Former Chicago Historical Society Building

Old Chicago Historical Society Building

HABS image from 1963
Location 632 N. Dearborn Street
Chicago, Illinois
Coordinates 41°53′36.92″N 87°37′47.85″W / 41.8935889°N 87.6299583°W / 41.8935889; -87.6299583Coordinates: 41°53′36.92″N 87°37′47.85″W / 41.8935889°N 87.6299583°W / 41.8935889; -87.6299583
Built 1892
Architect Henry Ives Cobb
Architectural style Romanesque, Gothic
NRHP Reference # 78001126 [1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHP November 28, 1978
Designated CL February 26, 1997

The Former Chicago Historical Society Building is a historic landmark located at 632 N. Dearborn Street on the northwest corner of Dearborn and Ontario streets in downtown Chicago. Built in 1892, the granite-clad building is a prime example of Henry Ives Cobb's Romanesque Revival architecture; the pair of large winged Gothic gargoyles at the entrance were a more recent addition.

The building was the home of the Chicago Historical Society after its original headquarters burned down[2] in the Great Chicago Fire,[3] and prior to its relocation to Lincoln Park in 1931. Afterwards, the building housed a magazine publisher, the Works Progress Administration, the Loyal Order of Moose,[2] the Chicago Institute of Design (1946–1956), and recording studios (1950s and 1960s). Since 1985 it has been the location of a series of nightclubs.

Nightclubs

From 1985 to 1989, nightclub entrepreneur Peter Gatien operated The Limelight nightclub in the building, one of his chain of nightclubs under that name; at some point he bought the building. In January 1989, Gatien sold the building to Fred Hoffman for $3.5 million. Hoffman spent $1 million renovating the building, and in 1989 opened Excalibur and Vision, two "sister clubs". At the time of their openings in 1989, the two clubs were the largest non-hotel entertainment facility in Chicago.[4]

The northern portion of the building was Vision, which had its own entrance. Vision was a large multi-level, multi-room nightclub that catered to fans of hip-hop, trance, and or house music. Notable guests who played at Vision included Rihanna, MSTRKRFT, Moby, Paul van Dyk, Benny Benassi, Cosmic Gate, Armin Van Buuren, Tiësto, Gabriel & Dresden and Gareth Emery.

On April 24, 2001, it was reported that a waitress for Excalibur, Colleen Gallagher, was tipped $11,000 by a customer who had run up a $60 bar tab.[5]

Excalibur and Vision closed in mid-2012.

On December 31, 2012, after six months of remodeling, the club was re-launched as "Castle Chicago". With a three million dollar remodel replacing decor, lighting, and sound systems, the multi-venue Castle contains three nightclubs, a restaurant, a lounge and a craft-cocktail bar, as well as private party facilities.[6]

The building was purchased by Four Corners Tavern Group Inc. in May 2014 and will cease operation as the Castle nightclub in early January 2015.[7]

Paranormal reports

See also

References

Notes

  1. ↑ National Park Service (2006-03-15). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  2. 1 2 3 Jacobs, Jodie. "Chicago's Most Haunted Places" CBS2Chicago (October 22, 2012)
  3. 1 2 "Haunted Destination of the Week: Excalibur Nightclub" TravelChannel (ndg)
  4. ↑ Ziemba, Stanley. "Out of the Limelight, Excalibur to Emerge" Chicago Tribune (June 5, 1989) p.8
  5. ↑ "Man Leaves Generous Tip in Nightclub" CNN News (July 12, 2001). Accessed: March 2014
  6. ↑ Bernot, Kate. "Excalibur Nightclub to Reopen as The Castle" RedEye Chicago (February 13, 2013). Accessed March 2014
  7. ↑ Ori, Ryan. "Castle owner abdicates throne with sale of River North landmark" Chicago Real Estate Daily (May 6, 2014). Accessed December 24, 2014
  8. ↑ Selzer, Adam. The Ghosts of Chicago: The Windy City's Most famous Haunts Llewellyn Worldwide, 2013. ISBN 9780738736112. pp.165-167
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