of Detroit.
The museum complex is located in Dearborn, a suburb of Detroit, and occupies a vast territory.
In fact, this is a museum of museums, which presents the entire history of the United States. In addition to the complex of exhibition pavilions, here, on an area of more than one hundred hectares, a lot of “live” exhibits are scattered. Old taverns where you can eat, 18th century houses, village shops and farms. There is a house in which Henry Ford was born and spent his childhood, he was brought from the Midwest. There is a house and a bicycle workshop of the Wright brothers; it was here that mechanically powered flights began.
On an area of about five hectares, tens of thousands of exhibits are exhibited, one way or another connected with the name of the famous American inventor.
The founder of this museum, the famous Henry Ford, started his collection in 1906. Now the museum has a huge number of interesting exhibits. Here you can see dozens of models of cars and trucks, bicycles and motorcycles, aircraft, various engines, agricultural machinery and many other rarities.
A significant part of the museum is occupied by the exposition “The Car in American Life”. Everyone knows that a car for an American is everything. The exposition has eight sections: “Evolution”, “Automobile as a symbol”, “Automotive design”, “Automotive landscape”, “Advertising and promotion”, “Driving pleasure”, “Fly away” and “Bicycles and motorcycles”. “.
A place of honor in this extensive collection is occupied by a real rarity – the only copy of the first industrial batch of cars preserved in the world. This ATV was released in 1896 at the factory of the Dure brothers.
The main part of the museum is occupied, of course, by cars.
So, the first car produced by Henry Ford back in 1896 is still stored here. The similarity of this unit with modern foreign cars, perhaps, is only in the number of wheels. But this, after all, is the first “swallow” in the chain of automotive evolution. No less interesting is the collection of limousines used by American presidents (note that the Henry Ford Museum exhibits originals from the corteges of Ronald Reagan, Franklin Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy).
Without exception, all tourists take pictures next to the sausage car. This is literally a car with a giant sausage on the roof. It was necessary to somehow promote the hot dog business …
By the way, in case you get hungry, the Henry Ford Museum in Detroit has a cafe and several eateries. Here, after a long excursion, you can not only have a bite to eat with delicious burgers and coffee, but also eat thoroughly, tasting delicious local dishes.
The Henry Ford Museum also has two shops that sell all sorts of souvenirs (including copies of museum exhibits), as well as various play sets for children and adults.
Overnight at a hotel in Detroit
-
Day
May 1507
Detroit – Cleveland – Niagara
Breakfast at the hotel.
Moving to Cleveland.
Cleveland is the second largest city in Ohio. Located on the south shore of Lake Erie, on the Cuyahoga River, about 100 km west of the Pennsylvania border.
The city was founded in 1796 and named for General Moses Cleveland (Moses Cleaveland), but as a result of a typo in the local newspaper, the letter “a” in the name of the city was omitted. This is how the name of the city came about.
The city has become an industrial center with an extensive network of canals and railways. Despite the fact that the decline of heavy industry dealt a heavy blow to the city, Cleveland managed to diversify its economy. Now the city provides financial, insurance and medical services.
Two well-known names of millionaires are associated with this city: the Rockefellers and the Rothschilds.
The city has a lot of wonderful sights that are worthy of attention. Cleveland has many peculiar areas with their own special and unique character. This characteristic highlight of the city shows its diversity in ethnic, cultural, and architectural terms.
Moving to Niagara .
Translated from the Indian Niagara – “big noise”. The name is true: the roar is carried for many, many kilometers. Standing on the observation deck, you can practically “feel” the river, because tons of water fall at a distance of only two meters from you. The feeling is unforgettable!
Niagara Falls – a cascade of waterfalls on the border of America and Canada, between the state of New York and the province of Ontario.
Perhaps Niagara Falls can be called the most spectacular natural fault in the earth’s crust. The Niagara River, which connects Lakes Erie and Ontario, falls from a height of 50-meter cliff with a width of more than 1000 m.
This waterfall is rightfully considered the most amazing natural wonder of North America. At the end of the last Ice Age, 12,000 years ago, five Great Lakes were formed in the wake of the retreat of a grandiose glacier: Superior, Michigan, Huron, Ontario and Erie. Abundant meltwater overflowed the shores of Lake Erie. They formed a stream that we call the Niagara River. It cascades down a cliff known as the Niagara Scarp into Lake Ontario. The name Niagara Falls refers to three separate falls. Horseshoe Falls is currently the largest, located on the Canadian side of the river, and opposite it, on the American side, there are American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls. The waterfalls are separated by a chain of small islands, of which the most famous is Donkey Island on the Canadian side. Almost 90% of the Niagara River’s water falls from the Horseshoe Falls, and only 10% passes through American territory.
The real miracle of Niagara Falls is how nature manages to triumph over the spirit of unbridled merchandising, which is less strong on the Canadian than on the American side of the border, along the line of the falls.
Nothing compares to the spectacle of a boiling mass of water rushing down from above along the way from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario and the Atlantic. Those who have ever seen Niagara Falls have received indelible impressions for a lifetime, and some have only heard about it, but even they do not doubt its power and magnificence. However, not only the waterfall is famous, but also the place where this miracle of nature is located.
Night at the hotel at Niagar
Maid of the Mist cruise for an additional fee
The real adventure on the Niagara waterfall is a walk on the Virgin Misty Mista Boat Boat Tour) . Of course, this event is not for pampered people who are afraid to get wet once again, because the ship will take you to the very foot of the waterfall. Here, don’t dress in raincoats and raincoats – it won’t help! Get ready for the big wash. At first, the boat, as if enticing, sails along the steep coast, which does not promise any special surprises, gently and smoothly swaying on the waves, gives you the opportunity to admire the grandeur of the falling river, but after a few minutes, with one turn of the helm, you instantly fall into an avalanche of elements, from the claws of which, it seems , you can’t get out.
Indescribable feelings cover you. The attraction gives a much greater idea of the power of the waterfall than simple contemplation from above, and adrenaline foams in the blood better than any, the most expensive champagne! -
Day 1608 May
Niagara – New York
Breakfast at the hotel
Transfer to New York.
Overnight at a hotel in New York
-
Day
May 1709
New York – Moscow
Breakfast at the hotel
Transfer to the airport
19:10 Departure from New York to Moscow by Aeroflot flight SU 103
-
day 1810 May
Moscow
11:20 Arrival in Moscow
The city of the “Big Apple” – as the Americans lovingly call it, is the center of American and all world capital, the unprecedented luxury of Manhattan and the poverty of colored quarters are concentrated here. The city does not fall asleep for a minute, yellow taxis scurry about endlessly here. New York City has absorbed the features of American life so strongly, like a sponge, that getting to know it is getting to know all of the USA. 
Downtown, September 11 Memorial, famous Wall Street, Stock Exchange building. A trip along the Embankment to the South Seaport, from where you can see the panorama of bridges, including the famous Brooklyn Bridge. Visit Times Square, Broadway Theater Quarter, United Nations, Rockefeller Center. Inspection of the Performing Arts Center – Lincoln Center, then you will see the famous Opera House – Metropolitan Opera, Central Park, the famous Fifth Avenue, theatrical Broadway, the museum district. 
With one foot, “Freedom” stands on broken chains. 
It is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the country and is especially beautiful at night when it lights up with bright lights. 
Of these, the most famous and popular are: 
And the locals simply call their city “Fili”. 
Within the walls of this building in the XVIII century. decisions were made that determined the fate of the entire state. Independence Hall proclaimed the Declaration of Independence and adopted the first US Constitution. The building itself was built shortly before these events – in 1753. Initially, the building, erected in the Georgian style, was intended for meetings of the state government. Today, Independence Hall is the most popular tourist attraction in the city. The tour of the palace starts from the Courtroom. Then visitors enter the room where the Continental Congress met, which declared the independence of the United States. Today, the interior of the room from the time when the most important documents for America were signed is completely recreated here. In addition, in Independence Hall you can see George Washington’s antique chair, his silver inkwell and other personal items of the first US president. 
It is exhibited on the territory of Independence Hall in a separate pavilion. The Liberty Bell was the first to notify the people of Philadelphia of America’s independence. Initially, the object was installed in the bell tower of Independence Hall. Today, in its place is the Century Bell, cast for the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the declaration of independence. Every tourist can climb the tower and see it with their own eyes. In addition, the bell tower offers a stunning view of the heart of the city – Independence Square. 
Collecting all over the world and growing the most outlandish plants was his hobby. 
The building consists of six floors (including basement and basement). Two floors are occupied by the family of the incumbent president, the rest are administrative offices, reception halls, dining rooms. Along with the tour, you can see the historical chambers of the White House: Blue, Green, Red rooms and some others. 
It is dedicated to President Abraham Lincoln. The idea to erect a monument to commemorate the 16th president arose immediately after Lincoln’s death, but the memorial did not appear until 1922. The building of the complex is somewhat reminiscent of the ancient Greek Parthenon. The 36-column column symbolizes the 36 states (during Lincoln’s presidency, there were only 36 states). 
The estate was built by George Washington Vanderbilt II between 1889 and 1895 in the style of French Renaissance architecture in the form of a castle XVI. Its area is 16622.8 m², it is a mansion of 250 rooms. 
It is also the administrative center of Montgomery County of the same name. 
Mobile is also one of the main bases and training centers of the US Coast Guard. 
Somehow it has long been customary that in New Orleans there is a spirit of freedom, ease of perception of what is happening, hence the second name The Big Easy and, in fact, the third – “Carefree City”. 
But lovers of extreme nature can enjoy crocodile swamps and voodoo dolls. 
Of course, the monument to Jackson himself, sitting on a rearing horse, catches the eye. 
To a wide circle of people, she is better known as the “Queen of Voodoo.” Many come to the grave to seek advice from the mighty Mary, others charge their amulets here and ask to be endowed with mystical power. 
Naturally, things of own production are in the greatest demand: wicker baskets, household utensils, pieces of furniture and toys for children. 
This tour offers visitors to enjoy the scenery of the wild and observe the inhabitants of the swamps. This is a great opportunity to see alligators, snakes, turtles, egrets, storks, hawks, owls and eagles ( tickets are paid extra ). 
And not only in the houses of the owners, where the interior of all rooms was brilliantly preserved, but also you will see the houses in which black slaves lived, and much more. It was on this plantation that the shooting of the famous film “Gone with the Wind” took place. 
This is a small building, designed for 125 people, but in practice it fits much more. True fans of music are not embarrassed by not too attractive conditions: the lack of a free table and chair. You will be offered to touch the early jazz, stay in its power for 4 hours, and the oldest musicians (many under 80 years old) will be guides to its world. This is jazz almost from the first mouth. 
However, most likely, no one will think that this city is one of the cultural capitals of the United States. At least, this is evidenced by a great variety of museums, luxurious theaters and elegant architecture. Moreover, Chicago is the birthplace of the blues and a city where real jazz is very popular. 
Since its installation in 2004, Cloud Gate has been one of the most popular Chicago sculptures 
If you want to really visit Chicago, you need to experience it at least once. Due to the popularity, the queue to the 103rd floor can take 2 hours, and spoil the feeling a little. To avoid this, you should purchase a Fast Track Ticket in advance – $ 35, or a General Admission Ticket for $ 18, and do not yawn. 
Museums and theatres, universities and galleries are located here, numerous parks adorn the territory of the city. From the walls of the University of Chicago came the largest, compared with other educational institutions, the number of graduates who later became Nobel Prize winners. 
It is the oldest of the seven Bahá’í temples worldwide and the only one in the Western Hemisphere. Designed by Canadian Louis Bourgeois, the building opened on May 1, 1953. The snow-white, openwork temple has nine sides, a high dome, and is buried in a colorful garden with mirrored ponds, flower meadows and tall junipers. 
It is here that all the iconic events and festivals in the city are held, as well as celebrations dedicated to Independence Day, the Chicago Marathon starts and finishes. Here America said goodbye to Abraham Lincoln, and in 2013 Barack Obama, after winning the election, delivered an address to the nation. 
The cruise will provide an unforgettable experience of breathtaking and world-famous skyscrapers such as the Sears Tower, John Hancock Tower, AON Center, as well as offer a gourmet menu consisting of 4 course courses, in each course there is a choice of several options: cold snacks (3 options) , hot appetizers (4 options), hot (6 options), dessert. The boat’s route runs south along the coast, passes along the Adler Planetarium, and then moves north to Montrose Bay, after which it returns to the Navy Pier. The dress code for evening cruises is full dress (jackets are required for men). During the evening cruise, people in shorts, jeans, sneakers are not allowed. Evening Dinner Cruise Start: 19:00. Boarding: 1 hour before departure. Recommended season: May – October (cruises operate all year round) Duration: 3 hours. At the time of boarding, tourists must have with them: voucher, photo ID, money (to pay for drinks). 
It was built at the expense of businessman Max Adler, and became the first not only in the United States, but throughout the Western Hemisphere. It is one of the most high-tech spectacular projects in the world. 
Two years later, he made his dream come true, and in 1930 the first American planetarium opened its doors to visitors. In addition to the construction itself, the philanthropist sponsored the purchase of numerous astronomical, navigational and clock instruments, the collected collection is still considered one of the richest in the world. 
The centerpiece is the Grainger Sky Theater, the oldest celestial theatre, which uses the latest digital projectors. Our Solar System, a permanent exhibition dedicated to the solar system, is housed in the Sky Pavilion. Its main task is to tell about the celestial bodies endlessly circling around our Sun. Here you will learn about the planets, their satellites, minor planets (such as Ceres and Vesta), and with the help of interactive attractions, children can create their own crater on Mars and imagine a meteorite falling to Earth. In the Mission Moon pavilion, the eternal satellite of the Earth — the Moon, as well as the history of travel to it, comes to the fore. The main exhibit is a recreated ship of the Gemini 12 mission and related artifacts. The interactive device Moon Wall will allow you to feel yourself flying over the lunar surface. 
There are also space theaters here, where fascinating space-themed performances and spectacular 3D shows broadcast by a modern digital system take place all day long. Unique performances seem to take viewers into outer space with comets flying by. The guests witness the birth of supernovas and galaxies in our Universe, see the result of the absorption of black holes. 
By the way, the views of Lake Michigan here are simply excellent, it is no coincidence that the park near the planetarium is popular among newlyweds who come in search of romantic scenery for wedding photos. 
For this, the city was nicknamed the “Paris of the West” – and it was here that Henry Ford created his own car model and founded in 1904 Ford Motor Company. Duran (“General Motors”), the brothers Dodge (“Dodge”), Packard (“Hewlett-Packard”) and Chrysler (“Chrysler”) were inspired by his example – their factories turned Detroit into a real automobile capital of the world. 
.. 
5 times: if at the beginning of the 1950s 1.8 million people lived here, today there are hardly 700 thousand of them. The city itself in some places looks like a picture of the ruins of a human civilization enslaved by aliens from the science fiction film “Battlefield – Earth”. 
You will hear: “Detroit is a hole. They’ll kill you there.” 
So, the first car produced by Henry Ford back in 1896 is still stored here. The similarity of this unit with modern foreign cars, perhaps, is only in the number of wheels. But this, after all, is the first “swallow” in the chain of automotive evolution. 
This waterfall is rightfully considered the most amazing natural wonder of North America. 
Nothing compares to the spectacle of a boiling mass of water rushing down from above along the way from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario and the Atlantic. 
Indescribable feelings cover you. The attraction gives a much greater idea of the power of the waterfall than simple contemplation from above, and adrenaline foams in the blood better than any, the most expensive champagne! All pages – Unionpedia
All pages – Unionpedia
New! Download Unionpedia on your Android™ device!
Free
Faster access than a browser!
All Pages Previous (Oleg Timofeevich Chizhevsky) Next (Chikoysky Monastery)
From:
| Chicago | Chicago (film) | Chicago (film, 2002) | Chicago White Soks in the season 2005 | Chicago White Sox in the season 2006 |
| Chicago Fire | Chicago Fire (football club) | Chicago Fire | Chicago Fayer (football club) | Chicago Mustangs |
| Chicago Zephyrs | Chicago Bears | Chicago Bulls | |
| Chicago Bulls | Chicago Bears1 Chicago Backs | Chikin, Konstantin Ivanovich | Chikin, Arkady Mikhailovich |
| Chikin, Alexander | Chikin, Alexander Aleksandrovich | Chikin, Alexander Andreevich | Vilev, Aleksey Yakovlevich |
| Chikinya Gonzaga | Chikinev, Igor | Chikintsonot (municipality) | |
| Chikina | Chikina Olga Sergeevna | Chikobava, Arnold | |
| Chikobava, Arnold Stepanovich | Chikov | Chikov (Khutor) | |
V. |
Chikov Valery Pavlovich | Chikov, Pavel Stepanovich | |
| Chikov, Pavel Vladimirovich | Chikov, Valery | Chikov, Valery Pavlovich | |
| Chikov, Valentin Vasilyevich |
Princess of Hell read online free by Harold Schechter , ready to roast any passer-by on a spit, and a sweet-talking wolf, a lover of eating little girls. But of all the scary tales, none resembles modern horror films as strongly as Bluebeard.
Although scholars have discovered many variations of this tale around the world, the most famous in our culture is the one published in 1697 by the French author Charles Perrault in his now classic Tales of Mother Goose. Apparently, Perrault’s Bluebeard was based on the infamous fifteenth-century sadist Gilles de Rais, marshal in Joan of Arc’s militia.
Subsequently, he was accused of torturing and killing several dozen peasant children. Bluebeard from Perrault’s fairy tale is a serial killer of noble birth. He lives in a gloomy castle, where he keeps the chopped up bodies of his dangerously curious brides in a secret room. He tests each new wife for obedience, leaving her alone with a bunch of keys and a warning not to enter the mysterious room under any circumstances. But the temptation is too great, and, only the husband is beyond the threshold, the woman, forgetting about the instructions, unlocks the forbidden door with a trembling hand. Or, as Perrault writes, “ouvrit en tremblant la porte” 1 .
Shortly before Perrault wrote his heartbreaking tale of the horrors lurking behind Bluebeard’s door, his compatriot, the famous traveler René-Robert Cavelier de La Salle, undertook an expedition to the Great Lakes region. Passing through the land of modern Indiana, then owned by the Potawatomi tribe, La Salle and his people along the old Indian trail crossed a dense deciduous forest and came out on a plain overgrown with tall grass.
To the famous traveler and the fur traders who followed him, this exit from the forest was known as the “door”, in French – la porte 2 . For the next century and a half, whites did not settle in these places. One historian living at that time wrote: “There was no more beautiful place in the picturesque West than this region, but it belonged entirely to the redskins. They rushed over the prairies, lived in the groves, relied on successful hunting and fish, which were found in abundance in these sparkling lakes.
It was only in 1829 that the first white settlers appeared in those parts – the widow Miriam Benedict with seven adult children and her son-in-law, Henley Clyburn, and after three years more than a hundred families lived there. In April 1832, the parish of La Porte was formally established in this area of 462 square miles. During the vote on the name, an old legislator demanded that the meaning of “foreign name” be clarified. When the old man was told that in French it meant “door”, he was indignant and suggested replacing the “pompous” foreign word with something more appropriate and American.
Fortunately, according to one chronicler, “his advice was not followed, and the district, instead of the well-known ones – Dorburg or Gatesville, received the beautiful name of La Porte 4 .
In search of a place for the center of the county, a few enterprising settlers settled on a piece of land (450 acres) framed by a “chain of small lakes like sparkling gems” 5 . They built a court, a prison and opened a state land office. The new administrative center was also named La Porte. From a village with wooden houses, in a few years it turned into a rich settlement, where “there is everything necessary for life and social prosperity”: churches and schools, taverns and hotels, merchants and mechanics, doctors and lawyers. Two newspapers were published in the town, one supported the Whig party, and the second supported the Democratic 6 .
In 1852, the population of La Porte reached five thousand people, and the status of the city increased.
According to eyewitnesses, in the following decades, a water intake station was built, street lighting was installed, and telephone communications appeared. They took care of the improvement of the city: they paved the roads, paved the sidewalks, demolished the old wooden buildings, and solid brick houses were erected in their place. In addition to a few large pharmacies and department stores, La Porte had twenty-five food stores, six grocery stores, six furniture dealers, four bakeries, ten butchers, and six shoe shops, twenty-six tobacco shops, four sewing machine salesmen, nine milliners and tailors, two bookstores, nine hotels; twenty-four pubs, six billiards, six barbershops, seven stables, two tanneries, and three funeral parlors 7 . Many trees grew along the streets, for which La Porte was nicknamed the “Maple City”. All this, together with “a wonderful courthouse, a magnificent city hall, surrounding open spaces and excellent rail links” made it “a suitable capital for one of the best districts in the country” 8 .
But the city was not only famous for its modern conveniences. The inhabitants of La Porte were proud of the achievements of their famous countrymen. Among them were Jacob J. Mann, who invented the grain harvester before McCormick’s threshing machine, and Dr. F. T. Wrench, who invented the folding toothbrush, Antipas J. Bowell, who invented the dog-drawn butter churn, and Dr. S. B. Collins. who discovered “A Painless Antidote for Opium Smokers”. It is impossible not to mention the local poets Benjamin F. Taylor and Mrs. Clara J. Armstrong – local writers, authors of the poetic works “Pictures of the Past and Other Poems” and “La Porte in June”, respectively 9 . Later, even more famous personalities worked in the city: Zerna Sharp, co-author of the American school reading textbook called “Dick and Jane”, Frederick Mennen, thanks to which the convenience product for popcorn “Jiffy pop” appeared, as well as a patented method for diagnosing gonorrhea. Renowned orthopedic shoe maker William Matthias Scholl, singer Dorothy Clare, soloist with the Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey orchestras, who starred in the successful 1948 Broadway musical Finian’s Rainbow, were also from La Porte.
Many are familiar with the name and work of the poet Brewster Martin Higley, whose poem “My Home in the West” was set to music and became the famous American song “Home on the Range” 10 .
But even the most ardent admirers of La Porte could not but admit that along with celebrities, there were also “their own” criminals in the city. In early 1836, a resident of the district, one Pelton, was killed and robbed. The crime was committed by his acquaintance, Staves, who stole “a fair amount of money.” He was detained, tried and sent to the gallows. Two years later, in February 1838, nineteen-year-old La Porte native Joshua M. Coplin was shot and robbed. Shortly before the events described, he returned from Virginia, where he received an old debt. The killer who stole six hundred dollars in gold and silver coins from Coplin turned out to be his fellow traveler named David Scott. A few months later, he too was hanged to the cheers of the crowd 11 .
In December 1841, the owner of the tavern, Charles Egbert, “angry” at James Smith, who opened his establishment nearby, “taking all the customers of Mr.
The killer was arrested, but decided to release on bail of five thousand dollars. Egbert managed to get money for bail, and then fled to Texas, then still owned by Mexico. It later became known that Smith’s killer had converted and became “the head of a congregation group in the Methodist congregation” 12 .
But the “most notorious murder” was committed in 1862. After the discovery of the corpse of the German emigrant Fred Miller, suspicion fell on his wife. Miller’s friends, wanting to “make her confess,” tightened a rope tied to a tree around the woman’s neck, and then Mrs. Miller croaked that John Poston had killed her husband. It allegedly happened “in her presence, and he promised to marry if she did not betray him.” Poston was arrested and thrown into prison. True, since the accusations against him were obtained under torture, the judge “was forced to acquit him” 13 .
Three years later, another German farmer, John Lom, returning home in the evening after threshing corn, ran into two strangers – James Woods and William Fulton.
Both had a good time at the local saloon and were “in a particularly dangerous state for their victims, when the blood boils in the veins from whiskey.” The drunks started a quarrel with Lom, blocked the way for his wagon, and when he tried to pass, Woods pulled out a revolver and mortally wounded an unarmed farmer. Charged with aggravated murder, Woods received a “life sentence” while Fulton was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to thirteen years in prison.0010 14 .
In the last weeks of 1902, the residents of the county were outraged by the terrible crime in the town of Westville. The victim was sixteen-year-old Wesley Reynolds, a “reliable and honest clerk” at the local branch of the state bank. The young man also part-time acted as a security guard – “spent the night in the office with three revolvers at hand.” Early on Sunday morning, November 30, he woke up to a noise: someone threw a beer keg through the bank window. Jumping to his feet and clutching a revolver in each hand, the young man met two robbers armed to the teeth.
Reynolds opened fire, but in an unequal fight he himself received three bullets. One passed through the chin and got stuck at the base of the brain, the other, wounding the young man in the neck, came out through between the shoulder blades. The third, hitting right in the heart, led to instant death. After emptying the bank, the thugs—one of them wounded by the “heroic youth,” as newspapers around the country called him—stole a two-seater carriage from a nearby yard and fled.
Reynolds’ funeral, held on December 3, was attended by all Westville residents. Under the patronage of Senator Charles E. Herrold, a fundraiser was organized to build a monument to the deceased. A big reward was promised for the capture of the killers, Pinkerton agency detectives took up the case, but, despite all efforts, the robbers were never found 15 .
Two weeks after the last homage was given to the slain, the Fort Wayne Daily News reported a sudden epidemic of crime “overwhelming La Porte County.
” In addition to the murder of Reynolds, the article mentioned the robbery by “black robbers” of two local youths, the attempted poisoning of one resident of La Porte with arsenic, and the death of Albert Bader, who, “escaping from arrest for penetration” into someone’s houseboat on the lake, got under the train.
This post brought to mind the death of a local farmer. It happened under such terrible circumstances that the city authorities who arrived at the scene suspected a crime, but then the incident was recognized as an accident 16 . Another six years passed before the suspicions of the authorities could be confirmed. The supposedly accidental death of Peter Gunness, a Norwegian immigrant, has been recognized as the work of the worst killer in the history of Indiana, or perhaps even the history of the entire country. In search of comparisons, journalists mentioned not only the cannibal from Charles Perrault’s fairy tale, but also the possible prototype of Bluebeard – Gilles de Ré 17 .
However, unlike them, in this case it was about a serial killer from the Midwest and, worst of all, about a woman. Like the town of Fall River in Massachusetts or Plainfield in Wisconsin, home to notorious criminals Lizzie Borden and Ed Geen, La Porte has become a macabre haunt. And, unfortunately, not interest in the famous natives of the city – William Matthias Scholl or Brewster Martin Higley – attracts tourists. Travelers are attracted by a place of inexplicable horror – the disgusting “farm of death” of Mrs. Gunness, nicknamed Lady Bluebeard.
Part 1
Bella
Chapter 1
Daughter of the Field
Chicago, ravaged by the Great Fire of 1871, came to life a few years later, a phoenix of limestone, stone, and granite rose from the ashes. By the early 1880s, just a decade after the catastrophe, like a “jewel on the prairie,” shone “the most American of all American cities” – a spacious, crowded “attractive metropolis”, where many young men and girls from provincial towns aspired, villages and farms throughout the Midwest 1 .
Along with the “seekers of a better life” from the province of 2 , streams of immigrants poured into the revived Chicago – Germans and Poles, Irish and Scots, Italians and Jews. According to one well-known historian, by 1890 about 80 percent of the population were “from the civilized countries of the whole world” 3 .
A large proportion of the foreign settlers came from Norway. They were among the first to establish a colony in this area. Chicago then was just a bunch of log houses on the swampy shores of Lake Michigan, where foul-smelling mud seeped through the wooden decks of the sidewalks, and wagons drowned up to the hubs were stuck in the quagmire of unpaved roads for several days.0010 4 . In 1850 there were 562 Norwegians living in Chicago. After the Germans and the Irish, they were the third largest immigrant group. Ten years later, the number of Norwegians had tripled, and by 1870 it had exceeded eight thousand people.
Like other Scandinavian settlers, the Norwegians were reputed to be modest, hardworking and honest people who strengthened morality in the urban community.
One author in those days wrote in a newspaper editorial: “These are our best fellow citizens, and we wholeheartedly welcome them to the land of” freedom, equality and brotherhood “” 6 . The story of little Knud Iverson, retold by the historian A. T. Andreas, who lived at the turn of the century, also testified to the natural honesty and conscientiousness of the Norwegian settlers. On Tuesday, August 3, 1856, ten-year-old Knud went to the river to bathe. On the way he was stopped by a group of teenagers. They tried to force the boy to climb into the garden of a certain Elston and “get fruit for the elders.” When Knud opposed, saying that “stealing is not good,” the hooligans drowned him in the river. This incident was reported in newspapers across the country, and the tragedy prompted the famous F. T. Barnum to contribute two hundred dollars to the construction of a monument to the “immortal child”. In his usual manner, the showman declared that it was necessary to erect an “eternal memorial”, which “will turn into Mecca, where pilgrims with their offspring will reach from all over the great continent.
Thus, shocked by the cruel murder of a little martyr, children will learn that “it is better to die than to steal!” 7 .
Norwegians could be proud of other members of their ethnic community, people of great entrepreneurial and ambitious, who seemed to represent the living embodiment of the American dream. One of the most famous was Iver Lawson. By investing every penny he earned in vacant urban land, he went from day laborer to millionaire, had a brilliant political career, becoming a member of the city council and the state legislature. And most importantly, what impressed his fellow citizens, he helped organize the first Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church and the Society for Helping Scandinavian Migrants 8 . Another example of a self-made success was Christian Evne. He came to the United States at twenty-five, worked in a store during the day and went to school in the evenings, where he studied English and accounting. Having barely saved two hundred dollars, Christian opened his own business and turned it into “the largest wholesale and retail grocery store in Chicago”, importing “tea from China and Ceylon, wine from Europe.
Coffee was supplied to the store by Sumatra and Arabia.” From Norway, Sweden and Denmark, Evne imported cheese, fish, canned food and juniper vodka 9 . It is also worth mentioning John Anderson, who arrived in the New World at the age of nine. He began to earn a living as a paperboy, and eventually, together with Iver Lawson, founded the most popular and influential newspaper in the Norwegian language in the United States, Scandinavian. This publication played such an important role in the lives of Norwegian Americans that King Oscar II knighted one of its publishers, Lawson, 10 .
Successfully fitting into the new American life, members of the Chicago Norwegian community honored their ethnic heritage. On 17 May, they always celebrated Norway’s Independence Day. On the streets of Chicago, the millennium of the unification of the Norwegian lands by the Viking king Harald Fairhair was widely celebrated, and in July 1875, thousands of people took part in an open-air concert on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the arrival of the Restoration sailing ship – the so-called Norwegian Mayflower – that brought the first immigrants from the Scandinavian port of Stavanger.
One of the highlights of the World Expo 1893 years in Chicago, dedicated to the 400th anniversary of the discovery of the New World, there was the appearance of a copy of the Viking Drakkar, the ship on which Leif Eriksson once made his historic voyage. Under the leadership of Captain Magnus Andersen, the fearless crew of the recreated Viking crossed the Atlantic, filling the hearts of Norwegians across America with pride 11 .
In the year of the World’s Fair, Chicago’s rapidly growing Norwegian population exceeded twenty thousand and became “the third largest in the world after Oslo and Bergen.” The richest – doctors, lawyers, businessmen, bankers – settled in such a close ethnic group around Wicker Park that among themselves they called this area “Homansben” – after one of the most expensive residential areas in Oslo 12 . Less influential Norwegians – mechanics, shop owners, skilled workers, artisans – lived near Humboldt Park and Logan Square 13 .
Crime in these areas was very rare. Official records from the Chicago Police Department show that between 1880 and 1890 only 1 percent of arrests were made by the Norwegian population. At the same time, the reasons for detentions – drunkenness or violation of public order – were insignificant. As one historian writes, these “impeccable statistics” are brilliant proof of the most impressive feature of the Norwegians – their “commitment to law and order” 14 .
In 1881, a large wave of migration from Norway that did not subside until the end of the decade brought more than twenty thousand immigrants to the American coast. Among them was a twenty-two-year-old woman from the town of Selbu, located in the vicinity of Trondheim. In her most famous photograph, we see a gloomy elderly woman looking into the lens with an evil look. In fairness, it must be admitted that the picture belongs to a later time, when she had already settled in America and reached middle age. But even at twenty, as an earlier photo shows, she – with a large head, small eyes, a wide nose and a thick-lipped mouth that immediately resembled a frog, when she frowned or got bored – was very ugly.
At baptism, she received the name Brunhilde Polsdatter – Brunhilde, daughter of Paul. By custom, the name of the farm on which the family lived and worked was added to the name, so that in Norwegian the full name sounded like Brunhilda Polsdatter Storshett. Not surprisingly, almost nothing is known about her early life. Apart from a few official documents – church records, census sheets, etc., which were obtained with difficulty by later historians, there is practically no information about Brunhilde Polsdatter. Born November 11, 1859years old, grew up in Ingbya, one of the few villages in the Selbu region. Father – a native of these places Paul Pedersen Storshett – was one of the poorest members of the community. He rented a small plot of land on the farm, where he kept several cows, sheep, goats and grew barley, oats and potatoes, which were barely enough to save his wife Berit and seven children from starvation 15 . In winter, in order to somehow make ends meet, Paul worked as a bricklayer.
Still, his situation was at times so miserable that at least once he was forced to call for help, and he was given ten crowns from the city treasury 16 .
Like other peasant children, Brunnhilde had a lot of housework from an early age. She milked cows and goats, churned butter, carried water, and looked after the animals. She made sure that they did not run away, or, even worse, that they were not attacked by the terrible spirit of the mountains, which, having reduced the cow to the size of a mouse, could drag the cattle into the mysterious underworld 17 . The family had no money to buy wood for the hearth, and Brunnhilde was sent every day to collect firewood, which was usually used only for kindling. In Norwegian, brushwood is Snurkvist, so among not too merciful neighbors, the girl received the nickname Snurkvistpåla, which generally translates as “stickwood, the daughter of the Field” 18 .
In June 1874, at the age of fourteen, she was confirmed in the Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Brunnhilde’s spiritual mentor, Pastor Agathon Hansten, described her as “a diligent student who achieved such success in religious education” that “only half of the girls were able to do it.” In the same year, the girl was employed as a milkmaid by a neighbor named Rodde, who described her as “hard-working and respectable in every way” 19 .
After a day of working in the fields, she would often sit by the fire and knit mittens, hats and other things in the traditional “star” jacquard pattern for which the Selbu region was famous. On such evenings, one of the family members entertained the household with fairy tales about resourceful peasant boys who married capricious princesses; about giant trolls with an insatiable thirst for human flesh and blood; about huldra – sinister siren-like beauties with long cow tails. These mythical creatures lured men and did not let them go until their death 20 .
But not all of Brunhilde’s neighbors held the same high opinion of her employer and pastor.
The local newspaper Selbyggen wrote: “Here in Selba, she was remembered by many as unpleasant, capricious and very angry. She spoke little, but she was always ready for a dirty trick and from childhood she was known as a liar. When the girl grew up, her countrymen also did not respect her and ranked her among the dregs of society” 21 .
It was said that at seventeen a girl became pregnant by the son of a wealthy landowner who did not intend to marry. He lured her to a secluded place and severely beat her, after which she had a miscarriage. According to the report, her abuser soon died of a gastrointestinal illness, the symptoms of which looked suspiciously like arsenic poisoning.0010 22 .
However, there is enough reason to doubt the veracity of this story, since no documentary evidence exists. The negative characteristics of the neighbors do not inspire confidence, as they were given to Brunnhilde many years after her departure and, no doubt, colored by subsequent events.
By the time the Selbyggen editorial appeared, the young milkmaid from Selbu had turned into an evil something like the fairy-tale huldra, “a woman,” as one historian put it, “whose cruelty equated her with the mythical creatures of Norwegian folklore.” 23 .
Chapter 2
Arrival in America
Norwegian emigrants who moved to the New World in the last decades of the nineteenth century left behind numerous memories of the difficult journey to America. For many, as for Brunnhilde Polsdatter Storshett, it began in Trondheim, from where the settlers traveled to the English port city of Hull, where they loaded onto the steamer Tasso. During the four-day voyage in the North Sea, most of the passengers huddled in the hold. In cramped quarters, without taking off their clothes, they sat or lay on narrow wooden shelves that served as beds. Even in good weather, the ship was ready to capsize in the waves, and, as many letters and newspaper publications testify, not only ordinary passengers, but seasoned travelers suffered from seasickness and the stinking smell of vomiting.
Those who could think of food under these conditions were offered meals for three days. Although the brochures touted the menu, one passenger told a different story:
Every day breakfast included sweet tea without milk and biscuits. For dinner too. There was still oil, but quite rancid. Meat soup was prepared for lunch, but it was tasteless, and the meat was salty, like a herring. Once they gave salted fish with a drop of soup, but everything was so inedible that many simply threw their portions into the sea.
The latrines on the upper deck were especially terrible: “small, cramped, dark and without water”, as one eyewitness wrote, “men’s and women’s cabins were located side by side, the doors did not protect from the weather. On the whole, it is impossible even to imagine a more fetid and unpleasant place” 1 .
At the pier in Hull, the emigrants were assigned to boarding houses, where, having received a meager meal of soup and bread and butter, the travelers waited for their luggage.
Then they were sent to the station of the North Eastern Railway Company, put on a train to Liverpool, from where the emigrants sailed to America.
In the late 1880s, third-class passengers made it much easier to cross the Atlantic. Advertisements for new steamships described the deck space “as high, light and airy”, with “separate cabins for family travelers and single men and women”; a “specially hired team” maintains “cleanliness and order” there, and “stewards serve passengers”, offering “fresh, varied and excellently cooked food.” In fact, everything looked a little different. Not very appetizing food (one passenger recalled that the piece of pork offered to him apparently “had already crossed the Atlantic once”), disgusting toilets and nasty decks, despite the supposed attention of the cleaning team, all in a terrible mess due to endemic seasickness . Still, the simple reduction in travel time made crossing the Atlantic not as difficult as it used to be. If some sailing ships – sloops, schooners, brigs, barges and clippers – sometimes sailed for more than two months, the new passenger ships – Tingvala, Hekla and Geyser could cross the ocean in less than ten days 2 .
Most steamboats landed in Quebec, Boston, and New York, from where the Norwegian settlers traveled by boat, wagon, or railroad to Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, and the Dakotas. Most immigrants settled on the land, in small farming communities, while others chose ethnic enclaves in cities like Seattle, Minneapolis or, in the case of Brunnhilde Storschett, Chicago.
A few years before the events described, Olina Storshett, who was ten years older than Brunnhilde, moved to America. After settling in Chicago, Olina met John Larson and married him. It was Nellie, as Mrs. Larson now called herself, who invited her sister to her place and paid for her moving to the New World. Settling with the Larsons, Brunnhilde, following the example of Olina and many other immigrants, took an American name: Bella Peterson.0010 3 .
When Bella entered her new life, most unmarried Scandinavian women living in Chicago sought to find work at home rather than in a factory. One well-known historian wrote: “In 1880, three-quarters of working Norwegian women were hired as servants, housekeepers or laundresses” 4 .
Bella Peterson also washed, sewed, cleaned for a meager wage, and gave all her earnings to the Larsons for food and shelter.
For a former village girl, this work was nothing new. Bella had performed the same duties before, in her childhood full of hardships. But she did not come to America to work as a laborer for the rest of her life. There were many rich people around, and one had only to walk along the shopping streets of Chicago during the “Gilded Age” to find themselves in a world of expensive and beautiful things for sale. In Theodore Dreiser’s classic novel Sister Carrie, the author also describes a young provincial woman who ended up in Chicago. When his heroine wandered around one of the magnificent “consumer palaces” – a store in the city center, she experienced a strong sense of envy:
Kerry walked slowly through the crowded aisles, amazed by the extraordinary display of trinkets, jewelry, clothing, stationery. Each new counter opened before her a dazzling and alluring spectacle.
As difficult as it was for her to resist the alluring power of every trinket and every jewel, yet she did not allow herself to linger anywhere. She needed everything here, she wanted to have everything. Charming shoes, stockings, elegant pleated skirts, lace, ribbons, combs, purses – every item inspired a desire to possess it, and Kerry was especially acutely aware that none of them was beyond her means.0010 5 [1]. Desire, similar to the one that consumed Kerry Meeber, seized Bella Peterson with irresistible force. Having experienced hardship in her youth, she aspired to become rich. “My sister was obsessed with money,” Nellie Larson later testified, “she was ready for anything for them” 6 . Bella made no secret of the motives and reasons for her marriage. According to Nelly, her younger sister “was never interested in a man in himself, only in the wealth and luxury that he could provide her with.” Many years later, recalling her first husband – a loving man and a kind father, Bella said that she married him, as he provided her with a life in a “good house” 7 .
His name was Mads Ditlev Anton Sorenson. In the only surviving photograph, we see a heavily built, balding man. A face with pronounced Nordic features is adorned with a mustache twisted in the fashion of those days. He was five years older than Bella and worked as a night watchman at the Mandel Brothers General Store at 8 State and Madison Streets, along with 800 other employees.
The marriage took place in March 1884 at Bethany Evangelical Lutheran Church on the corner of Grand Avenue and Carpenter Street. The ceremony was led by the Reverend John Torgersen, an authoritative figure among the Norwegian population. To the day of his death at 19In 05, he performed more than fifteen thousand wedding ceremonies, for which he received the nickname Cupid’s Helper 9 . In a wedding photo in a proud pose – twenty-four-year-old Bella. Putting her left hand on top of her right, she flaunted a massive wedding ring. The bride is wearing an elegant black dress made of “taffeta or silk muslin, with lace ruffles and three strings of pearls around the neck” 10 .
History has not preserved any information about the first decade of the Sorenson family life. And yet, from a few documented facts, some conclusions can be drawn.
According to most, Bella had a strong maternal instinct. “She loved children very much,” Nellie recalled. “Her kindness was known in almost every Norwegian Sunday school in Chicago.” Mrs. Sorenson was particularly touched by the plight of orphans and abandoned children. She often went to children’s picnics in Humboldt Park, where she usually climbed onto the stage and offered to take care of those “who needed a roof over their heads” 11 .
In fact, this passionate desire to take care of the child led Bella to break up with her sister. The Sorensons had no children for the first five years of their marriage, and Bella poured out all her maternal feelings on her four-year-old niece Olga, Nelly’s youngest daughter. She later said: “Olga was an unusually pretty girl, and my sister demanded that I give her the child to raise.
” Although the girl was allowed to stay with her aunt for quite a long time – up to six weeks, it is quite understandable that Mrs. Larson refused to give her daughter to her sister, and from that day Bella “practically did not speak” to her 12 .
In 1891, Bella Sorenson fulfilled her dream and adopted a girl named Jenny. Bella and Mads maintained friendly relations with the Olson couple who lived next door. Anton Olson, the baby’s father, later explained how it happened: “When Jenny was eight months old, her mother became terminally ill. Mrs. Sorenson begged the dying woman to bequeath the child to her. My wife herself handed the baby over to Bella and took an oath from her that she would take care of the baby, protect and raise her as her own child. Bella promised, saying that this oath was sacred to her. Soon my wife died. After Bella took the girl, I often saw her. Bella brought Jenny to me, she was always smartly dressed and looked happy.0010 13 .
A few years later, when Olson remarried, he tried to regain custody, but Mrs.
Sorenson won the case in court, and the child stayed with her 14 .
Although Mads never made more than fifteen dollars a week (about $450 by today’s standards), by 1894 the Sorensons somehow managed to save money and buy a small candy store in a two-story wooden house on the corner of Grand Avenue and Edward Street . In the shop that occupied the first floor, along with popular sweets, they sold, as can be seen from the newspaper photo, cigars and tobacco, newspapers and magazines, stationery and essential products 15 . Despite the good location, the store did not bring profit, and Bella watched with growing horror how her hard-earned money was dwindling.
Less than a year after the purchase, the Sorenson shop burned down. When the fire broke out, only Bella and her three-year-old daughter Jenny were in the store. According to the Chicago Tribune, Mrs. Sorenson came to know about the fire. She ran out into the street with the child, shouting “We’re on fire!” 16 .
When the fire was extinguished, it turned out that the interior had been completely destroyed. Although Bella claimed it was a “small kerosene lamp” that had exploded, insurance company officials carefully examined the blaze and found no “shards of glass or other parts of the broken lamp.” Despite the suspicion of arson, the insurance company paid the Sorensons all the money owed. Soon Bella and Mads abandoned the store, selling it to the brother of the previous owner 17 .
After receiving insurance, the Sorensons moved to Austin, a prosperous blue-collar neighborhood in the city. On Alma Street, the couple bought a three-story house overlooking the bay 18 . In the next two years, between 1896 and 1898, they had four more children: Caroline, Myrtle, Axel and Lucy 19 . To this day, it has not been established whether Bella, who was well over thirty, managed to give birth herself in such a short time, or, more likely, she adopted orphans or abandoned children (perhaps, as the investigation showed, for the sake of money) 20 .
One thing is certain: Karolina and Axel died shortly after birth, at five and three months respectively. At that time, infant mortality in the United States was very high – about a hundred children died per thousand newborns. Therefore, the sudden death of two babies, naturally, from enterocolitis (acute inflammation of the intestine) and hydrocephalus (dropsy of the brain) did not arouse any suspicion 21 .
Mads, working on the Chicago Northwestern Railroad, was bringing home twelve dollars a week when a bright new opportunity opened up for the Sorensons.
On the evening of October 1, 1897, a Friday, they visited the home of Angus Ralston. He introduced himself as an agent and chief engineer of an enterprise known as the Yukon Mining and Trading Company. Ralston explained that the corporation, which “concentrated huge funds, including $ 3,500,000 in fixed assets and mines in New Mexico, has its own big and far-reaching plans for Alaska and the Klondike areas.
” The company hires diggers who are willing, despite the harsh environment of Alaska, to enter into a yearly contract and have a chance to become rich. At the insistence of Bella, Mads signed the contract, which was sealed and signed on October 27 in the presence of witnesses.
According to the agreement, Mads agreed to “go to Alaska as an employee of [the company], and during the year, beginning April 1, 1898, to explore for gold deposits and, when such is found, to perform any other work that the head of the expedition instructs” . On his return, the miner would not only receive “the same salary as the other workers in the same mine,” but also “a quarter of the profits from all other mining sites he discovered,” as well as two hundred and eighty shares of the employing company. Also, since the family would be left without a breadwinner for a year, the company promised, “while he is in the service, to pay his wife Bella Sorenson thirty-five dollars a month towards her husband’s salary.
” 22 .
Bella, according to her sister, did not care about Mads at all and was glad to send him to Alaska. Blinded by promises of unheard-of wealth, the couple also agreed to invest a significant amount of their own funds to cover Mads’ “annual expenses”. And on the day of the signing of the working contract, having provided their property on Alma Street as collateral, the Sorensons signed an additional agreement for the payment of seven hundred dollars (today it is more than twenty thousand).
What happened next can be traced from the Sorensons’ lawsuit against the Yukon Mining and Trading Company. It says: “In accordance with the contract”, Sorenson “made the preparations necessary for the expedition with great difficulties and hardships and in the first days of April 1898 arrived at the specified corporation, informing the managers of his readiness to fulfill all the conditions of the contract and go to Alaska.” After two months, with no further orders from the corporation, Bella and Mads became suspicious.
They turned to a lawyer, who, “demanding to study the financial statements of the said corporation,” confirmed the worst fears of the spouses.
In fact, despite the declarations, the Yukon Mining and Trading Company was not engaged in any gold mining, and there were no financial resources on the account of the corporation. As stated in the suit filed by the Sorensons in June 1898,
the said corporation did not and does not own any mines in New Mexico, Alaska or anywhere else. Having absolutely no resources, [the company] issued large blocks of shares, namely: five hundred and twenty-five thousand shares. The managing [companies] do not have any funds and do not bear any financial responsibility. [The company] was formed for the sole purpose of defrauding unsophisticated investors and had no intention of fulfilling the terms of its contracts… It is currently inactive and declared bankrupt as it is unable to pay debts or continue business.
Like others who dream of becoming rich overnight in a case they don’t understand, the Sorenson family fell victim to deceit.
Their debts and mortgage on the house were sold to Emanuel Hogenson, the owner of a real estate agency, for five hundred dollars 23 . When the bonds were due two years later, Bella and Mads had to pay seven hundred dollars, plus interest, to avoid losing the house.
The Sorensons did not have to pay: they won the court case. And yet, the dream of getting rich quick was shattered into smithereens 24 . Mads returned to his job as a watchman at the Mandel Brothers store, and Bella was to remain the wife of a low-paid worker until the end of her days. True, the events that followed soon showed that she had other plans.
On April 10, 1900, the Sorenson house on Alma Street burned down. The fire was reportedly caused by “faulty heating equipment”. Firefighters arrived on time to save the house, but Bella and Mads claimed about $650 worth of “home goods” lost. Fortunately, as the Chicago Tribune wrote, “all the destroyed property was insured,” and the couple was paid a significant amount of compensation 25 .
But this was not enough for Bella. When the fire broke out, Mads was in a mutual aid association and had a $2,000 life insurance policy. On Monday, July 30, 1900, when the insurance ended, Mads decided to conclude a new contract for $ 3,000.
That same Monday afternoon, Dr. J. S. Miller, a young doctor who had once rented from the Sorensons, received an urgent call from Bella. Hurrying to Alma Street, he found Mads, fully dressed, lying on the bed with no signs of life. By this time, the Sorensons’ family doctor, Charles E. Jones, had also arrived. After questioning Bella, the doctors found out that her husband had a bad cold and, having come in the morning from duty, complained of a “terrible cough.” She gave the sick man quinine powder and went into the kitchen to prepare dinner for the children. Later, when she got up to check on Mads, she saw that he was dead.
Assuming that the druggist “made a mistake and sold morphine instead of quinine,” Miller asked to see the package of the powder, but Bella replied that she had already thrown away the package.
With no evidence other than the symptoms reported by Mrs. Sorenson, both doctors agreed that Mads died of a cerebral hemorrhage 26 .
As for Bella, she was the sole beneficiary of her husband’s two insurance policies. It was difficult to find a better moment for his sudden death. “Had he died a day earlier,” one newspaper explained, “his wife would have received $2,000 under the policy, and a day later she would have received only $3,000 under the second policy. But on the very day that Sorenson died, both policies were in effect for a total of $ 5,000. In today’s money, Widow Sorenson is $150,000 richer.0010 27 .
Three days later, on Thursday morning, August 2, 1900, Mads Ditlev Anton Sorenson found his eternal rest beside his two children in Forest Home Cemetery. The widow’s older sister also attended the funeral. It is not known what happened between the sisters, but, according to Nelly, she was suddenly struck by a terrible foreboding. She became so ill that, “covered with trembling, she could hardly keep on her feet.
” It won’t be until eight years later that Nellie will understand why she nearly fainted that day.0010 28 .
Chapter 3
Meat grinder
The house on McClung Road on the outskirts of La Porte was called “Matty Eltik’s house” by the locals. He was famous for his difficult history. John Walker, one of the founding fathers of La Porte and the first owner of the land, built a stately home in 1846 for Harriet’s daughter and her husband, John W. Holcomb. Almost two decades later – in 1864 – the Holcombs, who sympathized with the southerners, had to leave La Porte forever. They became outcasts in the district, which sent two and a half thousand men to fight on the side of the Union 1 .
It was reported that shortly after the flight of the owners, the house was sold to a certain B. R. Kar, a local merchant of firewood and coal. His son, G. Kar, became the leader of a gang of bandits who “terrorized this part of Indiana.” As the ring around the gang began to shrink, the younger Car moved west to Denver, where he was accidentally shot while trying to rob a bank.
Shortly after the body of the younger Kara was brought home, the father sold the property and, leaving a bunch of unpaid debts, disappeared from La Porte 2 . The house then passed from hand to hand, reputedly even more unfortunate owners. Among them were two brothers who “died so suddenly that a coroner had to be called” and a farmer who hanged himself in a bedroom on the second floor. In 1892, Matty Eltik, “one of northern Indiana’s most infamous women,” 3 , settled there.
Matty’s appearance – bright and stately – corresponded to the then ideal of female beauty, the creator of which was the illustrator Charles Gibson. Madame Eltik moved from a big city, she always went out shopping in a hat with incredible feathers. Matty opened the best brothel in the area in La Porte, with a marble bar in the “pleasure room”, a carriage house and a fashionable canopy carriage. It brought customers from the station arriving from Chicago. Matty died suddenly a few years later.
Heart disease was officially recognized as the cause of death, but there were rumors that the woman either committed suicide when her lover left her, or was poisoned by her own sister and rival, Eva Ruppert, who also kept in South Bend, as the newspapers put it, “a place recreation” 4 .
Despite the “terrible reputation” of the house, there was no shortage of buyers 5 . Eight years after the brothel’s closure, the brothel changed hands several times, and the building passed into the hands of a woman whose notoriety would eclipse all previous owners, and Mattie Eltik, in comparison with the new owner, will seem like a highly respected schoolteacher from the Midwest.
How exactly Bella Sorenson knew about the sale of this house is unknown. Shortly after the death of her husband, she visited the town of Fergus Falls in Minnesota, on a farm with a relative, and she also had a burning desire to acquire her own farm. Returning to Chicago, she, as historians write, in search of suitable real estate, advertised in the Tribune newspaper.
It caught the eye of the then owner of the Matty Eltic House, who contacted Bella. On November 19At the age of 01, after selling her house on Alma Street, Bella Sorenson and her three children (Jenny, Myrtle and Lucy) moved to La Porte.
She became known to her new neighbors under a different name. Although in private correspondence she continued to sign as “Bella”, she seemed to be the simpler and more familiar name for Americans “Belle” and changed her surname a few months after the move.
Back in the first decade of their marriage to Mads, they had a lodger, Peter Gunness. The surviving photographs of Peter confirm the image drawn by one writer: “handsome blond with blue eyes, a light beard and mustache – a real Viking” 6 . This emigrant from Oslo arrived in America in 1885 and settled with his brother Gust in Minneapolis, and in the year of the World Exhibition (1893) he moved to Chicago and, working in stockyards, rented an apartment from the Sorensons.
Then, after a short visit to Norway, he returned to Minneapolis, where in June 1895 he married Jenny Sophia Simpson. The couple settled in a house on Hennepin Street, Peter found work as a “clerk in a grocery store.” In 1897, the couple had their first child, the girl Svanhild. And four years later, during the birth of her second daughter, Jenny Gunness died on 7 .
Shortly after her husband’s death, after visiting her cousin in Minnesota, the widow Sorenson made a habit of visiting Minneapolis and reconnected with a handsome and unexpectedly free former lodger. The years have not added attractiveness to Belle. The widow could not be called beautiful before, and with age her masculine figure became even heavier. According to one of her contemporaries, Belle looked like “a heavy, large-headed woman with coarse features, small eyes, a mop of hair of an indeterminate color, huge hands and disproportionately small feet” 8 . Only the estate – forty-eight acres of land in Indiana – could explain why Belle did not lack suitors, even such beautiful ones as Peter Gunness.