During Charles H. Wacker’s 18-year tenure as chairman of the Chicago Plan Commission, Chicagoans approved 86 Plan-related bond issues covering 17 different projects with a combined cost of $234 million. These projects helped to shape Chicago into the city we recognize today. Some of these included: the widening of 12th Street (Roosevelt Road); the widening and straightening of Michigan Avenue; the construction of the famous double-decker bridge over Michigan Avenue; the straightening of the South Branch of the Chicago River; the construction of Soldier Field, Northerly Island, Navy Pier, and Outer Lake Shore Drive; and the transformation of congested and dirty Market Street into an impressive double-decker (now triple-decker) road next to the river. So vital was Wacker’s work in ensuring that these projects were completed that the City decided to name this river road for him: Wacker Drive. Sadly, when the mayor officially opened Wacker Drive in 1926, Wacker himself was too ill to attend the ceremony. He was forced to step down from chairmanship of the Chicago Plan due to poor health in 1927. He died October 31 1929.

The film in this video is part of a much longer film that was among Charles Wacker’s personnel belongings donated to the Newberry Library. The longer film documents some major projects that Wacker was involved with including Grant Park, Michigan Avenue, and The Merchandise Mart. This Chicago video has the entire longer film:

Chicago History | Street Scenes 1888 -1933 Autos Arrive: [ Ссылка ]

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