Ike Sewell Way

Ike Sewell was the restauranteur who developed the legendary Chicago Deep Dish Pizza.  In 1943 he opened Pizzeria Uno in a victorian house on Wabash Avenue, not far from the Magnificent Mile.  Pizzeria Uno's second location, Pizzeria Due, opened in 1955 down the street from the original, also in a house.  Both restaurants are still open at these locations.

Chicago-style deep dish pizza

Ike Sewell's restaurant career began at the bar. He worked for a distillery when he met his business partner and they decided to open a restaurant. When Ric Riccardo, the owner of Riccardo's on Rush, suggested their new restaurant serve pizza, Ike insisted that the pizza should be a meal itself, not just an appetizer.  He also wanted something different from what he could find in Chicago's Little Italy.  Ike was from Texas, so he liked big, and his pizza had so much more of everything it needed its own pan. And so, Chicago Deep Dish Pizza was born.  Pizzeria Uno also spawned the Italian-style American classics: chicken vesuvio and italian beef sandwiches. Ike was also fond of Mexican food so he established the nearby Su Casa restaurant.

Pizzeria Uno inspired other pizza restaurants around the country and in Chicago.  The father and son team, Rudy and Lou Malnati, were managers during the early years of Pizzeria Uno and Due.  In 1971 Lou Malnati opened his own eponymous pizza place.  Several former Uno's employees started their own restaurants in Chicago including: Gino's East, Delisi's Pizza, Louisa's Pizza, and Pizano's Pizza and Pasta. Uno's became famous outside Chicago when it licensed "Original Chicago Pizzeria Uno" restaurants which opened many locations across the country. 

Ike kept his day job for the first 22 years of Pizzeria Uno; he retired as a vice president of a liquor company in 1965.  Ike started even further from both Chicago and the restaurant business.  He was born in Texas and played college football at the University of Texas, Austin, where he was an All-American in 1924.  Ike received the National Football Foundation Distinguished American Award in 1987.

 

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Neighborhood: River North

Ike Sewell 1903 - 1990, age 87.

Pizzeria Uno
29 E. Ohio

Pizzeria Due
619 N. Wabash Avenue

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Chicago Tribune, "A History of Deep Dish Pizza"
Chicago Tribune, "Pizzeria Uno Opens"
Chicago Tribune, "Ike Sewell"

Kazimiera 'Kasia' Bober Way

Kasia's Deli is famous for Pierogis in Chicago's Polish Community and throughout the City.  Kazimiera Bober opened the deli in 1982 and started making pieogis a few years after she emigrated from Poland to the United States.  Pierogi machines were nowhere to be found so she adapted a ravioli maker to fill the dough; she finished individual pierogis by hand.  The deli flourished and had a hearty following. After 20 years in business she expanded production and started to sell Kasia's Pierogis in grocery stores.  Kasia's Pierogis won the coveted "Best Pierogi in Chicago" award at the "Taste of Chicago" summer food festival.  Soon she was featured in Newsweek Magazine and her pierogis were served on United Airline flights. 

She was very poor when she arrived in Chicago in 1975 and struggled to get by.  She started the deli in an old sausage shop to make enough money to bring her children to the United States.  

Kasia's Deli 
2101 W. Chicago Avenue

 

Kasia lived to 80 years of age and realized the dream of the deli and succeeded in bringing her family from Poland.  Her children and grandchildren worked by her side up to her last days.  Kasia was a grandmother to the entire Polish community of Chicago. The Bober family continues to run the deli and pierogi factory.

Listen to the WBEZ interview

Sign Approved: 2016
Ward: 1
Alderman: Moreno
Neighborhood: Ukrainian Village

Pierogis

An Eastern European dish often associated with Poland. Pierogis are dough dumplings and are typically filled with potato, sauerkraut, plum, or meat.

Photo: CC-BY-SA 2.5 User:Piotrus

Chicago has one of the largest Polish communities outside Poland

The Taste of Chicago is the world's largest food festival, it showcases Chicago food and restaurants.

Neighbors #1

Do they have anything in common other than a sign post in Chicago?

Mother Cabrini and Marv Levy

Honorary Mother Cabrini Dr and Honorary Marv Levy Way

Mother Cabrini

• First American Catholic Saint
• Part of the settlement movement
• Founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
• Former Chicago public housing development named for her
• Naturalized US Citizen
• 1850-1917

Marv Levy

• Professional Football Hall of Fame
• 4 straight Super Bowl championships
• Head Coach of the Buffalo Bills
• Inspirational speaker and author
• 1925 to Present Day

 

Where to find this sign

In front of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini Chapel

Near where Marv Levy once lived

Ward: 43
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park

(Unlikely) Neighbors

First in the silliness series

Unlikely Neighbors: do they have anything in common other than a sign post in Chicago?

Until 2017 there was no exclusivity in the naming of honorary streets.  Overlapping, the same segment of street, or even the same sign post.  This has led to amusing randomness of strangers sharing the same street corner in Chicago - forever.

Here is the ongoing list of some of them (by number to keep the surprise):

Neighbors #1

Aleko Konstantinov Way

Alekos Kostantinov was a Bulgarian writer who came to Chicago during the 1893 Columbian Exhibition World Fair.  His 1894 book "To Chicago and Back" was influential in attracting Bulgarian immigrants to Chicago and the resulting sizable Bulgarian community in Chicago.

 

His sign is located outside the First Bulgarian Center; where the Union of Bulgarian Writers hold it's meetings and is the common meeting place for Bulgarian writers living all over the world.  Bulgarian Culture Center Chicago

The honorary sign was dedicated to mark the 120th anniversary of his death.

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Approved: 2017
Ward: 45
Alderman: John Arena
Neighborhood: Avondale / Old Irving Park

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Javier 'Javy' Baez Way

Javier Baez plays for the Chicago Cubs baseball team and was a crucial part of the team's historic World Series win in 2016.

Honorary Javier "Javy" Baez Way was dedicated on Tuesday, April 11, 2017 and drew a huge crowd of adults and children from the proud Puerto Rican community and beyond, most were wearing Chicago Cubs hats, shirts, jackets, and Javy's jersey number 9.  

"Congratulations Javier Baez" cake from a local bakery

Fan wearing Javier Baez Cubs jersey number 9 and flying the flag of Puerto Rico

The sign stands in Humboldt Park in front of "Little Cubs Field" and also at the Division Street entrance to the park on Luis Munoz Marin Drive.

 

The sign dedication was hosted by Alderman Roberto Maldonado and attended by Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

Ward: 26
Alderman: Roberto Maldonado
Neighborhood: Humboldt Park
Sign Dedication Ceremony: April 11, 2017

Esther Golar Way

Esther Golar served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 2006 until her death in 2015. Esther believed in strong communities and fiercely supported the rights of the elderly, families, and the struggling. She served on committees on a wide range of issues including; education, healthcare, and crime. She was the voice of the 6th District on the Southwest side of Chicago, and sometime she delivered her message on the House floor in song. Before her career in politics she was a community organizer and worked for the Community Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS). She moved to Chicago from Mississippi as a child.

Alumni
Crane Technical High School
Malcolm X College

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Honorary Esther Golar Way

South Racine Avenue from West 51st Street to West Garfield Boulevard

Approved: January 2017

Ward: 20
Alderman: Cochran
Neighborhood: Englewood

b. 1944. Merigold, Mississippi
d. 2015. Age 71.

 

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Source

https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/ct-state-rep-esther-golar-dies-met-0922-20150921-story.html

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-state-rep-esther-golar-dies-met-0922-20150921-story.html

https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20150921/englewood/esther-golar-dead-state-representative-had-served-6th-district-for-9-years

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esther_Golar

Coach Kirk Vidas Way

 Kirk Vidas has been a baseball and basketball coach at William Howard Taft High School for more than 20 years; and a professional basketball player in Greece. Kirk Vidas was selected for the Greek Olympics team in 1980 and 1984. He was named educator of the month by the Chicago Bulls basketball team in February 2017.

Alumni
Gordon Tech High School, Chicago (since 2017 DePaul College Prep)
Upper Iowa University
American College of Education

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Honorary Coach Kirk Vidas Way

5600 block of North Northcott Avenue

 

Approved: January 2017

Ward: 41
Alderman: Napolitano
Neighborhood: Norwood Park

Taft High-School

Greek American Hall of Fame

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Source

Dr. Edward & Mildred Cruzat

This doctor and dancer couple was very involved in the community. Mildred in Rainbow Coalition/PUSH

Edward “Ted” Pedro Cruzat was a surgeon and lecturer at Northwestern University Medical School

Mildred “Millie” Cruzat danced on Broadway and at Carnegie Hall. She teaches dance.

Alumni - Edward
University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana
Meharry Medical College. Nashville, Tennessee

Alumni - Mildred
American School of Ballet at Carnegie Hall

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Honorary Dr Edward and Mildred Cruzat Way

South Ellis Avenue from East 32nd St. to East 32nd PLace

 

Approved: January 2017

Ward: 4
Alderman: King
Neighborhood: Douglas

Edward
b. Alton, Illinois
d. February, 16 2000. Age 73. Chicago

Mildred
b. February 17, 1927. Detroit, Michigan

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Source
Facebook

Source

Kevin Ryan Way

Kevin Ryan retired after 40 years at Chicago International Charter School, Northtown Academy, where he was the Dean of Students. He started out as a Social Studies teacher at Good Council High School, where he also coached softball and basketball.

Alumni
St Patrick’s High School
Northeastern Illinois University

https://www.facebook.com/CICSschools/posts/10155316306229654

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Honorary Kevin Ryan Way

3900 West Peterson Avenue

 

Approved: January 2017

Ward: 39
Alderman: Laurino
Neighborhood: North Park

Near
CICS Northtown Academy

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Source

Facebook

Pastor Earl Grandberry, Sr. Way

Twitter

Honorary Pastor Earl Grandberry, Sr. Way

East 16th Street, from South Wabash Avenue to South Michigan Avenue

 

Approved: February 2017

Ward: 3
Alderman: Dowell
Neighborhood: South Loop

Near
True Rock Ministries
57 East 16th Street, Chicago

George 'Poppie' Black, Sr. Way

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Honorary George ‘Poppie’ Black, Sr. Way

7812 South Vernon Avenue

 

Approved: March 2017

Ward: 6
Alderman: Sawyer
Neighborhood: Chatham

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Source

New Honorary Sign Counts by Ward

70% of wards (35 out of 50) designated between 0 to 2 honorary signs
15 wards had 3 or more new honorary signs in 2016

scroll over segments for the number of wards that granted from 0 to 7 new honorary signs in 2016

Sources: City of Chicago data, Honorary Chicago analysis

7 signs   -  1 Ward
5 signs   -  2 Wards
4 signs   -   6 Wards
3 signs   -   6 Wards
2 signs   -   7 Wards
1 Sign    -   12 Wards

16 wards issued zero new honorary signs

However, the 15 wards (30%) which issued 3 or more signs, accounted for 70% of the new honorary signs in 2016. (59 of 85 new signs)

Where as the number of wards that designate zero signs from year to year is very consistent, the quantities of signs issued by the top 30% has been increasing.  A few wards issue a lot more signs.

These numbers do not account for ward geographic size nor the population of the ward.

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Honorary Signs by Month - current stacked graph

How will the new honorary signs of 2017 stack up against 2016?

2017 is off to a strong start...

2016 had 85 new honorary signs.

Scroll over the months of this interactive chart for honorary sign approvals by month.  

Embed this graph
<iframe width="634" height="581" seamless frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BI0peSKKFiip52oGys3Xam-MZFAtWccKmWbXGCGm9No/pubchart?oid=1322803389&amp;format=interactive"></iframe>

Link to this graph
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BI0peSKKFiip52oGys3Xam-MZFAtWccKmWbXGCGm9No/pubchart?oid=1322803389&format=interactive

Follow the monthly updates and analysis at www.honorarychicago.com/new-signs

2107   -   2016   -   2015

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Happy 100th birthday in Chicago

It is commonplace for heads of state and legislatures at all levels of government to send birthday wishes to elderly citizens who reach various age thresholds. The Chicago City is no exception.  The Chicago City Council sent congratulations to the following fourteen Chicagoans who in 2016 celebrated their 100th birthday.

Petronella Bertha Blumer

Harry Alvin Cecil

Hazel Amelia Cook

Ruth L. Lamar

Otea Esterds

Virginia Crawford White

Jim Konieczny

Rutha Lee Weir Hodo

Bill Coors

JoAnn Turner

Eleanore Wideikis

Eleanor Wayman

John W. Anderson

Elizabeth Mitchell

Source: Chicago City Council records

World Events in 1916:

• World War I
  • England and France battle the Ottoman Empire and are defeated in the attempt to capture Istanbul
  • Paris was bombed by German Zeppelins
  • Portugal joins the allied forces in WWI, Peru declares neutrality
  • The 1916 Summer Olympics to be held in Berlin, are cancelled
     
• The Chicago Cubs play their first game at Weegham Park (later named Wrigley Field) and defeat the Cincinnati Reds
   
• The Mexican Revolution - President Woodrow Wilson sends troops into Mexico to pursue Pancho Villa, a General in the Mexican Revolution who attacked border towns.
   
• Woodrow Wilson signs legislation creating the National Parks Service; later in 1916 he narrowly wins re-election
   
• Russian mystic, Rasputin is murdered in St. Petersburg
   
• The toggle light switch is in vented by William J. Newton and Morris Goldberg

Source: Wikipedia

Famous people born in 1916:

Walter Cronkite - American newscaster

Jackie Gleason - American comic actor and musician

Herb Caen - American journalist

Beverly Cleary - American author

Gregory Peck - American actor

Ferruccio Lamborghini - Italian auto manufacturer

Roald Dahl - Welsh born author

Kirk Douglas - American actor

Betty Grable - American actress

Source: Wikipedia

If you have a Chicago relative who will be celebrating 100 years soon, contact the local ward office or City Hall for an official congratulations.