Chicago's Roman Column

The strange story of the Balbo Column, the only Roman column in Chicago (or anywhere else in the American Midwest).
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[@obsidianjane4413]

It probably should be moved into a museum. To protect the column. And I guess the plaques too.

[@lookoutforchris]

They’re ripping statues and monuments down in public. Museums are next. They removed the statue of Teddy Roosevelt at the entrance to the NY Museum of Natural History. And in the UK they have been cutting up significant paintings with box cutters recently. We will live to see our museums burn, and no one will do anything about it.

[@stab74]

Yeah it looks terrible surrounded with that fence.

[@lesliea7394]

I live in north suburban Chicago and had no idea that this column was here or the history behind the naming of Balbo Drive ((although I was always intrigued by the name). What a great nugget of history. Thank you Garrett.

[@sambonedallas]

Instead of a new placard I think an additional one is more appropriate , preserve history instead of rewriting it

[@namenameson9065]

Plaques for plaques that most people living in the area can't even read. This civilization went insane some time ago. Only now are people realizing they can't afford food.

[@CatholicSamurai]

What is there to add? The current inscription already provides all the context. Nothing in the current inscription is objectionable. A new or additional plaque would convey the same information: a Roman column from Ostia was gifted to Chicago by Air Marshall Balbo on behalf of Fascist Italy, after a daring journey halfway across the world in small 30s-era airplanes.

[@intractablemaskvpmGy]

Why? And what would it say?

[@sambonedallas]

@@CatholicSamurai Garrett had suggested changing at end of video I simply would like if there were changes the original be perserved personally I think it should be left original

[@magesalmanac6424]

@CatholicSamurai well in case you missed the whole video, it clearly needs additional context than what is currently on the plinth.

[@kidmohair8151]

it is looking a little the worse for wear. I can't imagine being next Lake Michigan in winter has done it much good.

[@PeculiarNotions]

What a crazy story.

[@frankie137137]

Another banger from Doc Ryan. I'll have to check this out when I'm in Chicago later this year!

[@RickLowrance]

Great video. You've had a lot of interesting content. Especially lately.

[@edcomedian357]

I thought the two columns square blocks leading to Buckingham Fountain at Michigan Avenue and formerly Congress were also given by Mussolini?

[@davetremaine9763]

I don't think the chain link fence is around it because it's controversial...more likely that it's there because everything made of concrete attracts spray paint in Chiraq

[@maxklein1614]

Perhaps your next post should be about how "famous" the Century of Progress World's Fair actually was.

[@roberterwine7650]

it is cursed and the reason the bears can't win

[@timeflysintheshop]

Maybe you could do a followup video explaining the same features on the back of our dime? 🤔🤔🤔

[@nunya257]

Very interesting

[@SJam491]

People tend to forget about Italo Balbo because he didn't survive the war.

[@alaingadbois2276]

Lost in a friendly fire incident in North Africa.

[@TrevorD19]

Run for an architectural history position please. You deserve it

[@RedcoatsReturn]

Pure history…thank you…preserving…the facts….of true history 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏😊😉

[@pigdroppings]

Recently the bronze statue of Robert E Lee was torn down in his home state of Virginia, and melted to make trinkets. There is just no stopping the far left when it comes to destroying the images of the past.

[@alaingadbois2276]

I hope it is not only the far left that thinks honoring a pro-slavery leader is a bad thing. This said, melting down a statue is not something I support.

[@magesalmanac6424]

Question. Is it bad for lichen or moss to be growing on the stone like that? Won’t it damage the column?

[@g1stylempdesign929]

The people who built these cities did such beautification in order to benefit the later generations. If they new how idiotic the future generations would be they might have just left it in Ostia

[@Psychol-Snooper]

Maybe Italy could rededicate it with a new pedestal and inscription, and send the old one and it's fasces to a museum?

[@freshoutofass]

I was in Chicago not long ago, I wish I had known about this. I would have definitely visited this piece of ancient and modern history! Thank you for your hard work!

[@perceivedvelocity9914]

There are a lot of people who want to smash any reminder of the past. They want to forget anything uncomfortable. If those people are successful we will repeat the mistakes of the past.

[@525Lines]

They want to replace it with their own stuff. Coming from a country with little to no written history, it's easy to invent a narrative.

[@paulkoza8652]

It's not so much as smashing it, but rather coming to terms with it. And that is hard to do with an objective mind set.

[@scottabc72]

There are a lot of people that want to celebrate terrible things in the past. If those people are successful we will definitely repeat the terrible mistakes of the past.

[@obsidianjane4413]

And then there are those that just smash any thing because they are stupid.

[@525Lines]

Can't fathom why this is controversial.

[@Psychol-Snooper]

lol

[@JohnnyWednesday]

(The British Museum likes this)

[@carramrod8232]

Liberals. That’s why

[@tomtomtrent]

I was wondering if you'd ever mention this; I checked it out last year. I definitely noticed that, while the city hadn't removed it, it seems like it was deliberately placed in a spot that wasn't particularly accessible to pedestrians, probably so people wouldn't wander by and read the inscription. It's a shame, because it's interesting that the city has an authentic Roman column, but it's too bad it's attached to a base that glorifies fascism

[@silverado9104]

instead of attached to a roman base that glorifies imperialism ;)

[@JohnVance]

Keep the column, give it a new base and dedication.

[@JohnnyWednesday]

It's not a great look - but at least it's not as bad as the 'Elgin' marbles. If anybody thinks my country has moved past its arrogant colonial mentality? read our government's responses to Italy and Egypt in regards to returning stolen artifacts.

[@theoldar]

Destroy the base, keep the column.

[@theoldar]

Erase the base, keep the column.