Photo of the Day

Photo of the Day: Des Plaines Daytime Skyline

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A perch atop the public parking garage next to the library affords a bird’s eye view of the City of Des Plaines skyline. Earlier: Check out our Des Plaines Yesterday and Today column and share by adding your pictures and stories. Stay connected: Receive an email from Des Plaines Patch with headlines. Des Plaines Patch is on Facebook; click to like. Related: Check out all the photos of the day. The last one was about two young guys on a tandem bike.

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Des Plaines Yesterday and Today

View of Lee Street at Ellinwood Street Changed Little in 70 Years

Historic corner anchored by old bank building.

Last week we looked at the southeast corner of Lee and Ellinwood Streets, a view that has changed drastically several times over its history. Just across the street, on the southwest corner, a different story emerges. Earlier: The corner of Lee and Ellinwood streets reborn with Library Plaza. This corner hasn't changed much at all since 1940. It's still dominated by the gleaming marble Des Plaines State Bank building. Next door is the Echo Theatre building, which then held Charles Romano's Tavern and a barbershop, and now holds Athena Investment Group. The next building in the old picture once held the studio of William J. Thiede, the local photographer who made many of the earliest photographs of Des Plaines. Later, Sheppard's Home …

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Des Plaines Memories

Remembering Lost Houses of Des Plaines

As the city continues changing in the 21st century, we look back at what used to be.

The 1960’s were a turbulent time in America. Many longtime Des Plaines residents recall that as the decade when Des Plaines lost much of its small-town feel. Facing competition from nearby malls like Randhurst Shopping Center, downtown began to lose its luster, and plans were prepared to redevelop large parts of downtown. Lee Street and Graceland Avenue shifted from the fine homes of the city's elite to new shopping and office buildings. Condominiums and apartments began to spring up. Of course, with changes come growing pains, and many of the older homes of Des Plaines fell to the wrecking ball. Here are slides of several of those lost homes, taken from 1968 to 1969 by David R. Wolf, my grandfather. Earlier: Remembering the Edward A. …

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Des Plaines Memories

Des Plaines Church Features Park Ridge Architect’s Signature Design

Inside Immanuel Lutheran Church at Christmastime, 1959.

When this photo was taken in 1959, the congregation at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 855 Lee St., was celebrating its second Christmas in the new edifice, dedicated in March, 1957. Earlier: Sim’s Bowl demolished, not forgotten. Prolific architect Charles Stade, of Park Ridge, designed the church in a modern style with elements of the Prairie School of architecture. Today, Immanuel Lutheran looks much the same, but still feels fresh, a testament to the quality of its design. Immanuel Lutheran School, 832 Lee St., is a part of the church. George Santayana: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Des Plaines Patch: “Please like us on Facebook.”

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Christopher Brinckerhoff

6:12 pm on Wednesday, January 4, 2012

So cool. Thanks Lauren and Brian.   more ›

Des Plaines Snapshots: Places of Worship

Local landmarks photo gallery.

Patch photographer Philip Downie documented Des Plaines landmarks. Then, local historian Brian Wolf wrote captions for the images. This is the fourth of the four galleries they created. Click here to view all the Des Plaines Snapshots photo galleries. If you like the pictures, you'll also like Des Plaines Patch on Facebook.

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Des Plaines Snapshots: Schools

Local landmarks photo gallery.

Patch photographer Philip Downie documented Des Plaines landmarks. Then, local historian Brian Wolf wrote captions for the images. We’ll publish the four photo galleries they created, one a week, on Thursdays. This is the second of the four. Earlier: Des Plaines Snapshots: Downtown. Connect on Facebook.

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