Yes, that Mrs. O’Leary. The 135-year-old O’Leary’s mansion is for sale again, this time the 18-bedroom Englewood property hits the market for a cool $535k.

The 6,720 sq-ft mansion sits at 726 W Garfield Avenue, is four stories and boasts a stunning 10 bathrooms, so you know Lil Wayne would approve. It was built by the gambling boss James “Big Jim” O’Leary for his mother and became the home of one of the most infamous families in Chicago history. If you’re unaware, Catherine O’Leary owned a cow and one night while she was milking said cow, it supposedly kicked over a lantern and started the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The rumor turned out to be just that as the reporter who started it in 1971 admitted to making it up nearly 20 years later. However, the damage to the O’Leary’s reputation was irreversible as they’d forever be known as the family most closely associated with one of the biggest disasters in the history of the city. The Great Chicago Fire caused a reported $222M in damages in 1871, an estimated $4.7B in 2021.

Conversely, that’s part of what makes this property so interesting. The lore of it can be attractive to buyers and the sheer size of it is attractive to developers who may want to convert it into condos. And like any great lady, this house still has her secret ways. There’s a hidden tunnel below the structure that once led to a neighboring home. According to the realtor, who still has the original blueprints of the home, the tunnel was likely used heavily during prohibition. It has since been sealed off. Additionally, O’Leary’s Mansion is the only property in the entire city that has its own dedicated fire hydrant which is ironic considering what the house is known for.

The original coach house where the O’Leary’s kept their horses and cows still remains, too.

Per Block Club Chicago, the O’Leary’s mansion is not landmarked by the city. In a conversation with president of Preservation Chicago, Ward Miller, he says “…they’d seek landmark protections if major changes to the interior are in the plans of the new owners.”

“Ideally we would like it to remain single family, but if the only means of preservation is to convert it into condominiums it would have to do be done carefully, with certain interior rooms kept intact,” Miller said. “These are the wonderful stories that are sometimes overlooked. We would like to see the city be more proactive in protecting these buildings and promoting them,” he adds.

For more information on the O’Leary’s Mansion for sale you can check out the Redfin posting here, and for more real estate content from UrbanMatter, we’ve got you covered.

O’Leary’s Mansion Featured Image Credit: Redfin

The post Mrs. O’Leary’s 18-Bedroom Englewood Mansion For Sale Again appeared first on UrbanMatter.

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This offseason, the Chicago Bears will more than likely see an overhaul at the wide receiver position. It could start with Allen Robinson, who the Bears have a couple of options with. The team had their chance to get an extension done with Robinson a long time ago, so it seems that ship has sailed. […]

Chicago Bears could replace Anthony Miller with these free agents – Da Windy City – Da Windy City – A Chicago Sports Site – Bears, Bulls, Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks, Fighting Illini & More

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Chicago White Sox fans, like many Chicago sports fans in general, have plenty to deal with on a daily basis. What do fans of each Chicago Sports team have in common? We are worried about the future of our teams. Previously I expressed that our beloved Chicago Sports have put us on a perpetual roller […]

Chicago White Sox: Therapy for a Chicago sports fan, session 2 – Da Windy City – Da Windy City – A Chicago Sports Site – Bears, Bulls, Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks, Fighting Illini & More

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The Chicago Bulls are Zach LaVine’s team, and he’s proven to be more than capable of becoming the leader this franchise needs. Wednesday night in a somewhat impromptu game against the Detroit Pistons, LaVine and the Bulls found themselves getting blown out early on. Chicago was once down by 25 points in the second quarter, […]

Chicago Bulls Video: Zach LaVine is only afraid of two people – Da Windy City – Da Windy City – A Chicago Sports Site – Bears, Bulls, Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks, Fighting Illini & More

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Though the 28-to-29 days of February are a woefully inadequate period of time in which to fit  any and all remembrances of Black history, one can still try to highlight great achievement within Black culture in hopes of cultivating appreciation and celebration through every day of the year. In a society which has routinely undervalued and under-appreciated both Black culture and the talents of those who strive to depict it, it’s incredibly important to lift up and acknowledge the work of Black artists in our communities. Be sure to check out these incredible Black artists in Chicago and use the links to purchase their work for yourself!

Martha A. Wade

Self-taught painter and art dealer Martha A. Wade juxtaposes humans with animals, urban landscapes with natural wonders, and bold colors with black-and-white portraits. She creates stunning harmony through stark contrast, furthering her goal to “share love and light through creativity, as a way of genuinely engaging with the world as a real contributor.”

Nikko Washington

Hyde Park native Nikko Washington is an artist working in painting, collage, and other media; not only has he recently collaborated with the Chicago Cubs on a limited edition apparel collection, but he has designed album covers for multiple musical artists, among them Chicago’s own Noname.

Natalie Osborne

The Chicago-born, Art Institute-trained artist draws inspiration from “graffiti, fashion and art history,” and most often depicts Black women in beautiful, striking portraits marked by vivid colors and bold lines.

Dwight White II

“Artrepreneur” Dwight White II creates works (many of them paintings) inspired by “the ways in which one can capture truth visually to engage and connect with the people.” He uses canvas, walls, and other media to depict “connected cultural experiences” and share those stories.

Tyler Clark

Mixed media artist Tyler Clark strives to celebrate Black culture as she “incorporates hair, fabric and jewelry” to create “3D” paintings, which are most often portraits of Black women. Stunning braids, brightly-colored hair wraps, and eye-catching baubles jump off of every canvas.

Featured Image Credit via Natalie Osborne on Instagram

The post 5 Amazing Black Artists to Check Out in Chicago appeared first on UrbanMatter.

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If you filled your belly with Pączkis on Fat Tuesday then you probably already know Ash Wednesday kicked off another season of Lent! This Catholic tradition always begins 46 days before Easter Sunday and observing Catholics typically skip meat on Friday. So if you’re looking for some delicious meatless dinners for Lent, check out these restaurants if you need a change up from the casual Filet-o-Fish from McDonald’s.

Pierce Tavern

5135 Main St, Downers Grove, IL 60515

Small plates, anyone? Turn it into a tapas night with a variety of meat-free options from Pierce Tavern. With crowd favorites like Buffalo Shrimp, Kale & Artichoke Dip, and Cauliflower Bites, you can’t go wrong with a mix of yummy bites. For the main event, try the Margherita Pizza or the Elote Pizza. 

French Quiche

2210 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614

Bon appétit! Indulge in the perfect winter lunch with the Cassoulet Végétarien Plat Cuisine, featuring white beans, tomato, garlic, onion, and roasted vegetables. The Quiche Provençale ($7.50) with zucchini, peppers, onions, tomatoes, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and Swiss cheese, or Tuna Nicoise Sandwich ($9) are also fantastic for a quick bite lunch or light dinner. 

Fuller House

35 E 1st St, Hinsdale, IL 60521

Oh snap, it’s all about the appetizers on Fridays! Get started with Roasted Garlic White Bean Hummus with deliciously warm Naan or Clock Shadow Cheese Curds for a stick-to-your-ribs starter that will make you so happy. Looking for something a little more hearty? Go for the Salmon Soba Bowl featuring teriyaki salmon with soba noodles or the Fish Tacos featuring Mahi Mahi with roasted pineapple and jalapeno-bell pepper slaw.

Chez Moi

2100 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614

Feeling fancy? Treat yourself (or a date) to the Salmon Cabernet ($27) with grilled salmon, cabernet sauce, creme fraiche, mashed potatoes, and roasted vegetables or the Skate Wing Genobloise ($26) with caper, lemon, and cabbage. Pair ‘em with your favorite Cab in the cellar, or with a bottle to-go from Chez Moi!

The Barn Steakhouse

1016 Church St Rear, Evanston, IL 60201

Bring your appetite: the Branzino ($34.95) with beurre blanc and cherry tomatoes is a crowd favorite that may prove to be irresistible if you ask us. Or dig into the Grilled Halibut ($30) with piquillo peppers, potatoes, grilled asparagus, and herb puree. Both are truly stunning dishes that will help you keep those new year resolutions going strong!

Meatless Dinners Lent Featured Image Credit: Chez Moi via Facebook

The post 5 Places to Order Meatless Dinners on Friday During Lent appeared first on UrbanMatter.

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Fred Hampton, the chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party, died at the age of 21. It was a short life, but it changed Chicago politics — and America — forever.

Hampton, played by Daniel Kaluuya in the the new movie Judas and the Black Messiah (released last week in theaters and on HBO) was shot to death on December 4, 1969, in a raid carried out by officers of the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, working with intelligence provided by an FBI informant.

Throughout the 1960s, Chicago’s Black politicians were known as a dependable cog in Mayor Richard J. Daley’s Machine, so much so that a group of Black aldermen were nicknamed the “Silent Six” for quietly voting with the mayor.

After Hampton was killed, that all changed. State’s Attorney Edward Hanrahan, an Irishman considered next in line for the mayor’s office, was up for re-election in 1972. That year, for the first time, Black voters stood up to the Machine. They pasted “CONVICT” over “RE-ELECT” on Hanrahan billboards, and voted instead for Republican Bernard Carey, who was elected with support from the inner city and the suburbs. 

That state’s attorney’s election was the birth of independent Black politics in Chicago. Before his death, Hampton had created the template its success: a “Rainbow Coalition” of Black, Latino, and poor white voters. In one Judas scene, Hampton addresses a rally alongside Jose “Cha Cha” Jimenez, the leader of the Young Lords, a Puerto Rican gang that resisted gentrification and urban renewal in Lincoln Park.

“Chicago’s the most segregated city in America,” Hampton says. “Not Shreveport. Not Birmingham. We’re here to change that: The Black Panthers, the Young Lords, and the Young Patriots” — a group of poor white Appalachians from Uptown — “are forming a Rainbow Coalition of oppressed brothers and sisters of every color.”

The Rainbow Coalition, of course, was the name Jesse Jackson gave to the movement that supported his 1984 presidential campaign. But more locally, and more successfully, it was the constituency that elected Harold Washington mayor in 1983. In fact, in his book From the Bullet to the Ballot, Indiana University history professor Jakobi Williams argues that Hampton’s coalition led to the election of both Washington and the presidency of Barack Obama:

“This group and its popularization of the concept of class solidarity changed the political landscape of Chicago by helping to severely weaken the city’s Democratic machine,” writes Williams, who grew up in Englewood. Hampton’s killing “helped unite African American, Latino, and progressive white groups and activists in a political movement against the Daley machine.”

Those, of course, were the groups that elected Washington. When Obama moved to Chicago to work as a community organizer in 1985, Washington was a big part of his attraction to the city. (While still living in New York, Obama had tried to land a job with the Washington’s administration.)

As a young Obama tried to organize laid-off white steelworkers and Black CHA dwellers, writes Williams, “there was a model for Obama to follow in trying to determine how to put together a successful racial coalition in Chicago: that of recently elected mayor Harold Washington, whose coalition building linked to the original Rainbow Coalition.”

Ironically, the only bump in Obama’s road to the White House was his defeat in a 2000 congressional primary by Rep. Bobby Rush, the Illinois Black Panther Party’s Minister of Defense. Rush and his Black nationalist allies portrayed Obama as an elitist, an outsider to the community, and a tool of the University of Chicago: “the white man in blackface,” as the third candidate in that race, Donne Trotter, once told me.

(Rush, for his part, has endorsed Judas as a film that “must be seen by all freedom-seeking, justice-seeking, good-hearted Americans.” His character, played by Darrell Britt-Gibson, is a constant presence alongside Hampton in the movie, though he doesn’t have many lines. Hampton was the dynamic spokesman, Rush the silent survivor.)

Obama was lucky to lose that race to Rush. Obama, not Hampton’s fellow Black Panther, was the true avatar of Rainbow Coalition politics. Running to represent a Black majority congressional district, Obama failed dismally. Four years later, he succeeded brilliantly at building a coalition of Black and white progressives, which elected him to the Senate, and then the presidency.

Obama had the help of David Axelrod, who covered Harold Washington’s election as a political correspondent for the Chicago Tribune. Writes Williams, “Axelrod wasted little time parallelling Obama’s Senate bid in 2004 with Harold Washington’s 1983 mayoral election to maintain the support of the racial coalition that was crucial to the election of Chicago’s first African American mayor.”

According to Judas and the Black Messiah, Black power was what FBI director J. Edgar Hoover feared when he engineered Hampton’s assassination. They may have killed the man, but they couldn’t kill his movement.

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Chicago Cubs: Getting to know new Cub, Zach Davies by Mark Steubinger

When the Chicago Blackhawks play against the Detroit Red Wings, you can almost always expect something sweet.

The rivalry isn’t what it once was because of the spot each team has been over the past few years but it will always be an intense match when they are on the same ice. That has been the case over the past few days as well. It is a treat when these two get together and we can only hope that they will be in the same division (full time) again one day.

In the first game of this set at Little Caesars Arena, the Blackhawks won in overtime on a goal by Dominik Kubalik. They didn’t have their best game at all but they managed to secure the two points anyway. They worked hard at the end to earn the point but they knew they needed to play better going forward if they wanted to keep winning.

It was a much more defensive-minded game in yesterday’s game as there was only one goal scored on a goalie. The Wings outshot the Hawks 29-26 but each goalie, Kevin Lankinen and Jonathan Bernier had really good games. They were the first and third stars of the game for a reason. An empty-net goal was scored by Alex DeBrincat to secure the victory for Chicago.

Philipp Kurashev’s highlight-reel goal pushed the Chicago Blackhawks to victory.

Philipp Kursashev has been a phenomenal find for the Chicago Blackhawks so far. He was a fourth-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft and has made his way now to the NHL. Going into the game, he had four goals and four assists for eight points in 16 games which is a really good production level for a rookie in a depth role. Well, in this game he scored a magical goal to put the Hawks up 1-0 and it served as the game-winning goal.

23’s are wild on Michael Jordan’s birthday!#Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/NmKviqy6Jl

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) February 18, 2021

U.S.S. Kurashev leaves quite a wake!

NBCSN | #CHIvsDET pic.twitter.com/4n2nRrP8fj

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) February 18, 2021

When you have the confidence to dangle through three defenders and then let the puck go five-hole on the goaltender, you are a very skilled player. It was a great display of skill, speed, and confidence from the 21-year-old stud. The Hawks have gotten good production from him and a lot of the younger players as well. None of them have played so much above their skill that we should expect it to stop either. This team has pretty good forward depth.

Related Story: The Blackhawks have some potential award winners this year

Kurashev and the Hawks are headed down to play the Carolina Hurricanes. It is going to be a back-to-back against one of the best teams in the NHL. It was a successful trip to Detroit but they are going to need their best to duplicate those results against the Hurricanes.

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Cheating Death

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We know about Marjorie Taylor Greene. But who are the 229,827 voters who elected her!

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By Howard Englander,
today at 8:00 am

Ms Greene is the vocal voice of the mind-blowing conspiracy theories that QAnon
espouses. She is villainous. Yet many Americans subscribe to her dumpster vitriol, which has more to do with who we are than who she is.

What Marjorie Taylor Greene believes in, is concerning. More alarming is that 75% of the Republican voters in the 14th Congressional District believed enough in her to sweep her into office!

Extrapolate the Georgia vote to the national election and we count 73,000,000 Americans who voted for a candidate who willingly solicited the QAnon community and exhorted its members to assault the Capitol on January 6. The word “terrifying” doesn’t begin to describe the ominous portend of a democracy poisoned beyond restoration.

I looked long and hard at the videos of the assault on the Capitol. And this is my dilemma: prior to the attack I thought it would be possible to co-exist with ‘fellow Americans’ on the other side of the political spectrum. Precisely because they were fellow Americans, I thought it would be possible to come to a compromise on issues that affected us all, infra-structure, housing, education, environment and healthcare.

But now that seems naïve.

Clearly – at least to me – Trump followers continue to see MAGA as a rallying cry for Make America White Again. The mentality is to divide the world into “us versus them,” vilifying the latter, i.e. ethnically diverse, increasingly foreign-born citizens who will outnumber whites by 2045.

How do I relate to this segment of society?

Literally a few weeks ago after the president’s inspiring inaugural address I rallied behind the clarion call, “We must end this uncivil war.” As I listened to his speech, I felt hopeful and positive about the future. Amanda Gorman’s inspiring poem, “The Hill We Climb,” dissolved the fear that had sunk into my bones after four years of the Trump administration. I even wrote a poem of my own, optimism replacing the despair. The thought was, our President believes in an America United and I will join him in working toward that goal.

And then… the impeachment trial. I felt revulsion as I watched never-before-seen scenes of the insurrection; anger at a time-line of invective clearly indicting the instigator posing as patriot; loathing for the cynicism of Cruz and Hawley; disgust at the two-faced duplicity of McConnell; frustration at the acquittal that never was in question; disbelieve of the polls that report 76% of self-identified Republicans accept the assertion there was “widespread fraud in the 2020 election.” You read that right: three in every four Republicans responding to the Quinnipiac University poll agreed with the idea that there was “widespread” wrongdoing in last November’s election!

A few weeks ago I said I would subscribe to President Biden’s words, and leave my fierce anger and disdain behind but I’m taking a Mulligan on that declaration.

In school I was taught about a democracy that served the people, all the people from all levels of our society. But the Republican party has become the Trumpian party, representing constituencies with ideologies that falsely claim to uphold the tenets of democracy while carrying Confederate flags and giving voice to murderous threats that became real on January 6th.

This post is skewed from my blog’s central theme, ‘how to add years of joy and meaning to life.’ But life takes on meaning when you stand firm for what you believe in strongly.

If it is “us versus them” that defines the refrain Trump followers continue to put in play, I’m compelled to leave the sidelines and work to make sure the righteous side comes out on top.

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Aging, Elections, Politicsd, Racism, Trump, Uncategorized

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  Howard Englander

  In the course of a long business career I held many titles familiar to the corporate world. But as I quickly learned the lofty nameplates no longer apply when your career comes to a close and you move from the corner office to a corner of the den. The challenge was to stay vital and active rather than idling on the sidelines. I had to create a new foundation upon which to build life’s purpose and joy.
  I stopped adding up my stock portfolio as a measure of my net worth and developed a healthy self esteem independent of applause from others.
  I am the co-author of The In-Sourcing Handbook: Where and How to Find the Happiness You Deserve, a practical guide and instruction manual offering hands-on exercises to help guide readers to experience the transformative shift from simply tolerating life to celebrating life. I also am the author of 73, a popular collection of short stories about America’s growing senior population running the gamut of emotions as they struggle to resist becoming irrelevant in a youth-oriented society.

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Waltzer founder Sophie Sputnik spent half the 2010s fronting Fort Lauderdale blues-punk duo Killmama from behind a drum kit—she anchored the band’s sparse arrangements in time while lighting them up with her fire-breathing vocals. After Sputnik moved to Chicago a few years ago, she got down to work on Waltzer, a solo project that fuses her grungy garage attitude with her love of neosoul.…Read More