Monument sights in Chicago
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Illinois Centennial Memorial Column
What’s that giant phallic thing in the middle of the road, causing traffic to swerve every which way? Excellent question. Most locals have no idea. Turns out it’s a monument commemorating the 100th anniversary of Illinois’ statehood, by a gent named Henry Bacon – the same architect who created the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. The eagle atop the Doric column echoes that on the Illinois state flag. The reliefs of Native Americans, explorers, farmers and laborers represent the great changes the state experienced during its first century.
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B
Olmec Head No 8
Near the Field Museum, the city has installed Olmec Head No 8. Over 7ft tall, it’s a copy of one of the many amazing stone carvings done by the Olmec people more than 3500 years ago in what is now the Veracruz state of Mexico. No one has been able to figure out how the Olmec carved the hard volcanic rock.
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C
Haymarket Square
The odd-looking bronze statue of some guys on a wagon marks the spot where the world’s labor movement began. So the next time you take a lunch break or go home after your eight-hour workday, thank Haymarket Sq, which you’re now standing upon.
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