Oldest Chicago, Second Edition Book

Chicago has thrived for almost two hundred years, growing from a backwoods

swamp, to a rail and manufacturing hub, to a light of the new Millennium. While

many great structures have been lost or demolished, much of this history still

lives on. Within the pages of Oldest Chicago, get to know the history of the

Windy City’s most iconic buildings and the stories that bring their walls to

life. Included are some of the businesses and buildings from the city’s

inception through the turn of the twentieth century that are examples of

Chicago’s living history like The First United Methodist Church (1831); The Old

Water Tower (1859); and Wrigley Field (1916). Amazingly, many others are still

run by the same family members whose dedication has made them not only enduring

businesses but living landmarks. These include The Jaeger Funeral Home (1858);

Anderson’s Books (1875); and The Italian Village Restaurant (1927) among many

others. Local historian David Anthony Witter brings his love of the city to

this veritable guidebook of the city’s buildings, neighborhoods, restaurants,

businesses, and bars. Learn the personal stories of the faces behind the places

that continue to give the “City of Big Shoulders” its historical, ethnic, and

entrepreneurial identity.