2019 year in review: demolitions, cwca formation, exhibits, museum acquisitions and publications

the following blog post links arranged in chronological order below offer highlights of the work of eric j. nordstrom, urban remains, and the bldg. 51 museum archive in 2019. over the past few years my work towards creating and/or collaborating with people and organizations deeply entrenched in architectural preservation has greatly intensified, which is clearly reflected in the posts i find of greatest significance for 2019. the bldg. 51 museum collection and archive will continue its expansion, beginning with a museum gallery and showroom opening in early 2020, where historically important architectural ornament, ephemera and photographic documentation will be accessible to the public through revolving exhibits, lectures, workshops and other events focusing on narratives behind methods and materials used in 19th and early 20th century commercial and residential building construction.

DOCUMENTING LOUIS SULLIVAN-DESIGNED CARVED BERLIN SANDSTONE PANELS ON FACADE OF 1881 S.A. MAXWELL LOFT BUILDING

BLDG. 51 AND RYERSON ARCHIVE COLLABORATION ON CHICAGO STOCK EXCHANGE TRADING ROOM EXHIBIT NOW OPEN

ARCHIVING IMAGES AND EPHEMERA FROM TWO-YEAR DOCUMENTATION OF FIVE CHICAGO DEPRESSION-ERA THEATERS FINALLY GETS UNDERWAY

EXHAUSTIVE PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDY OF FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT'S A.D. GERMAN WAREHOUSE AND CONCRETE ORNAMENT

GARRICK MATERIAL FROM BLDG. 51 ARCHIVE EXHIBITED AT JOHN VINCI'S GARRICK THEATER LECTURE HELD AT GLESSNER HOUSE

UNCOVERING MATERIALS AND METHODS USED TO CONSTRUCT ADLER AND SULLIVAN'S S.A. MAXWELL LOFT BUILDING

A RARE GLIMPSE INSIDE HOWELLS AND HOOD'S TRIBUNE OFFICE TOWER DURING ITS CONVERSION INTO RESIDENTIAL LIVING

PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEY OF ADLER AND SULLIVAN'S WAINWRIGHT TOMB INTERIOR, WAINWRIGHT BUILDING, AND UNION TRUST BUILDING DURING TRIP TO ST. LOUIS

RETURNING TO RICHARD NICKEL'S ARCHITECTURAL ORNAMENT COLLECTION HOUSED AT EDWARDSVILLE'S LIBRARY AND OFFSITE FACILITY

STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF ADLER AND SULLIVAN'S 1892 SCHILLER BUILDING

FACADE RESTORATION WORK ON HOLABIRD AND ROCHE'S CHICAGO SCHOOL MARQUETTE BUILDING

PHOTO-DOCUMENTING RESTORATION OF CHICAGO'S HISTORIC BUILDING FACADES OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS

CONTINUED PHOTO-DOCUMENTATION OF ARCHITECTURAL ORNAMENT ON MILWAUKEE'S 19TH AND EARLY 20TH CENTURY BUILDINGS

2019 PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEY OF 19TH AND EARLY 20TH CENTURY ARCHITECTURAL ORNAMENT IN MINNEAPOLIS

MUCH-NEEDED SABBATICAL NECESSARY TO CONVERT SEVERAL "PROJECTS" INTO COMPLETED PUBLICATIONS

THE ARCHITECTURAL ORNAMENT OF LOUIS SULLIVAN'S EARLY 20TH CENTURY "JEWEL BOX" BANK BUILDINGS

PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEY OF GEORGE GRANT ELMSLIE TERRA COTTA ORNAMENT IN AURORA

A PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEY OF LOUIS H. SULLIVAN'S 1914 MERCHANTS' NATIONAL BANK ORNAMENT

DOCUMENTING LOUIS SULLIVAN-DESIGNED INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR PEOPLES SAVINGS BANK ORNAMENT

RETURNING TO COOK COUNTY HOSPITAL TO DOCUMENT LATEST RESTORATION EFFORTS ON FACADE

OLD AND NEW HISTORICALLY IMPORTANT ORNAMENT HOUSED IN THE BLDG. 51 MUSEUM ARCHIVE

LATEST DIGITIZED KODACHROME SLIDES ADDED TO GROWING JOHN VINCI PHOTOGRAPHIC ARCHIVE

TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE FOR JOHN VINCI TALK ON ADLER AND SULLIVAN'S GARRICK THEATER HELD AT GLESSNER HOUSE

URBAN REMAINS LAUNCHES NEWLY-DESIGNED WEBSITE COMPLETE WITH UPGRADED CATALOG CONTAINING OVER 35,000 ARTIFACTS AND OBJECTS

VALDEMAR MORTONSEN 1876 TWO-STORY COTTAGE WITH FREAR "ARTIFICIAL STONE" WINDOW HOODS AND KEYSTONES DEMOLISHED

PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEY OF 19TH AND EARLY 20TH CENTURY ARCHITECTURE IN SALT LAKE CITY

DOWN IN A HOLE: RICHARD NICKEL IMAGES OF HAND-DUG CASSIONS FOR C.F. MURPHY'S CIVIC CENTER

PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDY OF ADLER AND SULLIVAN'S 1891 JAMES CHARNLEY HOUSE REVISITED

A CLOSER LOOK AT TERRA COTTA LIONS, FOUNTAIN, AND STAINED GLASS AT LOUIS SULLIVAN'S MERCHANTS AND FARMERS BANK (1919)

BLDG. 51 AND GLESSNER HOUSE JOIN FORCES TO PRESENT "REMEMBERING THE GARRICK" TALK BY JOHN VINCI IN FALL OF 2019

TRACKING THE DISTRIBUTION OF SALVAGED ORNAMENT AFTER DESTRUCTION OF ADLER AND SULLIVAN'S GARRICK THEATER

BLDG. 51 FORMING NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION FOR PRESERVING CHICAGO WORKERS COTTAGES

A PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDY OF ADLER AND SULLIVAN'S JAMES CHARNLEY HOUSE INTERIOR ORNAMENT

REVISITING 19TH CENTURY CHICAGO BUILDINGS DEMOLISHED IN RECENT YEARS

EARLY 20TH CENTURY UNION STOCK YARDS CHICAGO FIRE HOUSE EXTENSIVELY DOCUMENTED SHORTLY BEFORE ITS DESTRUCTION

COMMERCIAL BUILDING WITH DEARBORN CAST IRON "FRONT" AND ADJOINING BOARDING HOUSE WRECKED LATE LAST WEEK

POST-FIRE PHOTOGRPAHIC SURVEY OF MILWAUKEE'S HISTORIC 1878 TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH

19TH CENTURY CHICAGO ROWHOUSES ON WEBSTER SLATED FOR WRECKING BALL IN COMING WEEKS

further reading:

2018 YEAR IN REVIEW