South Shore Cultural Center facts for kids
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South Shore Country Club
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South Shore Country Club
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 Location in Chicago metropolitan area
Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | 7059 S. South Shore Dr. Chicago, Illinois |
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| Area | Chicago |
| Built | 1908 |
| Architect | Marshall & Fox |
| Architectural style | Mediterranean Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 75000652 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | March 4, 1975 |
The South Shore Cultural Center is a cool place in Chicago, Illinois. It's located at 71st Street and South Shore Drive, in a neighborhood called South Shore. This center used to be a fancy club called the South Shore Country Club. In the 1970s, it became part of the public Chicago Park District, which means it's now open for everyone to enjoy! It includes the old club building, its big grounds, and even a beach.
Contents
The Story of the South Shore Country Club
The South Shore Country Club started in 1905. It was created as a peaceful place outside the busy city of Chicago. People could go there to relax, play sports, and have fun.
Building a Beautiful Club
The first building for the club was designed by architects Marshall and Fox. They built it in a style called Mediterranean Revival. This style makes buildings look like they belong in sunny places around the Mediterranean Sea. In 1909, a theater was added to the club. Then, in 1916, Marshall and Fox designed an even newer building, which is the one you can still see today!
What the Club Had
Besides the main clubhouse, the South Shore Country Club had lots of cool features:
- Stables for horses
- A nine-hole golf course
- Tennis courts
- A bowling green
- A private beach right on Lake Michigan
Changes Over Time
By the early 1960s, the neighborhood around the club started to change a lot. Many people who were members of the club began to move away. In 1967, the club thought about letting new members join, including people who had not been allowed before. However, they decided not to. This decision made the club's problems worse.
In 1973, the club decided to sell its property. In 1975, the Chicago Park District bought the club for almost $9.8 million. That same year, the club was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. This list helps protect important historical places.
Saving the Club
Many people from the neighborhood and groups that protect old buildings worked together. They convinced the Park District not to tear down the beautiful buildings. Instead, the place was renamed the South Shore Cultural Center. Over the next 20 years, the main buildings were slowly fixed up and given new purposes. Some of the other old buildings were taken down.
What You Can Do There Today
Today, the South Shore Cultural Center is a busy and exciting place!
Arts and Activities
The center is home to the South Shore Cultural Center School of the Arts. This school offers:
- Programs for kids and teens
- Art classes for the community
- The Paul Robeson Theatre
- A Fine Art Gallery
- Two dance studios
- Music practice rooms
- A visual arts studio with a kiln for pottery
Fun for Everyone
You can also find other great things at the center:
- Banquet rooms that people can rent for weddings, parties, and meetings.
- The golf course is still open and anyone can play there.
- The beach, picnic areas, and gardens are open to the public.
- There's a nature center where you can learn about local plants and animals.
- The horse stables are now used by the Chicago Police Department's mounted unit.
- The Parrot Cage Restaurant is inside the building. It's run by the Washburne Culinary Institute as a teaching program.
The Chicago Lakefront Trail also runs right past the center. This trail is 18 miles long and is perfect for walking, running, or biking along the coast of Lake Michigan.
Famous Moments
The outside of the building was used in the movie The Blues Brothers. It was shown as the "Palace Hotel Ballroom." The Cultural Center was also the place where Barack and Michelle Obama had their wedding reception on October 3, 1992. On May 26, 2004, the center was named a Chicago Landmark.
Gallery
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Entrance Gate to the South Shore Cultural Center
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Driveway leading to South Shore Cultural Center
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Interior ballroom at the South Shore Cultural Center
Reading List
- Learn more about the South Shore Country Club
