Former Chicago Historical Society Building
Encyclopedia
The Former Chicago Historical Society Building is the official name of a historic landmark located on the northwest corner of Dearborn and Ontario streets in downtown Chicago
. Built in 1892, it is a prime example of Henry Ives Cobb's
Romanesque Revival architecture
, and the home of the Chicago Historical Society prior to relocating to Lincoln Park
. This large granite-clad building is simply known as "Excalibur
" or "Vision" by Chicago's populace, because it houses two popular nightclubs with those names. Henceforth, Excalibur will be used as a substitute title to the cumbersome name, "Former Chicago Historical Society Building."
performers during the 1950s and 60s. According to rumors, the building was also used to house corpses from a shipwreck, was a mob-related murder scene, a pornographic theater, and a crack house before it was turned into Limelight
Nightclub by Peter Gatien
in 1985.
Patrons and employees reported strange occurrences, such as glasses falling and shattering for no explainable reason. People claim that they saw a child, and a woman wearing red dress briefly appear, before vanishing in thin air. Excalibur gained so much notoriety that it was featured on the History Channel's Haunted History
program.
Excalibur was a popular hangout for Dennis Rodman
when he played professional basketball for the Chicago Bulls
during the late 1990s. Vision is a large multi-level, multi-room nightclub that caters to anyone who likes hip-hop
, trance
, and or house music
. Chicago attracts people from all over the nation to visit Vision, when internationally well-known DJs such as Armin van Buuren or James Holden
play live sets at the venue. Also Gabriel & Dresden, Paul Van Dyke, etc...
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. Built in 1892, it is a prime example of Henry Ives Cobb's
Henry Ives Cobb
Henry Ives Cobb , born in Brookline, Massachusetts to Albert Adams and Mary Russell Candler Cobb, was a Chicago-based architect in the last decades of the 19th century, known for his designs in the Romanesque and Victorian Gothic styles...
Romanesque Revival architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
, and the home of the Chicago Historical Society prior to relocating to Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park, Chicago
Lincoln Park, is one of the 77 community areas on Chicago, Illinois North Side, USA. Named after Lincoln Park, a vast park bordering Lake Michigan, the community area is anchored by the Lincoln Park Zoo and DePaul University...
. This large granite-clad building is simply known as "Excalibur
Excalibur (nightclub)
The Excalibur nightclub in Chicago was first opened in 1989. It is located in the former Chicago Historical Society building which is a Chicago historical landmark...
" or "Vision" by Chicago's populace, because it houses two popular nightclubs with those names. Henceforth, Excalibur will be used as a substitute title to the cumbersome name, "Former Chicago Historical Society Building."
History and Urban Legends
The Chicago Historical Society ceased to use the building as a museum in 1931. The building was also used as a prestigious design school and a recording studio for rock n' roll and bluesBlues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
performers during the 1950s and 60s. According to rumors, the building was also used to house corpses from a shipwreck, was a mob-related murder scene, a pornographic theater, and a crack house before it was turned into Limelight
The Limelight
The Limelight is the name of a chain of nightclubs that were owned and operated by Peter Gatien, located in Atlanta, Hollywood, Florida, and London, and formerly in New York City and Chicago.-History:...
Nightclub by Peter Gatien
Peter Gatien
Peter Gatien was the owner of several New York nightclubs, including The Limelight, Palladium, Club USA, and Tunnel. He was once dubbed as the "King of New York Clubs", during his time in New York City.-Life and career:...
in 1985.
Patrons and employees reported strange occurrences, such as glasses falling and shattering for no explainable reason. People claim that they saw a child, and a woman wearing red dress briefly appear, before vanishing in thin air. Excalibur gained so much notoriety that it was featured on the History Channel's Haunted History
Haunted History
Haunted History was a 1998 UFA/Cafe Productions series exploring the supernatural. Executive Producer Ed Babbage for Cafe . The American version of the show also debuted in 1998 with the same premise of exploring the world to investigate the "haunted history" of reportedly haunted...
program.
Excalibur and Vision Nightclubs
Main article: Excalibur (nightclub)Excalibur (nightclub)
The Excalibur nightclub in Chicago was first opened in 1989. It is located in the former Chicago Historical Society building which is a Chicago historical landmark...
Excalibur was a popular hangout for Dennis Rodman
Dennis Rodman
Dennis Keith Rodman is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player of the National Basketball Association's Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks. Born in Trenton, New Jersey, he was nicknamed "Dennis the Menace" and "The...
when he played professional basketball for the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
during the late 1990s. Vision is a large multi-level, multi-room nightclub that caters to anyone who likes hip-hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
, trance
Trance music
Trance is a genre of electronic dance music that developed in the 1990s.:251 It is generally characterized by a tempo of between 125 and 150 bpm,:252 repeating melodic synthesizer phrases, and a musical form that builds up and breaks down throughout a track...
, and or house music
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
. Chicago attracts people from all over the nation to visit Vision, when internationally well-known DJs such as Armin van Buuren or James Holden
James Holden (producer)
James Holden is a British electronic music artist and DJ. Holden started his career in 1999, at age 19, when he released the trance single, "Horizons". After this he released numerous singles and remixes on different labels such as Lost Language, Perfecto Recordings, and Positiva Recordings...
play live sets at the venue. Also Gabriel & Dresden, Paul Van Dyke, etc...
External links
- Chicago Landmarks, Former Chicago Historical Society Building
- Gaper's Block listing haunted places in Chicago
- Vision Nightclub
See also
- Chicago architectureChicago architectureThe architecture of Chicago has influenced and reflected the history of American architecture. The city of Chicago, Illinois features prominent buildings in a variety of styles by many important architects...