Chicago’s Quirkiest Sites
Where can you find the largest mass grave in the western hemisphere, a boulder dedicated to a tree, a cosmic ray detector and a concrete Cadillac? The answer, of course, is right here in Chicago. We did a little research and, with list in hand, hit the road for our Chicago’s Quirkiest Sites Date Day – part one. It was like a scavenger hunt, as some of the locations are a little hard to find, but it was a fun, creepy, sad and educational day, and we loved every minute of it!
Confederate Mass Grave
Our first stop was the Oak Woods Cemetery, in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood. The huge 184-acre cemetery was opened in 1854 and has the dubious distinction of being home to the largest mass grave in the western hemisphere. How is this possible?
Not many know it, but Chicago was the location of one of the Union Army’s largest prisoner-of-war camps for Confederate soldiers. During the war, some 26,000 prisoners were held at Chicago’s very own Camp Douglas. Unfortunately, due to disease and exposure to the elements, over 4,000 soldiers died there.
Most of the soldiers were buried in Chicago’s City Cemetery (now Lincoln Park), but constant flooding of the area forced the Federal Government to find a new permanent burial ground for the them. Oak Woods Cemetery was the location of choice and between 1865 and 1867 the remains of approximately 4,275 soldiers we reinterred at the cemetery.
Today the grave site is marked by a 30-foot granite column topped with a bronze statue of a Confederate soldier. It was dedicated on May 30, 1895 by President Grover Cleveland and modified in 1911 to add bronze plaques inscribed with the names of the soldiers known to be buried there. It’s a solemn place and worth a visit.
Hyde Park Quirkiness
Chicago’s Hyde Park Neighborhood is home to the University of Chicago, the Museum of Science and Industry and some of the areas best oddities. Today we visited five that we never knew existed.
Ulysses S. Grant Boulder – In 1879 President Grant came to Chicago to plant an oak tree to symbolize the growth and prosperity of Chicago. A boulder inscribed with “Tree planted by Ulysses S. Grant, December 6th, 1879.” was laid to mark the spot. Today the boulder remains, but sadly the tree was cut down in the 1930’s.
Fountain of Time – Dedicated on November 15, 1922, the fountain is a massive 126-foot concrete sculpture by Lorado Taft. Its composed of a cloaked Father Time looking over a reflecting pool towards a procession of 100 human figures. Babies and children are on one end, soldiers, workers and lovers are in the center and elderly figures occupy the other end. The statue is meant to remind us that time relentlessly marches on. Unfortunately time marches on for the fountain as well and it has gotten pretty weathered over the years.
Concrete Traffic – Have you ever wondered what a 1957 Cadillac Sedan de Ville would look like completely encased in cement? If you can find the parking lot where it resides, you can see this work of art by Wolf Vostell. Interestingly, if you look under the car you can still see its tires poking through the concrete.
Hyde Park Quirkiness – Science Nerd Edition
Cosmic Ray Detector – If you can find the right alley on the University of Chicago campus, you can literally see the remains of one of the largest pieces of scientific equipment to ever fly on a space shuttle. The yellow and white storage containers hold the remains of a 2.5-ton, 12-foot tall cosmic ray detector that went to space in 1985. The faded NASA logo on one of them is probably the coolest thing on campus.
Nuclear Energy – Also on the University of Chicago campus is a a bronze sculpture by Henry Moore at the site of the world’s first nuclear reactor, Chicago Pile-1. The first human-made self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction was initiated there on December 2, 1942. Couple that with the Cosmic Ray Detector (only 2-blocks away) and you’re ready for a science nerd treat.
After absorbing all that Nuclear Energy we were getting hungry – as usual. We decided to try the still relatively new Ballast Point Brewery at Fulton Market. The food was pretty good, the beer was excellent and the walk to the bathroom was oh so long.
We will be back next week with quirky sites part two so keep reading!
January 2019
Oak Woods Cemetery
1035 E 67th St., Chicago
Ulysses S. Grant Boulder
Located near the northeast corner of the parking lot across Payne Drive from the General Richard L. Jones Armory.
Fountain of Time
Located barrier between Hyde Park and Washington Park, near the Midway Plaisance.
Concrete Traffic
Located at Campus North Parking Garage|
5525 S Ellis Ave
Cosmic Ray Detector
Located in an alley off of E 56th St. The ray detector is behind a small building in a parking lot next to the university’s Research Computing Center.
Nuclear Energy
5625 S Ellis Ave, Chicago
Ballast Point Brewery
212 N Green St, Chicago, IL
1.5 Hours
$45 for lunch with drinks
$18 Parking in local lot
