out with cobb, in with mies: a new chicago federal building rises from ruins of old

richard nickel photos of h.i. cobb's beaux-art style chicago federal building (completed in 1905) during its demolition in 1965 to make way for mies's courthouse and federal office building designed by mies, with schmidt, garden and erikson, c. f. murphy associates, and a. epstein and sons contributing.

note: additional nickel images capture the remains (i.e., foundation) of burnham and root's great northern building and hotel (1891-1940) during land clearance and/or excavation for federal building and plaza. 

richard nickel images courtesy of ryerson and burnham, art institute of chicago. images or cobb's federal building elevator ornament courtesy of eric j. nordstrom and the bldg. 51 archive. all rights reserved. 2021. 

the copper-plated ornamental cast iron spread-winged eagle surround by laurel wreath, torch and floral fragment were salvaged from an elevator lobby door in cobb's building. winlsow brothers executed the building's decorative ironwork.