Richard J. Daley

<em>Near West Side Stories: Struggles for Community in Chicago's Maxwell Street Neighborhood</em> is an ongoing story of unequal power in Chicago. Four representatives of immigrant and migrant groups that have had a distinct territorial presence in the area&mdash;one Jewish, one Italian, one African-American, and one Mexican&mdash;reminisce fondly on life in the old neighborhood and tell of their struggles to save it and the 120-year-old Maxwell Street Market that was at its core. <p> <em>Near West Side Stories</em> brings this saga of community strife up to date, while giving a voice to the everyday people who were routinely discounted or ignored in the big decisions that affected their world. Though slaying that dragon&mdash;fending off the encroachments of those wielding great power&mdash;was nearly impossible, we see in the details of their lives the love for a place that compelled Harold, Florence, Nate, and Hilda to make the quest.</p>

Perhaps no other city in America identifies itself with fire quite like Chicago does; certainly no other city cites a great conflagration as the cornerstone of its will and identity. Yet the Great Chicago Fire was not the only infamous blaze the city would see. Rather, as Chicago changed from agrarian outpost to industrial giant, it would be visited time and again by some of the worst infernos in American history&mdash;fires that sparked not only banner headlines but, more importantly, critical upgrades in fire safety laws across the globe. <p>In <strong>Great Chicago Fires</strong>, acclaimed author and veteran firefighter <strong>David Cowan</strong> tells the story of the other &quot;great&quot; Chicago fires, noting the causes, consequences, and historical context of each&mdash;from the burning of Fort Dearborn in 1812 to the Iroquois Theater disaster to the Our Lady of the Angels school fire. He also explores lesser-known fires such as fatal tenement and flophouse blazes that often underscore how poverty and poor living conditions set the stage for these urban catastrophes.</p> <p>Along the way, Cowan follows the colorful evolution of Chicago's firefighting forces from early 19th-century citizen bucket brigades to the armada of the modern day fire department, lacing his narrative with the dangers of his profession, including a vivid account of the worst day in American fire service history when twenty-one firefighters died battling a fire at Chicago's Union Stockyards.</p>

<p><em>The Politics of Place: A History of Zoning in Chicago </em>reviews the interplay between development, planning, and zoning in the growth of the Gold Coast, the Central Area, and, more recently, massive &quot;planned developments,&quot; such as Mariina City, Illinois Center, and Dearborn Park. It tells the story of bold visions compromised by political realities, battles between residents and developers, and occasional misfires from City Council and City Hall.</p><p>What emerges is a fascinating, behind-the-scenes inspection of the evolving character of the city's landscape. Schwieterman and Caspall recount the many planning innovations that have originated in Chicago, the complexiities and intrigue of its zoning debates, and the recent adoption of a new zoning ordinance that promises to affect the city's economy and image for years to come. </p><p><em>The Politics of Place: A History of Zoning in Chicago</em> is the culmination of a research effort undertaken by the Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development at DePaul University. <br /></p>

Midway was Chicago's first official airport, and for decades it was the busiest airport in the nation, and then the world. Its story is an American story, encompassing heroes and villains, generosity and greed, boom and bust, progress and decline, and in the final chapter, rebirth. Join Christopher Lynch as he combines oral histories, narrative, and historic and contemporary photos to celebrate the rich and exciting 75-year history of this colorful airport and the evolution of aviation right along with it. Heroes and Daredevils Meet a cast of characters whose dreams, courage, and resolution put the pieces in place for one of the country's most historic airports as they first charted the space between Heaven and Earth from the Chicago area. Inventors. Barnstormers. Airmail flyers. World War aviators. Industrialists. All-star pilots like Charles Lindbergh, Jimmy Doolittle, and Bessie Coleman. Transportation Hub Follow a bustling, centralized metropolis as it evolves from the nation's railroad capital of the 19th century to the aviation leader of the 20th, both roles intersecting in the 1940s when train tracks of the largest railroad in the country ran through the airfields of Midway, the world's busiest airport. Heart of a Neighborhood Journey to a residential neighborhood with one-square-mile of excitement at its core: An airport that served as employer, visitor's attraction, social center, and lifeline to glamour. One with its elementary school just yards away from an active runway. Crossroads of the World Relive Midway's heyday — a golden era when movie stars and international dignitaries routinely deplaned there to great media fanfare, when Marshall Field's Cloud Room provided elegant dining with a panoramic view of the tarmac. Birth of the Airlines Watch the emergence of fledgling airlines at Midway&mdash;United, American, and others&mdash;that changed forever the way people traveled. From there began the brutal competition that still marks the industry today. It ended the dominance of the railroads, legislated the inexpensive "non-skeds" out of business, and re-emerged in the 1990s with such no-frills carriers as ATA and Southwest Airlines that continue operating successfully from Midway today. Reinvention Discover an airport penned in by its own success, unable to expand and initially unable to accommodate the jet age. Through persistence, repositioning, political maneuvering, and ongoing reinvention, the cherished Midway is once again on top, thriving in a new age of challenges in the air.

A history of Chicago political upheaval in 1968 during the Democratic National Convention and riots. Includes a timeline and index of important contributors.