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On Chicago's South Side, Lorado Taft's masterpiece Fountain of Time bears a fun little secret. On this day in 1920, Lorado Taft's Fountain of Time began running on Chicago's Midway Plaisance . Well, the plaster version of it anyway. The finished piece was not installed until 1922. For the last several weeks, I have been researching Fountain of Time because it serves as the finale of a new walking tour Chicago and Movies on the Midway . The sculpture is, after all, shown in at least three movies: Flatliners (1990), The Package (1989), and Chicago the Beautiful (1948). While reading, I learned that Taft, the Chicago-based sculptor, once likened this 126-foot-long structure to that of a house: concrete foundation first floor (sculptural elements) roof (walkway over the top) To save on supplies and reduce weight on the foundation, the inside of Fountain of Time is hollow. Today, restoration experts can access its innards via a knee-high opening in the foundation. Still, the bit about Fountain of Time 's apparent roof intrigued me. So one summer morning, I recruited a colleague with a drone , and we set out to see if a roof or walkway was visible. Voila! There is a roof! If you want to learn more about Fountain of Time and its connections to film, do join me on our outdoor walking tour Chicago and Movies on the Midway ! Sources Lorado Taft: Sculptor and Citizen , Ada Bartlett Taft, 1946. Lorado Taft: The Chicago Years , Allen Stuart Weller, Henry Adams, 2014. "Time and Tide: Restoring Lorado Taft's Fountain of Time : An Overview," Barbara Hall and Robert Aaron Jones. Vol. 31, No. 2, Conservation at the Art Institute of Chicago (2005), pp. 80-89.

Enjoy our list of carefully curated sources about Chicago's 1893 Ferris wheel and movies. Our virtual tour Chicago's First Ferris Wheel in Film (36 min.) offers you a significant amount of information about the World's Columbian Exposition, the Midway Plaisance , and the 264-foot-tall Ferris wheel that captivated the attention of the Fair's visitors. To make all of this content manageable for you, we divided the tour into four sections: Beginnings At the Fair Riding the Wheel After the Fair Watch a sneak preview: If you'd like to read further about the Ferris wheel or about other World's Fair and movie connections mentioned in Chicago's First Ferris Wheel in Film (36 min.), then you'll likely enjoy the sources linked below. Further Reading To make it easier for you to recall, the following sources for further reading are divided into the same four sections as the virtual tour. Enjoy! Beginnings In the first section of the virtual tour, Beginnings , you considered the 5Ws , or those questions often used to gather information about a subject. You learned, for example, why the Ferris wheel existed, who was behind its creation, and when it was constructed. You also looked at photographs of select exhibition spaces in the 1893 World's Fair, including the three-story Art Gallery and Women's Building. Pleasure wheels in Bulgaria: The Travels of Peter Mundy in Europe and Asia, 1608-1667 (page 134). Pleasure wheels from Pietro's Pilgrimage: A Journey to India and Back at the Beginning of the Seventeenth Century (page 30). Art Gallery at World's Fair: Art in the Gallery of the 1893 World’s Fair . Women's Building at World's Fair: Women Building History: Public Art at the 1893 Columbian Exposition . At the Fair In At the Fair , you explored the Ferris wheel as it stood in the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Through personal drone footage, you soared atop the Midway currently and imagined where the Ferris wheel was once positioned. In this section of the virtual tour, you also learned more details about the Ferris wheel, including its capacity, materials, riders, and gross revenue over the course of the Fair. Chicago's Grand Midway: A Walk Around the World at the Columbian Exposition . Art, History, Midway Plaisance and World's Columbian Exposition , published 1893. George W.G. Ferris, Alumni Hall of Fame , Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Competing designs of Ferris Wheel on blog On Verticality . " A Wheel with a View ," Chicago History Museum. Riding the Wheel In Riding the Wheel , you took an animated ride on the Ferris wheel through the Chicago History Museum's free augmented and virtual reality experiences. Whee! Chicago00 Project , Chicago History Museum. Scientific American on the Ferris wheel , published July 1893. Ferris Wheels: An Illustrated History . After the Fair In After the Fair , you discovered what befell Chicago's massive Ferris wheel after the Fair closed its doors in October 1893. You also got to see film footage and map imagery to prove the wheel's relocation and ultimate demise. Watch the Ferris wheel turn in 1896 , Lumiere brothers. Finding the Ferris wheel axle in St. Louis . Obituary of George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr. , New York Times , 1896. The 1893 World’s Fair , website.

Travel back to the World's Fair of 1893 and experience the first Ferris wheel through movies and virtual reality The first Ferris wheel was a groundbreaking engineering marvel designed for the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair (aka. World's Columbian Exposition). Standing as the Fair's tallest attraction, this iconic structure provided breathtaking panoramic views of the fairgrounds and the city. It also set a precedent for future amusement park attractions. Have you ever thought about what it might have been like to ride the original Ferris wheel? The views? The duration? The passengers? Let's try to answer these questions through the magic of film and virtual reality, the latter provided by the Chicago History Museum . Are you ready to ride? Join Chicago Movie Tours on this virtual walking tour as we explore Chicago's first Ferris wheel in film. This virtual event was streamed live on Facebook. Watch an Excerpt This an excerpt of Chicago's First Ferris Wheel in Film, our virtual tour that takes you back to the World's Fair of 1893 to experience the first Ferris wheel through movies and virtual reality. Watch Full Virtual Tour (36 min.) Join our movie club to reveal below the full virtual tour (1080p HD, 36 min.). Browse upcoming virtual events . Eek, a Quick Word 😬 In the virtual tour below, I say the Midway Plaisance was located 9 miles south of the World's Fair. That is incorrect. The Midway ran alongside the fairgrounds, and all were located in Jackson Park. When speaking, I was thinking of the Art Institute of Chicago , also built for the Fair but located in the Loop, about 9 miles from the former fairgrounds. My apologies! Thanks for watching, Kelli

Visit the childhood home of film producer Quincy Jones and a mural that celebrates him Born in Chicago in 1933, Quincy Jones describes his childhood as "rough and scary"—and he literally has the scars to prove it. But the award-winning composer and film producer also credits his early years in Chicago for "all he has done in his life." On this free virtual walking tour with Chicago Movie Tours, learn more about Quincy Jones as you visit his childhood home and a mural once featured his likeness. (That mural was painted over in the summer of 2023 with one that celebrates Chicago sports teams.) This virtual event was streamed live on Facebook. NOTE: Due to the violent nature of Jones' backstory, this virtual tour may not be appropriate for children. Watch Virtual Tour (24 min.) Join our movie club to reveal below the full virtual tour (1080p HD, 24 min.). Browse upcoming virtual events . Again, this virtual event was streamed live on Facebook.

Learn about the "rough and scary" childhood of film producer Quincy Jones and a Chicago mural that celebrated him Quincy Jones was born in Chicago in 1933. He describes his childhood as "rough and scary"—and he has the scars to prove it. Literally, on his right hand and left temple, scars he received by crossing over into the “wrong neighborhood,” as he puts it. At age 7, Quincy Jones and his brother also watched in horror as their mother was taken away from them in a straightjacket, where she was admitted to Manteno State Mental Hospital in Kankakee, IL. While the award-winning composer and film producer clearly had a difficult childhood here in Chicago, he also credits those early years for "all he has done in his life." Arranging music, making records, composing soundtracks, and producing movies. Today in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood, you can visit Quincy Jones’ childhood home. And if you were in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood from July 2019 to August 2023, you likely didn't miss the massive mural that featured Jones' likeness . (That mural was painted over in the summer of 2023 with one that celebrates Chicago sports teams.) Discover more about these locations and Jones’ relationship to Chicago and film on our full 24-minute virtual tour Quincy Jones' Chicago .

Learn about three Chicago movie theaters that survived the 1918 flu pandemic Backed by video footage of three silent-era theaters, hear about the 1918 flu pandemic's effect on Chicago movie houses and what the owners did to survive. This virtual walking tour from Chicago Movie Tours includes HD video footage of silent-era Chicago movie theaters that survived the pandemic. It also covers a brief history of the Spanish Flu. Finally, the event looks in-depth at how small and large Chicago movie houses were affected financially by this event—and how they pulled through. This virtual event was streamed live on YouTube. Watch an Excerpt This is an excerpt from our 41-minute virtual tour that teaches you how three silent-era Chicago movie theaters survived the 1918 flu pandemic. Watch Full Virtual Tour (41 min.) Join our movie club to reveal below the full virtual tour (1080p HD, 41 min.). Browse upcoming virtual events . Again, this virtual event was streamed live on YouTube.

Travel back to Chicago's silent era to learn how makeup and men's hairpieces functioned both on and offscreen Join Chicago Movie Tours for a quick history of movie makeup and a peek into the life of Chicago’s expert toupee-maker during Hollywood's silent era. While you look (virtually) at the State St. building that once held his thriving business, you'll learn how this Chicago-based wigmaker responded to trends in the movies and on the streets. On this virtual tour, you'll also see several historic advertisements and photos from 1920s fan magazines and newspapers showcasing Hollywood’s standards of male and female beauty. Watch an Excerpt This is the intro of Makeup and Toupees in Chicago's Silent Movies, our virtual program that ushers you back to Chicago's silent era to learn how makeup and men's hairpieces functioned both on and offscreen. As you'll see in the clip below, the program has three goals: Explore movie makeup and its significance in early cinema Visit a building at 220 S. State St. in Chicago Learn about a renowned toupee-maker from the 1920s and his response to trends on and off-screen Watch Full Virtual Tour (40 min.) Join our movie club to reveal below the full virtual tour Makeup and Toupees in Chicago's Silent Movies (1080p HD, approx. 40 min.) Browse upcoming virtual events .

Reconsider Chicago amusement parks through the lens of 5 home movies and a dunking booth game The popularity of the Midway Plaisance at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair spurred on the development of the American amusement park. Indeed, shortly after the Fair closed, amusement parks began to appear across the country, many located in and around Chicago . This virtual tour offers you a brief history of select amusement parks in Chicago through the lens of home movies. It also details the racism behind a popular game adults and children played at these parks. Finally, with the help of our HD video camera, you'll walk to the current location of the sign that welcomed families to an amusement park in Melrose Park, IL, called Kiddieland. NOTE: This virtual event includes historical material involving the use of offensive racial epithets. Watch an Excerpt This an excerpt of Roller Coasters, Racism, and Chicago Home Movies, our virtual program that asks you to rethink Chicago amusement parks through the lens of home movies and a dunking booth game. Watch Full Virtual Tour (38 min.) Join our movie club to reveal below the full virtual tour Roller Coasters, Racism, and Chicago Home Movies (1080p HD, approx. 40 min.) Browse upcoming virtual events . This virtual event was streamed live on YouTube.

Walk with us through Uptown and hear why some Chicagoans claimed small movie houses lured you into a life of sin Walk with us through Chicago's Uptown neighborhood to the former Lakeside Theater. Along the way, you'll learn about nickelodeons (aka. ”cheap" movie houses) and the presumed debauchery taking place within them! On this 30-minute virtual walking tour with Chicago Movie Tours, you’ll also stop by the glamorous Uptown Theater to reminisce about the movie Backdraft . Finally, you'll head over to the Bridgeview Bank Building, which you can see in the TV series Fargo and the gangster film Public Enemies . This virtual event was streamed live on YouTube. Watch an Excerpt This an excerpt of The Sins of Chicago Nickelodeons, our virtual tour that explores Chicago's Uptown neighborhood with a focus on the former Lakeside theater and three pitstops along the way. Watch Full Virtual Tour (29 min.) Join our movie club to reveal below the full virtual tour (1080p HD, 29 min.). Browse upcoming virtual events . Again, this virtual event was streamed live on YouTube.

Tour Altenheim, originally built to care for German elderly and later, a setting for Chicago movies Situated about 10 miles outside downtown Chicago in Forest Park, IL, the Altenheim was established in 1885 as a home to care for German elderly. Much later, it became a setting for the movies Harry and Tonto (1974), The Package (1989), and The Babe (1992). Join Chicago Movie Tours on this virtual walking tour as you roam the exterior of The Altenheim and discover how the property is used onscreen in three very different ways. Watch an Excerpt This is an excerpt of Altenheim Goes to the Movies, our virtual program that invites you to tour a property originally built to care for German elderly but later used as a setting for three Chicago movies. In the clip below, you'll learn about: The property's original and current acreage A 1974 road movie that showcases the exterior of Altenheim Watch Full Virtual Tour (25 min.) Join our movie club to reveal below the full virtual tour Altenheim Goes to the Movies (1080p HD, approx. 25 min.) Browse upcoming virtual events .

Learn about the S.S. Eastland tragedy via a suburban Chicago speakeasy and film In the virtual tour below, ride Chicago's commuter train with us to the unique house of a cigar maker and "blind pig" owner who lost family in the S.S. Eastland disaster , a shipwreck that killed 800 passengers before it ever left the Chicago River . Along the way, you'll also learn about Hawthorne Works, a factory complex of the Western Electric Company in Cicero, Illinois. Finally, you'll see recently unearthed and painstakingly restored films that depict the aftermath of the Eastland tragedy. This virtual tour was streamed live on Facebook in July 2023. Watch Full Virtual Tour (25 min.) Join our movie club to reveal below the full virtual tour Chicago's Shipwreck, Liquor, and Movies (1080p HD, approx. 25 min.) Browse upcoming virtual events .

Hear about that time the prestigious series The West Wing filmed in the Chicago suburbs In this virtual tour with Chicago Movie Tours, hear about that time The West Wing travelled to three locations in the Chicago suburbs to film an episode. With the help of our HD video camera, you'll walk where the cast and crew did. And along the path, you'll learn about a former mobster hangout and Chicago's role in the Underground Railroad. This virtual tour was held on Zoom. Check out more virtual tours . Watch Excerpt This is an excerpt from our virtual tour The West Wing in Chicago. In the clip, Kelli takes you behind the Graue Mill and Museum , where The West Wing filmed part of its episode "The Long Goodbye" (4.13). Watch Full Virtual Tour Join our movie club to access the full virtual tour The West Wing in Chicago (33 min.) Browse upcoming virtual events .