Wednesday, April 13, 2022

The Potter Palmer Ego

 

Lake Shore Drive (known by other designations by locals) is a multilevel expressway that runs alongside the shoreline of Lake Michigan, primarily through parkland, in Chicago, Illinois. Lake Shore Drive is designated as part of U.S. Highway 41. In 2021, the Chicago City Council approved a compromise ordinance officially renaming the outer portion of Lake Shore Drive for the city's first non-indigenous settler, Jean Baptiste Point du Sable.

Lake Shore Drive's origins date back to 1882 when Potter Palmer coerced the city to build the street adjacent to his lakefront "castle" (above) to enhance its value. The drive was originally intended for leisurely strolls for the wealthy in their carriages, but the auto age changed its role completely. By 1937, the famous double-decker Link Bridge over the Chicago River opened. The "drive" has been under constant revisions and renewal ever since.

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