Use the form on the right to contact us.
You can edit the text in this area, and change where the contact form on the right submits to, by entering edit mode using the modes on the bottom right.
222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza
Chicago, IL, 60654
312-380-9883
Chicago's honorary brown street signs, days, and commemorative honors; the who, what, where, when and why. Honorary Chicago guide book, maps, biographies, history, trivia, tours, and gifts.
Note: in February 2017 the rules changed. Going forward each ward is only allowed 2 new honorary signs per year.
Officer Michael Flisk died in the line of duty in 2010. Officer Flisk served 19 years as a police evidence technician and was gunned down at the scene of a vehicle burglary by the hidden burglar. The owner of the burglarized vehicle was also killed.
The gunman was found and charged with two murders and sentenced to life in prison.
Michael Flisk's three sons all became Chicago Police Officers.
National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund: Michael Ronald Flisk
Officer Down Memorial Page
Lucy Gonzalez Parsons was a labor activist in the 1870s and the first African-American womens labor organizer. She led the first May Day labor parade in the US which was a testament to the growing labor movement in the wake of the Haymarket Affair. The attention it drew helped establish the 8-hour work day and contributed to the institution of Labor Day as a national holiday.
Lucy was born in Texas around 1853 and was of African-American, and possibly Mexican and Native American descent. She and her husband, Albert Parsons, moved to Chicago in 1873 to escape personal threats due to their labor views and their inter-racial marriage, which was forbidden.
Albert made a name for himself during the 1877 rail strikes which swept across the country. He spoke to crowds of tens of thousands of angry workers and called for peaceful negotiations. Albert was sentenced to death for his role in the Haymarket Riots. While in prison he wrote "Anarchism: Its Philosophy and Scientific Basis."
Lucy's views became more radical and militant after Albert's death. She published Albert's manifesto and wrote for the publications The Socialist and The Alarm. Lucy co-founded Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) with Eugene Debs and Mother Jones. She carried on the fight for workers rights for the next 55 years, until the end of her life.
A Chicago Park is also named in her honor at Belmont and Kilpatrick, which is less than a mile from where she lived. She died in a house fire at 3130 N. Troy Street
Kedzie and Shubert near the Logan Square Blue Line CTA Station
Ward: 35
Alderman: Ramirez-Rosa
Neighborhood: Avondale / Logan Square
Dedication: May Day, May 1, 2017
Lucy Ella Gonzales Parsons 1853-1942, age 89.
New intro video by Honorary Chicago. Let us know what you think.
In the February 2017 Chicago City Council meeting strict restrictions were made to the 1984 ordinance which set forth the process of dedicating an honorary street in Chicago.
Each ward is limited to 2 new honorary street designations per year
The cost of the honorary sign production, installation, and removal will be paid by the Ward
Each new honorary street will be marked by only 2 honorary signs
Signs can only be installed on an existing sign post
No honorary designations can share the same segment of street
The proposal must contain a map of the blocks to be dedicated (minimum 2 continuous blocks on the same street)
Living people are not eligible for honorary streets
The honorary street name cannot be the same as an official street
The proposal must contain the biography and reason for the the dedication and the name cannot be
If the proposal is rejected the named party cannot be reconsidered for one year
Designations expire after 5-years (renewable for an additional 5-years) after which the sign is to be removed
2 new honorary street designations per Ward per year regardless of the geographic size or population of the Ward
Street segments are exclusive to a single designation
The honored individual must be dead
Signs are limited to a renewable 5-year term
Unrestricted number of signs and designations bestowed
Multiple honorary designations allowed per location
Installed for an indefinite length of time
Opaque qualifications for selection
People can be honored during their lifetime
With the new restrictions the City will have a maximum of 100 new honorary streets per year (50 Wards allowed 2 new honorary designations each).
Editors note:
In 2016 there were 85 new honorary street designations
15 wards had more than 2
16 wards had zero
The 5-year expiration date applies to existing signs
Source: City Ordinance, February 22, 2017
Free tours start at 6:15pm in the lobby (unless otherwise posted) of the Fine Arts Building (410 S. Michigan Avenue)
2017: May, June, July, August
Check the event schedule for future dates and times
Chicago Cultural Mile is a trademark of the Chicago Cultural Mile Association www.chicagoculturalmile.org, the host of 2nd Fridays
Sister Barbara Jean Ciszek was the Founder and Principal of the Montessori School at the Cardinal Bernadin Early Childhood Center, St. Boneventure Campus. She was a member of the American Montessori Society and an expert in language and aesthetic development.
The Montessori method of education was founded in 1906 by Maria Montessori, an Italian physican and specialist in early childhood development.
Bee Jay, was called clearly and early to both teaching and religious life. She declared her intention to teach at age 5. She took her vows as a Catholic nun at age 19. Toward the end of her career she was called to Africa and made several visits to Nigeria. At the time of her death a school was being built in Nigeria in her honor.
She was a member of the Congregation St. Joseph LaGrange.
Approved: 2016
Neighbohood: Lakeview
Sister Barbara Jean Ciszek 1946-2015, age 68
Ike Sewell was the restauranteur who developed the legendary Chicago Deep Dish Pizza. In 1943 he opened Pizzeria Uno in a victorian house on Wabash Avenue, not far from the Magnificent Mile. Pizzeria Uno's second location, Pizzeria Due, opened in 1955 down the street from the original, also in a house. Both restaurants are still open at these locations.
Chicago-style deep dish pizza
Ike Sewell's restaurant career began at the bar. He worked for a distillery when he met his business partner and they decided to open a restaurant. When Ric Riccardo, the owner of Riccardo's on Rush, suggested their new restaurant serve pizza, Ike insisted that the pizza should be a meal itself, not just an appetizer. He also wanted something different from what he could find in Chicago's Little Italy. Ike was from Texas, so he liked big, and his pizza had so much more of everything it needed its own pan. And so, Chicago Deep Dish Pizza was born. Pizzeria Uno also spawned the Italian-style American classics: chicken vesuvio and italian beef sandwiches. Ike was also fond of Mexican food so he established the nearby Su Casa restaurant.
Pizzeria Uno inspired other pizza restaurants around the country and in Chicago. The father and son team, Rudy and Lou Malnati, were managers during the early years of Pizzeria Uno and Due. In 1971 Lou Malnati opened his own eponymous pizza place. Several former Uno's employees started their own restaurants in Chicago including: Gino's East, Delisi's Pizza, Louisa's Pizza, and Pizano's Pizza and Pasta. Uno's became famous outside Chicago when it licensed "Original Chicago Pizzeria Uno" restaurants which opened many locations across the country.
Ike kept his day job for the first 22 years of Pizzeria Uno; he retired as a vice president of a liquor company in 1965. Ike started even further from both Chicago and the restaurant business. He was born in Texas and played college football at the University of Texas, Austin, where he was an All-American in 1924. Ike received the National Football Foundation Distinguished American Award in 1987.
Chicago Tribune, "A History of Deep Dish Pizza"
Chicago Tribune, "Pizzeria Uno Opens"
Chicago Tribune, "Ike Sewell"
Kasia's Deli is famous for Pierogis in Chicago's Polish Community and throughout the City. Kazimiera Bober opened the deli in 1982 and started making pieogis a few years after she emigrated from Poland to the United States. Pierogi machines were nowhere to be found so she adapted a ravioli maker to fill the dough; she finished individual pierogis by hand. The deli flourished and had a hearty following. After 20 years in business she expanded production and started to sell Kasia's Pierogis in grocery stores. Kasia's Pierogis won the coveted "Best Pierogi in Chicago" award at the "Taste of Chicago" summer food festival. Soon she was featured in Newsweek Magazine and her pierogis were served on United Airline flights.
She was very poor when she arrived in Chicago in 1975 and struggled to get by. She started the deli in an old sausage shop to make enough money to bring her children to the United States.
Kasia lived to 80 years of age and realized the dream of the deli and succeeded in bringing her family from Poland. Her children and grandchildren worked by her side up to her last days. Kasia was a grandmother to the entire Polish community of Chicago. The Bober family continues to run the deli and pierogi factory.
Sign Approved: 2016
Ward: 1
Alderman: Moreno
Neighborhood: Ukrainian Village
Pierogis
An Eastern European dish often associated with Poland. Pierogis are dough dumplings and are typically filled with potato, sauerkraut, plum, or meat.
Photo: CC-BY-SA 2.5 User:Piotrus
Chicago has one of the largest Polish communities outside Poland
The Taste of Chicago is the world's largest food festival, it showcases Chicago food and restaurants.
Do they have anything in common other than a sign post in Chicago?
Honorary Mother Cabrini Dr and Honorary Marv Levy Way
In front of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini Chapel
Near where Marv Levy once lived
Ward: 43
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Until 2017 there was no exclusivity in the naming of honorary streets. Overlapping, the same segment of street, or even the same sign post. This has led to amusing randomness of strangers sharing the same street corner in Chicago - forever.
Here is the ongoing list of some of them (by number to keep the surprise):
Alekos Kostantinov was a Bulgarian writer who came to Chicago during the 1893 Columbian Exhibition World Fair. His 1894 book "To Chicago and Back" was influential in attracting Bulgarian immigrants to Chicago and the resulting sizable Bulgarian community in Chicago.
His sign is located outside the First Bulgarian Center; where the Union of Bulgarian Writers hold it's meetings and is the common meeting place for Bulgarian writers living all over the world. Bulgarian Culture Center Chicago
The honorary sign was dedicated to mark the 120th anniversary of his death.
Approved: 2017
Ward: 45
Alderman: John Arena
Neighborhood: Avondale / Old Irving Park
Javier Baez plays for the Chicago Cubs baseball team and was a crucial part of the team's historic World Series win in 2016.
Honorary Javier "Javy" Baez Way was dedicated on Tuesday, April 11, 2017 and drew a huge crowd of adults and children from the proud Puerto Rican community and beyond, most were wearing Chicago Cubs hats, shirts, jackets, and Javy's jersey number 9.
"Congratulations Javier Baez" cake from a local bakery
Fan wearing Javier Baez Cubs jersey number 9 and flying the flag of Puerto Rico
The sign stands in Humboldt Park in front of "Little Cubs Field" and also at the Division Street entrance to the park on Luis Munoz Marin Drive.
The sign dedication was hosted by Alderman Roberto Maldonado and attended by Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
Ward: 26
Alderman: Roberto Maldonado
Neighborhood: Humboldt Park
Sign Dedication Ceremony: April 11, 2017
Blair Holt was a 16-year old high-school student who died while shielding a classmate from gunfire in 2007
Read MoreEsther Golar served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 2006 until her death in 2015. Esther believed in strong communities and fiercely supported the rights of the elderly, families, and the struggling. She served on committees on a wide range of issues including; education, healthcare, and crime. She was the voice of the 6th District on the Southwest side of Chicago, and sometime she delivered her message on the House floor in song. Before her career in politics she was a community organizer and worked for the Community Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS). She moved to Chicago from Mississippi as a child.
Ward: 20
Alderman: Cochran
Neighborhood: Englewood
b. 1944. Merigold, Mississippi
d. 2015. Age 71.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/ct-state-rep-esther-golar-dies-met-0922-20150921-story.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esther_Golar
Kirk Vidas has been a baseball and basketball coach at William Howard Taft High School for more than 20 years; and a professional basketball player in Greece. Kirk Vidas was selected for the Greek Olympics team in 1980 and 1984. He was named educator of the month by the Chicago Bulls basketball team in February 2017.
Alumni
Gordon Tech High School, Chicago (since 2017 DePaul College Prep)
Upper Iowa University
American College of Education
Ward: 41
Alderman: Napolitano
Neighborhood: Norwood Park
Taft High-School
Greek American Hall of Fame
This doctor and dancer couple was very involved in the community. Mildred in Rainbow Coalition/PUSH
Edward “Ted” Pedro Cruzat was a surgeon and lecturer at Northwestern University Medical School
Mildred “Millie” Cruzat danced on Broadway and at Carnegie Hall. She teaches dance.
Alumni - Edward
University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana
Meharry Medical College. Nashville, Tennessee
Alumni - Mildred
American School of Ballet at Carnegie Hall
Ward: 4
Alderman: King
Neighborhood: Douglas
Edward
b. Alton, Illinois
d. February, 16 2000. Age 73. Chicago
Mildred
b. February 17, 1927. Detroit, Michigan
Kevin Ryan retired after 40 years at Chicago International Charter School, Northtown Academy, where he was the Dean of Students. He started out as a Social Studies teacher at Good Council High School, where he also coached softball and basketball.
Alumni
St Patrick’s High School
Northeastern Illinois University
Source
Ward: 3
Alderman: Dowell
Neighborhood: South Loop
Near
True Rock Ministries
57 East 16th Street, Chicago
Ward: 6
Alderman: Sawyer
Neighborhood: Chatham
Source