This was a cool 2 days and 5 stops to photograph. I like taking it to the road and letting chance happen. It makes for a more interesting day(s) of photography.
The first stop was Friday evening at Paul Henry's Art Gallery. There the "Just Transition Visioning Project: Community Art Exhibition" was taking place. What was a nice surprise, downtown Hammond streets are back open. A fence is now around the back parking lot of Paul Henry's, which I think they may have forgotten to provide an opening to allow people to enter Paul Henry's and the Towle Theater. A small section of the gate was removed to just make it through with my cameras. I hope they correct that soon.
Bottom center is my photograph of our favorite artist Sophia, all dolled up as a clown. Make an offer to David!!!
Next stop this same Friday evening was to the Sip Coffee House in Highland to see the SLAC opening reception for "Momentum". It had been a while since I had been to the Sip. Lots had changed for the good. Here are some photographs of the inside (past the first photo), less the chicken salad sandwich that I bought.
My very friendly and never unwilling photogenic server looking through the window at me with a smile and peace sign. 😀
The second day, Saturday morning after dropping the bride off at work at the Indiana Welcome Center, I stopped by Peoples Park in Hammond to photograph an old train trestle. I did not know exactly where it was, but did eventually find it. I think I need to go back in the fall to photograph some more.
I see rail!
I wanted very much to cross to the midway point. However, with my bad ankle (which seems to be permanent), I did not dare because I did not feel stable enough stepping on the railroad ties with my heavy camera and extra lens strapped on me. I will return with someone who can spot for me, and bring a walking cane for stability.
I had to run an errand to the University of Chicago. Afterward I took 41 back and thought I'd stop at Steelworkers Park, before the Quantum computing campus goes up. This is sort of a mixed bag for me. I really enjoy the nature that Chicago has put a lot of time into for this park. To have over half (so it seems) ripped up for development seems to be a shame. On the flip side, this is very new technology and would be a great gift for Chicago, both in stature and jobs.
Steelworkers Park is the site of the old U.S. Steel South Works on the far South Side of Chicago. This facility started around 1889 with other steel mills, and was called Illinois Steel. A large labor pool if immigrants was nearby. Which is why this part of land has become so special to people, given the history.
I had the great opportunity to photograph a multimedia dance theater performance there in 2016, "Trails and Trails", directed by Erica Mott. This performance was focused around the people who worked at this mill and the nearby migrant workers who provided the labor. It was a very powerful performance, and I was so happy to be given the photographic opportunity.
The remaining concrete walls are all that is left of South Works. They were used to hold iron ore, and between those walls lime, which were off loaded from barges that came up through the corridor (now used to fish from).
My understanding is that when the facility came down, a contractor tried to take down the walls but gave up. I suspect this very thick concrete is also dense given the height and resulting weight when it was made. The walls probably will remain for the rest of our lives. A benefit, the outer South wall has been modified for a climbing wall. The structure at the top are fall protection systems, and hand / foot grabs have been attached so the face of the wall.
Shutting down of the mill did improve our environment. I can recall in the mid 1970s driving up from St. Louis, you could see the smog / haze line over Chicago. Today that no longer exists. The city had to do a lot of toxic removal from the area and replenishment in order for this park to thrive as you will see from these photographs. This is why I enjoy this park . . . the history . . . the connection to people . . . and the new environment.
This is where the barges were pushed down for offload. Now a choice spot for fishing.
Looking across Lake Michigan at Indiana.
My best estimate, in the next photograph the two items on the left are center cones for a charging bucket. The item on the far right probably a mold to make steel ingots.
On the way home from Steelworkers Park I stopped at Purdue University, Calumet Campus. They now call it Purdue Northwest (Purdue NW).
I have a quarrel calling it Purdue NW. Much because of history. Purdue offered national defense training for the federal government in this region in 1946. After the war, in 1951 Purdue moved to the more permanent location in Hammond, Indiana, with the first building called the "Center Building", later to be renamed the Gyte Science Building. (Named after the first director of Calumet, Millard Gyte.) This building still stands today. I remember having a few classes in that building. In 1962 the campus was renamed Purdue University Calumet Campus.
So, my diplomas do state Purdue University. Since the re-organization to combine both Purdue Calumet and Purdue Central campuses, Purdue Calumet no longer exists and is now called Purdue NW. Even the diplomas now show as Purdue NW. That is why I still say "Purdue Calumet". To give respect to the history, and to those who have received diplomas stating Purdue University.
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