Chicago is My Kind of Town (Especially the Southwest Side)

Part 1 in my trilogy dedicated to southwest siders, A nostalgic trip down Memory Lane featuring many of the landmarks and businesses people who grew up or live on the southwest side of Chicago will recognize.

[@mexfolroa]

As a teenager in 1951 I was attending IIT and worked nights at Crane Company on Kedzie Ave. I lived at 1500 W. Taylor and drove to work through Brighton Park. I always said to myself that I would someday live in Brighton Park. However I put my education on hold and got a day job at Western Electric in Cicero. Then I enlisted in the Army Signal Corp. got married and spent two years on Okinawa. I came back in 1956, lived two years in Canary Ville and finally, in 1958, bought our home in Brighton Park. I have been here ever since; 61 years. It has changed and most of the places that I remember are gone. All I have is good memories of them.

[@jameskooiman]

Wow! I got teary eyed watching this. That was my Chicago. It's been a lot of years.

[@dianecunningham9862]

Sitting in Texas and came across this and brought tears to my eyes watching it. Grow up in Marquette Park and then moved to Oak Lawn in the early '60s. Thank you for putting this together

[@larrydrozd2740]

We were neighbors! I grew up in The Back of the Yards and moved to Oak Lawn.....in the early 60's too. Hung out in the Marquette Park neighborhood for years. Oh, I'm in Texas now too.

[@patebert7430]

I've been gone 45 years and every time I go back I know I'm home... What great memories....

[@carol3741]

Just took a ride past most of those places...Indian still there !!!!! Saluted him every time I hiked from Karlov to St. Nick's grade school

[@TarSeeFar]

Grew up on the North side of Chicago (Thorndale and Broadway) but had been to the Southwest side and this is definitely a trip down memory lane. Tastee Freeze, Midway airport, all the candy and cookie factories. Wow! Will have to take a trip back there, know it won't be the same but still.....

[@nikostrat]

Jackies, Little Eddy's, Parisi's, Heap Big Beaf, WIndy City Music, Cavallones, Green Light, Mount Pindo's, Huck Finn Donuts,Charcoal Pit, Skyview Restaurant, Pasteur Park, Peacock Alley, George's, Chinese Restaurant across the street from Lourdes High School.

[@boristheamerican2938]

I worked at the Charcoal Pit driving pizza back in the early 80s.

[@stevenpreissler4205]

What a great survey of the SW-side! My younger brother shared this with me (and the fab-family) and I thought he compiled the familiar haunts and places because it was soooo... on target. Thank you for this wonderful trip down memory lane. This short has inspired me to visit the ‘hood’ and walk my old paper route. BRAVO!

[@beepbeep3000]

Seeing CTA's GMC 5307 buses near Midway Airport back in late 1980's/early 1990's on my visits to Chicago with my parents.

[@blairbraaten664]

Old memories from times past. But very good memories that I will never forget .

[@santiagocanojr.1214]

I was born when Richard J. Daley was mayor of Chicago in January of 1974. It was good city back then and now 2021 we have a weak mayor of Chicago because crime is out of control and people are leaving for the suburbs or a new state like my dad who's now living in Donna, Texas with his wife , My eldest sister lives in Buffalo Grove and my youngest sister lives in Berwyn. It's sad that Chicago has become a third world city and it's gotten worse under Lightfoot.

[@pampurrs88]

Thanks for the memories. Those photos bring me back to my days of growing up on the southwest side of Chicago, and attending Hubbard High 63-67

[@mikemoyzis390]

Classic - loved hanging out on our front porch or at Westlawn Park in the summer! We played every sport imaginable on the street corners. Including skeetching in the winter -lol! It was truly a special place to grow-up and live. Wish the best to all you southwest siders for a happy and healthy century! Moyz

[@ritaroad]

Street play was the best. Laying back on the cool porch on a hot summer day. I lived north on Dickens and Kimball but Armitage had the drug store, Leslie department store, bakery, gift shop, grocery store, penny candy shop and my favorite every Sunday the Armitage theater. I always wondered why my mom was in her lace slip when we got home. 🙄

[@denise429]

Wow, memories flashed like a kaleidoscope, with bitter sweetness of a time sadly gone......

[@Mysterian96]

You can see the arrows in the Indians back from this angle. And his left thumb! lol

[@joeklejko1391]

Polish Highlander restaurant on Archer, Tony's roast beef, Lithuanian museum, Ford city. I'm Class of 1983 Bogan High. Thanks for the video really enjoyed it.

[@plotzyify]

I grew up on the Southwest Side, and here's what I wrote on Facebook a few years ago about this video: This is actually pretty funny, though not meant to be. It's an "Ode to the Southwest Side," and it really does fit the bill: it's mostly a bunch of really dull, and even depressing scenes. A White Castle. A bus-stop sign. Low-rent fast-food joints. Dirty, rusty signs for various parks and restaurants. An ugly church. Parking lots. A beef sandwich (which does look very tasty!), Midway Airport. All meant to instill feelings of deep nostalgia and set to the Sinatra song that mentions Chicago landmarks, none of which are shown because none are on the Southwest Side.

[@denisehite5748]

I lived at Archer/Austin then moved to 64th/Naragansett (spelled wrong) then to 48th/Central.......remember all those places growing up. Each place holds great memories! Thank you so much for sharing, looking forward to the next one! I showed my girls so they could see where I grew up and they loved it.

[@us1fedvet]

Just great! A trip back in time to the best time of my life. Sorry my boys will not have such fun.

[@nixjag1773]

I just want to say thank you for putting this together. Change is inevitable so it's great to see these remembrances.

[@jolenemudra4971]

My neighborhood! Thank you for this!

[@richardhale3776]

Lots of memories, especially Clearing, Midway Areas and Midway Airport. Rich Hale

[@robertlopez7979]

Wow Beautiful pictures from the Southwest in Chicago

[@boogiedown3893]

Born in Roseland Hospital 1966...107 n Morgan...PLEASE STOP THE VIOLENCE.....🙏🙏🙏

[@larrydrozd2740]

Awesome! Where I grew up!! So many familiar places.

[@thegirl5426]

What am awesome video Gary. Thank you for taking the time to bring back these old memories. Looking forward to your next production.

[@jamespowell9499]

Jim Powell Willow Brook was our hang out on Friday nights to go Ball Room dancing and a couple of years we went there for New Years and had a blast, that I'll "never forget". Geno's is were I worked part time delivering pizza's and helping out at times making them. Just about every thing in that clip Iv'e seen or done and brings back a lot of great memories. I grew up in the Scottsdale area on the south west side of Chicago.

[@aakar88]

Trost Hobby Shop, Gossage Grill, The Marquette and The Colony, Triangle Records, the library on 62 nd and Kenzie.My kind of town.

[@frankcusimano6032]

Those are the places I love and apperciate

[@janetborror6992]

Hi, Frank.. Hope all is well. our old stomping ground, pretty cool huh..

[@donnakuna3616]

makes me homesick

[@janetborror6992]

It was great seeing all those great places. Brought back many memories. Vinces wow haven't had a pizza from there in years!!

[@ludecom-cz1wz]

Only thing missing was the Red Barrel. Free popcorn and bunnies.

[@infinitejusticeone]

Thank you taking me back home!

[@franand908]

Very nicely presented... and nostalgic

[@rogerchylla6305]

Gary, we obviously grew up in the same neighborhood. It was fun to recognize literally every single location in your video. I lived in West Lawn area on 65th and Karlov and attended St Mary Star of the Sea school. I am guessing you did as well! Thanks for sharing. So do you remember how/where you watched Game 4 of the 2005 World Series?

[@debralicitra9151]

Boy, the memories! I grew up in Clearing, about a mile west of Midway.

[@geraldwapniarski7513]

Lot of memories. You did good on this.

[@SandraL024]

Love this! But there are more parts of the Southwest side of Chicago this video did not show!

[@stormdcw]

Some of those places are long gone... That was the white castles on 63rd and Cicero!

[@ahwolf1892]

Spent my early years sitting in the Colony to watch movies and Black Hawk playoff games. Spent a good deal time at the Hiway as well.

[@joefranc62]

That was the best hood u could ask for.....

[@dorothymehok6234]

Where is Kelly High s chool. Loved the memories , thanks.

[@angeloacosta9411]

I went to Kelly HS great times.

[@DucksDeLucks]

What a classic Sinatra track! The band is so smooth and the way they gradually build up a head of steam until it's overwhelming. But why omit the classic intro????? Who wrote the song? Very interesting melody. I haven't been to Chi-town since 59 but it's tuggin my sleeve thanks to that video!

[@jonathankoziol6573]

Fantastic. So many great memories

[@tomv4408]

Nicky's - 3 dogs and fries for $1.99. Loved it!

[@8House]

Had friends in Archer Heights way back in the day. It's all changed and like so many other things in this country, not for the better.

[@richardhixon3984]

8House The

[@juliannepaull2503]

Great video , grew up 59th Tripp , makes me home sick .

[@chrissyn6265]

Oh, the memories! I lived across the street from Nabisco

[@brianglade848]

72nd and Richmond here....

[@juliedecker2638]

Fantastic videos! Thanks for sharing

[@summelinn]

awesome! grazie

[@farneyboy]

Grew up in west lawn

[@PRHILL9696]

Such a great city

[@jenwitiarz8672]

Wow! Very nice,. The others are right though, you need to get the other parts of the southwest side.

[@minecraftgods9087]

love them

[@VinniesKitchenYt]

My family's pizza restaurant is in the end of the video pretty cool

[@nancyoleksy]

Wow all my old stomping grounds!

[@carolenewman5180]

Why didn’t you show the magnificent skyline of Chicago

[@garymartin-ranft3724]

Here is a clip of the Chicago Skyline from the 60's kzbin.info/www/bejne/qpSwpmCIhcd7aJI

[@cmconey]

Ahhhhh sweet memories, best split pea soup in the world, Café Renee

[@angelamundt6689]

ty ty ty

[@brianglade848]

We need a timee machine

[@joefranc62]

all good

[@micksouder]

What?!? No "No Shit Harry's / Stanley Strike Bowl"? :-) Good job.

[@TheMandorider]

need a pic of parisis on 63rd street,

[@stevez4120]

Central Drugs was knocked down around ~2015

[@Cabingirlandrandomcrap]

Awww wish I could see it but its been blocked for copywrite. Darn!

[@garymartin-ranft3724]

Erin - For some reason it is blocked on mobile devices with the copy write notice, if you go to the web it should work.

[@CH-wd1me]

Try again. I'm on my cell and viewed it without an issue.

[@joe4922]

Dam bro. That was my hood bro....back in a more civilized time...