Pastor Victor Rodriguez Way

Victor Rodriguez was pastor of the La Villita Community Church, in the Little Village neighborhood. His church keeps kids off the streets by serving as the center for the Chicago Youth Boxing Club. Under his leadership, his church also hosted chili cook-offs and tattoo removal sessions. Pastor Vic was well known for peace keeping and for establishing positive relations between the North Lawndale and South Lawndale communities.

Everyone wants to save the world.
But nobody wants to do the dishes.
- Pastor Vic

Pastor Vic was a huge White Sox fan. His place in the community is immortalized in a mural on 22nd Street which bears his portrait and his mission. From age 9, he lived his entire life in the Little Village neighborhood; as an adult he dedicated himself to God and to the community.

Love God. Love people. Nothing else matters.
- Pastor Vic

Alumni: Christian Life College, Whitney Grade School, Farragut

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Honorary Pastor Victor H. Rodriguez Way

West 23rd Street between South Central Park Avenue and South Lawndale Avenue

Approved: April 2019
Ward: 22
Alderman: Ricardo Munoz
Neighborhood: Little Village, South Lawndale

Born in Mexico 1967
Chicago, age 9
d. 2018. age 52

Near La Villita Community Church
2300 S. Millard Avenue

 

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Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Tribune

Sam Franco Way

Sam Franco was a musician, band leader, teacher, and he restored musical instruments more than 70 years. He served in the Army during WWII and was the band leader of his division. Sam’s passion was for the accordion, he took lessons in the Fine Arts Building. Sam became a very highly regarded music instructor in the Chicago area. He also taught and repaired accordions at his home and at the Old Town School of Folk Music. He was featured in the Chicago Reader and on NPR. In 2013 he was inducted into the Senior Illinoisian Hall of Fame.

Alumni: Chappell Elementary, Amundsen High School

Veteran: Army Air Corp. WWII

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Honorary Sam Franco Way

5100 block of N. Claremont Avenue

Approved: April 2019
Ward: 40
Alderman: Patrick O’Connor
Neighborhood: Ravenswood

Born in Chicago 1924
d. 2018. age 93

Near his residence for more than 60 years

 

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Sources

Jonathan Bunge Way

Jonathan Bunge was the owner of Will’s Northwoods Inn and was an active member and a huge supporter of the South Lakeview business community. Jonathan also owned several rental properties in the Lakeview neighborhood. He was a retired corporate litigator. Jonathan was also very involved with his church and charities such as the Red Cross and the United Way.

Alumni: Princeton University, Harvard University

Veteran: Army

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Honorary Jonathan Bunge Way

W. Nelson between Racine and Southport

Approved: 2019
Ward: 32
Alderman: Scott Waguespack
Neighborhood: South Lakeview

d. 2018. age 81

Near
Will’s Northwoods Inn
3030 N. Racine Avenue

 

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Source

Ziemia Moniecka Way

Moniecka is a region in Poland.
Ziemia Moniecka Translation: “Land of Moniecka”

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Honorary Ziemia Moniecka Way

2900 N. Milwaukee Avenue

Approved: February 2017

Ward: 30
Alderman: Reboyas
Neighborhood: Polish Village, Avondale

 

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Polish Daily News, May 9, 2017

Karl Lambrecht Strasse

Karl Lambrecht was a pioneering optics manufacturer. He founded the Crystal Optics company, later known as Karl Lambrecht Corp. During WWII he worked at Bell & Howell Co. making large lenses. He was self-taught and developed methods to produce high precision prisms , polarizers, and lenses which are used in research laboratories.

In 1975 he was awarded the Optical Society of America, David Richardson medal.

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Honorary Karl Lambrecht Strasse Drive

Neighborhood: Lincoln Square

b. Celle, Germany
d. 2001. age 97.

Near
Karl Lambrecht Corporation
4204 N. Lincoln Avenue

 

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Chicago Tribune, January 27, 2001 - Karl Lambrecht obituary

Tillie Rybak Way

Tillie Rybak was a long time resident of Chicago. She lived in the Humboldt Park neighborhood for 71 years.

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Honorary Tillie Rybak Way

2600 to 2700 W. Chicago Avenue

 

Approved: 2018

Ward: 26
Alderman: Maldonado
Neighborhood: Humboldt Park

b. August 30, 1922
d. July 31, 2017. Age 94. Chicago

Near
2605 W. Chicago Avenue

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Source

SOURCE
Tillie (Gerage) Rybak

Doris Ivy Way

Doris Ivy received a kidney transplant in 1991 and survived 27 years. She was the sister of Illinois Secretary of State, Jesse White. This life saving transplant inspired him to raise awareness and to prioritize organ transplants in his position as Secretary of State.

The sign is located near the residence where she lived, Union Missionary Baptist Church where she was a member of the choir, and not far from where as children Doris and Jesse lived when their family moved to Chicago from Alton, Illinois.

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Honorary Doris Ivy Way

100 W. Oak Street

Approved: October 2018

Ward 2
Neighborhood: Gold Coast

 

1999 IL Secretary of State, Jesse White and his sister Doris Ivy, “Gift of Life” public service announcement (video YouTube: ODILSOS).
https://youtu.be/6BlI4UKNCfg?si=fA7reGRXDIpVllrC

Chicago Sun-Times article July 3, 2018

Officer Barry D. Batson, Sr. Way

Barry Batson, Sr. was a Chicago Police Officer assigned to protect Martin Luther King, Jr. when the Reverend moved to Chicago in the late 1960s. Officer Batson would drive Martin Luther King to and from the airport, and was at his side at large public events, including Dr. King’s speech at Soldier Field. At the time there were many threats to Dr. King’s life. Late in Officer Batson’s career he was a community service officer who coached sports in the parks to kids and inspired them through his stories of Dr. King.

Honorary Street dedication for Officer Barry Batson SR. at Garfield Park - 300 N. Central Park; were he mentored youth with tennis tournaments!!! @Chicago_Police @ChicagoCAPS11 @AldermanErvin pic.twitter.com/pfn8Hmn7ks

— 11th District - Harrison (@ChicagoCAPS11) July 10, 2018

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Honorary Officer Barry D. Batson, Sr. Way

Central Park Drive between Lake Street and Carroll Avenue

Approved: June 2018

Ward: 28
Alderman: Ervin
Neighborhood: Austin

b. December 7, 1934
d. May 29, 2005. Age 70.

Near
Garfield Park Conservatory

 

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Source

Source

Gorale Podhalanscy Way

The Gorale are an ethnic group from the Carpathian mountain highlands of Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Ukraine.

The Polish Highlanders Alliance of North America is located near Archer Avenue and Pulaski Avenue in Chicago and was founded in 1929.

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Honorary Gorale Podhalanscy Way

South Archer between Hamlin and Lawndale

 

Approved: 2018

Ward: 14
Alderman: Burke and Reboyras (30)
Neighborhood: Archer Heights

Polish Highlander Alliance of North America
4808 S. Archer Avenue

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Source

Inez Loredo Street

Throughout her life, Inez Loredo broke through barriers and took on increasingly large roles helping children in the Pilsen neighborhood get access to education and build a strong community. In 1921 Inez was born in Harlingen, Texas. She was the first Mexican-American woman in her town to graduate from high school. 

When she moved to Chicago she was very involved in her children's school, Jungman Elementary, where she was first bi-lingual PTA member. She took on the role of School Community Representative (SCR) at Jungman where she helped local families enroll their children in school; she often acted as translator. Inez was instrumental in getting bilingual teachers hired into the Chicago Public Schools. She helped build high schools, libraries, and healthcare centers. She also founded the Fiesta de Sol; it became the largest Latino festival in the midwest. 

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Honorary Inez Loredo Street

 

Morgan Street from West 16th to West 18th

Approved: 2018

Ward: 25
Alderman: Solis
Neighborhood: Pilsen

Birthplace: Harlingen, Texas.
November 7, 1921
October 7, 2017

Steve Lombardo Way

Steve Lombardo is co-owner of the Gibsons Restaurant Group. 

Gibsons Bar and Steakhouse
Hugo's Frog Bar & Fish House
Quartinos Pizzeria and Wine Bar
Luxe Bar

RL - The Ralph Lauren Restaurant
The Polo Bar (New York City, 2015)

Gibsons opened in May 1989.  Opening night was full of notable people and events including the engagement of Candice Jordan to her husband Chuck, their photo on this occasion is on a wall at Gibsons. Also, former owner and Bears Football #42 MVP and Quarterback, Sid Luckman.

Steve and his wife, Peggy, are long time supporters of Misericoria and received the Sister Rosemary Connelly Service Medallion Award.

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Approved: February 2017
Ward: 42
Alderman: Reilly
100 East Bellevue Place
Neighborhood: Gold Coast

Dedicated: 2017
Steve Lombardo's honorary sign is located outside the Gibson's Restaurant

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Chicago Tribune, April 2, 2015
Gibson's Restaurant Group

Twitter: @GibsonsSteak

Honorary Chicago New Signs Class of 2017

Annual report of the newly designated brown honorary signs in Chicago for the year 2017

There were 41 new honorary signs in 2017, this is down from 85 in 2016

A landmark change to the qualifications significantly reduced the number of honorees from 2017 forward.  This change took effect after the February 2017 Chicago City Council meeting.

List is alphabetical by first name OR title AS IT appearS THE on sign

Class of 2017

ALEKO KONSTANTINOV WAY

AVENIDA CARMEN ESCARZAGA

BLAIR DELANE HOLT

COACH KIRK VIDAS WAY

DEE JAY RODRIGUEZ WAY

DONALD SANSONE

DOUG BOSTIC

DR. EDWARD & MILDRED CRUZAT WAY

DR. LORRAINE R. BROYLS WAY

EDWARD G. IRVIN

ESTHER GOLAR WAY

FF BILL GRANT WAY 

FRED SAUFNAUER WAY

GEORGE 'POPPIE' BLACK, SR. WAY

HONORABLE CLARK BURRUS WAY

JAVIER 'JAVY' BAEZ WAY

JOE MANTEGNA WAY

K9S FOR VETERANS WAY

KEVIN RYAN WAY

LUCY GONZALEZ PARSONS WAY

MARTHA LAVEY

MICHAEL 'DYKO' PRESBITERO

MIGUEL SUAREZ 

MONSIGNOR DOLAN DRIVE

OFFICER MICHAEL FLISK AVENUE

OSCAR LOPEZ RIVERA WAY

PASTOR EARL GRANDBERRY, SR. WAY

PETER J. MARTINEZ WAY

P.F.C. JOSEPH M. SCHALLMOSER

PHIL JONES

PHILIP O. COLEMAN

POWISLE DABROWSKIE WAY

ST. MADELEINE SOPHIE

STEVE LOMBARDO WAY

TEMPLE SHOLOM WAY

THE SELFHELP HOME

THERESA M. PETTY-PHILPOT WAY

VINCE GAVIN WAY

WALTER L. WILLIAMS

ZIEMIA MONIECKA WAY

ZIEMIA PODHALANSKA

 

And in other Honorary Chicago news...

DEDICATION OF HORSE OF HONOR PUBLIC ART MEMORIAL TO FALLEN POLICE OFFICER DANIEL E. HOWARD

Hugh M. Hefner Way

Honorary Hugh M. Hefner Way, with remnant of former (presumably stolen) sign below it. March 2015
Photo: Honorary Chicago 

Hugh Hefner was the founder of Playboy Magazine and a legend in his own time

Hugh Hefner published the first Playboy Magazine in 1953 with a nude centerfold of Marilyn Monroe.  That was the beginning of his adult entertainment empire which included clubs, television, music, literature, interviews with historic figures, and lots of controversy.

Hugh grew up on Chicago's Northwest side and attended Chicago Public Schools: Sayer Elementary School and Steinmetz High School. 

He served in the U.S. Army during World War II.

Hugh graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1949.

Playboy Enterprises was located in Chicago from its inception until the headquarters moved to California in 2012.

The original Playboy Mansion was in the Gold Coast neighborhood at 1340 N. State Parkway. It is now a condominium building.

The first Playboy Club was located at 116 E. Walton Street.  This building and address no longer exist.

Hugh M. Hefner Way

Neighborhood: Magnificent Mile
Dedicated: April 11, 2000

April 9, 1926 - September 27, 2017
Age 91.

The honorary sign is located outside 919 N. Michigan Avenue, the former headquarters of Playboy Enterprises.  This building is also known as the Palmolive Building and is recognizable in the Chicago skyline by the bright light atop the building. 

 

Due to recent changes in Chicago's Honorary Street program, new honorary signs can no longer honor a living person.  Hugh Hefner Way was installed before this change; he was one of the last surviving honorees.

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Honorary Sign FAQ

Honorary Fazlur R. Khan Way

Fazlur Rahman Khan was a famous structural engineer who designed the world’s tallest buildings. He worked in Chicago at Skidmore, Owings, and Merril (SOM) and collaborated on the Sears Tower (1973) and the John Hancock Building (1969) with architect Bruce Graham. His innovations in bracing systems and the bundled tube design ushered in a new era of supertall buildings. He is considered the “Einstein of Structural Engineering.” He won a Fullbright Scholarship to pursue his studies in the United States. In 1967 he became a US Citizen.

Alum
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
University of Dhaka, Bangladesh

Skydeck is the the name of the observation deck on the 103rd floor of the Willis (Sears) Tower.

Ten Tallest Buildings in Chicago

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Chicago Architecture Center - 875 N. Michigan Avenue (John Hancock Center).

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Honorary Fazlur R. Khan Way

300 South Franklin Street. Sign now located inside Skydeck visitor center

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Approved

Ward: 42
Neighborhood: Loop

b. April 3, 1929 in (Dhaka, India) Bangladesh
d. March 27, 1982

near
Sears Tower (Willis)

He is buried in Graceland Cemetery in Chicago

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Source

https://drfazlurrkhan.com/

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Fazlur-R-Khan

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fazlur_Rahman_Khan

https://youtu.be/9vYGfAFSBtc?si=EibJ7_f3-sPMroyN

https://youtu.be/EbqwHmadQt0?si=V5J1FJ1rFtRNc59C

Terrence Callier Way

Terrence Collier Way - by request from a fan

"Would you be so kind as to tell me where Terrance Callier way is.
I'm a British expat, now living in Chicago, and Terry Callier' s music was very important to me growing up."

Yes, we take requests! - contact us

Terry Collier

Terrence Collier was a musician and vocalist who used his voice as an instrument.  His distinctive style and arrangement was an eclectic blend of Folk, Soul, Jazz, and African music.

For much of his life Terrence was more influential than he was famous. His career began early; in high school he recorded with Chess Records. He released albums between 1968 and 1978 on labels such as Electra and Cadet.  He also wrote songs and arranged music.

In the years before his 1998 comeback with the album "TimePeace," he trained and worked as a computer programmer.  In his late 50s he was able to quit his day job and return to his dream job - performing his music. 

Terrence was born in Chicago and lived in the Cabrini-Green housing projects.  He learned and practiced music in the local Chicago park field house. He was contemporaries with Curtis Mayfield and many other talented Cabrini alumni.  Terrence said this of his early experience and musical influence:

On any summer night you could walk by [the field house] and hear fantastic music – these guys could blow, and there were girl groups that sounded like angels... I learned early on to listen to everything – classical music and ethnic music from Africa and Middle East, and it all comes out in your work.

Listen to Terry Collier on YouTube

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Terrence Callier Way

Northwest corner of Sedgwick Street and Elm Street, cul-du-sac of Elm Street just west of pedestrian walkway at Seward Park near field house where Terrence played.

Approved: October 2016
Ward: 27
Alderman: Burnett
Neighborhood: Cabrini/Seward Park
Dedicated: June 16, 2017

May 24, 1945 - October 27, 2012

Crane High School

University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

 

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Chicago Tribune, Terry Callier: Farewell to a distinctive Chicago voice, October 30, 2012
New York Times

Wings by Terry Callier. https://youtu.be/OBkOV2lDip4?si=_T786lvEIhn74D34

Kun Chae Bae Way

Impressive Korean media magnate in Chicago.  Established Bay Laboratories, Foster Bank, Channel 28.  Board of Directors of North Park University and involved with several Korean trade, commerce and cultural organizations.

He owned the Korean Cable Television Network of Chicago, founder and former president, the Korean American Broadcasting Company and Chicago KBS and is currently the president and co-owner of KM Ventures, Inc., a real estate development firm.

1956 came to Chicago

Alumni:
1960 Millikin University, bachelor of Chemistry

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Honorary Kun Chae Bae Way

North Kedzie and Foster Avenue

 

Approved July 21, 2004 (for 70th birthday)

Ward; 40
Alderman: O’ Connor
Neighborhood: North Park
 

b. 1934. Jae Ju, South Korea

Near
North Park University

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FF Bill Grant Way

Firefighter Bill Grant served the Chicago Fire Department for 21 years and died in the line of duty when his truck overturned while responding to a fire.

In 2001 he was honored by Mayor Daley and the City of Chicago for his rescue of a 70-year old disabled woman from a house fire.

His father and brother were also Chicago firefighters.

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Approved February 2017
Ward: 19
Alderman: O'Shea

West 90th Street and South Hoyne Avenue

Truck 51
March 23, 2007. Age 44.

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National Fallen Firefighters Foundation: William F. Grant
FirefightingLinks

Emily Beazley Avenue

Emily Beazley was a 12 year old who died following a four year battle with cancer and deeply moved her friends, family, classmates, neighborhood, and Grammy Award Winner Taylor Swift. “Emily’s Entourage” was her purple and green clad fan base which raised money for her care and the establishment of the foundation in her name to find a cure for childhood cancers.

Honorary Chicago Police Officer

YouTube

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Honorary Emily Beazley Avenue

Location: 108th Homan

 

Approved: May 2015

Ward: 19
Alderman:
Neighborhood: Mount Greenwood

b. 2002
d. 2015. Age 12. Chicago

Near
Her home

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Source

https://obits.nola.com/obituaries/nola/obituary.aspx?n=emily-beazley&pid=174896611