The DuSable Bridge is a double-deck, double-leaf trunnion bascule bridge that spans the main stem of the Chicago River, identifiable by the four ornate neoclassical bridgehouses that anchor its corners. Completed in nineteen twenty, it was…
Magnificent Mile History Walk
Stroll along the northern stretch of Michigan Avenue to see the iconic skyscrapers, historic landmarks, and grand hotels that shaped Chicago's luxury shopping district. We will trace the city's growth from post-fire resilience to mid-century modern height.
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1. DuSable Bridge
2. The Wrigley Building
The Wrigley Building is defined by its gleaming, white terra-cotta facade, which glows against the Chicago skyline. This two-towered structure sits at the northern end of the Michigan Avenue Bridge, inaugurated in nineteen twenty-one as…
3. Tribune Tower
The Tribune Tower is identified by its soaring, neo-Gothic limestone facade and a crown that mimics the butter tower of the Rouen Cathedral in France. Completed in nineteen twenty-five, the structure was the winner of an international…
4. Warwick Allerton - Chicago
The Warwick Allerton stands twenty-five stories tall on Michigan Avenue, distinguished by the stepped-back profile of its Italian Renaissance architecture. When it opened in nineteen twenty-four, it was the first building in Chicago to…
5. Chicago Water Tower
The Chicago Water Tower is defined by its castellated, castle-like exterior, constructed from yellowing Joliet limestone. Completed in eighteen sixty-nine by architect William W. Boyington, the tower was designed to house a one hundred…
6. Fourth Presbyterian Church
Fourth Presbyterian Church is distinguished by its Gothic Revival architecture and dressed limestone facade, making it the oldest structure standing on North Michigan Avenue with the sole exception of the Chicago Water Tower. Dedicated in…
7. John Hancock Center
The John Hancock Center is recognizable by the dark, X-shaped steel bracing that crisscrosses its tapering, pyramid-like silhouette. Standing one hundred stories tall at eight hundred seventy-five North Michigan Avenue, this skyscraper was…
8. The Drake
The Drake Hotel is defined by its pink neon sign, a fixture on the Chicago skyline since nineteen forty, and its limestone facade overlooking the junction of Lake Shore Drive and Michigan Avenue. Designed by Benjamin Howard Marshall and…