| Dates: | 1977-1991 |
| Size: | 1 linear foot in 1 box, including 87 photographs |
| Repository | Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington Library Center, Special Collections, 400 S. State St., Chicago, IL 60605 |
| Collection Number: | spe.n00100 |
| Immediate Source of Acquisition: | Donated by Laurie Leigh in 2001 and 2002. |
| Conditions Governing Access: | Materials are open without restrictions. |
| Conditions Governing Use: | Please consult staff to determine ability to reuse materials from collection. |
| Preferred Citation: | When quoting material from this collection the preferred citation is: Laurie M. Leigh Photographs, [Photograph#], Special Collections, Chicago Public Library |
| Finding aid author: | Special Collections staff and Emma Lipkin; supervised by Johanna Russ, July 2018. Updated and ingested into ArchivesSpace by Johanna Russ, 2021. |
Abstract
This collection contains 87 photographs taken in neighborhoods around Chicago by photographer Laurie M. Leigh. While the majority of the photographs are of buildings and areas in the city, the collection also includes two portraits.
Biographical/Historical
Laurie Leigh (1929-2019) was a freelance photographer in Chicago. She contributed regularly to the Chicago Reader and worked on several projects that featured construction equipment, industrial machinery, and mechanical apparatus. Leigh was also involved in environmental activism, especially surrounding Lake Michigan, and she documented the Lake Front through her photography.
Scope and Contents
The 87 images in this collection depict scenes from around Chicago. Especially well represented is Chicago’s Lake Front. The Belmont Harbor and the Oak Street Beach areas are well documented. Of note is a portrait of comedian Dick Gregory.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged by subjects that largely correspond to series in other collections in the Neighborhood History Research Collection. These subjects are arranged alphabetically.
Related Materials
Subject Headings
- Chicago River (Ill.)
- Graceland Cemetery (Chicago, Ill.)
- Gregory, Dick, 1947-
- Lake Shore Drive (Chicago, Ill.)
- Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
Collection Inventory
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.1 | Businesses - [Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co.], Calumet River, circa 1980s |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.2 | Businesses - John Hancock Building, [view] from the top of the Hancock Building [875 N. Michigan Avenue], 1988 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.3 | Businesses - Sears Tower [Willis Tower, 233 S. Wacker Drive], 1982 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.4 | Businesses - [333 Wacker Drive], 1982 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.5 | Businesses - [333 Wacker Drive], 1982 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.6 | Cemeteries - Graceland Cemetery, undated |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.7 | Cemeteries - Graceland Cemetery [Eternal Silence, Lorado Taft], 1985 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.8 | Cemeteries - Graceland Cemetery [T. Allmendunger crypt], 1985 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.10 | Clubs and Organizations - Museum of Science and Industry, [exterior, locomotive], circa 1984 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.11 | Lake Front - Belmont Harbor, there were ducks swimming in the parking lot in 1987, 1986 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.12 | Lake Front - E. Goethe Street and N. Lake Shore Drive, 1987 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.13 | Lake Front - E. Goethe Street and N. Lake Shore Drive, 1987 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.14 | Lake Front - E. Goethe Street and N. Lake Shore Drive, high water, 1987 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.15 | Lake Front - N. Lake Shore Drive at E. North Avenue, high water, 1987 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.16 | Lake Front - Lincoln Park, South Lagoon, high Lake Michigan water, 1986 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.17 | Lake Front - Oak Street Beach, strengthening to prevent more flooding of N. Lake Shore Drive, 1987 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.18 | Lake Front - [54th Street], the lake at E. 54th Street, 1980s |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.19 | Lake Front - Beach Tunnel, 1977 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.20 | Lake Front - Belmont Harbor, 1986 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.21 | Lake Front - Belmont Harbor, 1988 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.22 | Lake Front - Belmont Harbor, dissipating fog, 1987 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.23 | Lake Front - Belmont Harbor, [sinking boat], circa 1984 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.24 | Lake Front - Belmont Harbor, [sinking boat], circa 1984 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.25 | Lake Front - Belmont Harbor, triathlon day, 1988 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.26 | Lake Front - Buckingham Fountain, Grant Park, 1986 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.27 | Lake Front - [Chicago Yacht Club] Red Lion [ship], 1983 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.28 | Lake Front - W. Diversey Parkway and the lake [A Signal of Peace, Cyrus Edwin Dallin], 1986 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.29 | Lake Front - Diversey Harbor, Stuart [possibly Leigh’s son] on Scalare, 1983 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.30 | Lake Front - E. Division Street, beach, 1983 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.31 | Lake Front - E. Division Street, beach, 1984 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.32 | Lake Front - E. Division Street, [pedestrian] underpass to lake, 1983 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.33 | Lake Front - W. Foster [Avenue, beach, winter, man on skis], 1979 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.34 | Lake Front - Grant Park, 1980s |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.35 | Lake Front - [Lake Shore Drive, aerial view looking north], 1990 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.36 | Lake Front - N. Lake Shore Drive at E. Goethe Street, 1984 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.37 | Lake Front - N. Lake Shore Drive and E. Ohio Street, 1987 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.38 | Lake Front - [Lake Shore Drive [traffic] ramp to outer drive, 1987 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.39 | Lake Front - Lincoln Park, circa 1984 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.40 | Lake Front - Lincoln Park Gun Club, 1991 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.41 | Lake Front - Lincoln Park south of W. Fullerton Avenue, 1986 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.42 | Lake Front - Montrose Harbor, circa 1984 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.43 | Lake Front - Navy Pier, 1986 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.44 | Lake Front - North Avenue Beach, 1988 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.45 | Lake Front - North Avenue Beach, chess pavilion, undated |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.46 | Lake Front - North Avenue Beach, frozen lake, undated |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.47 | Lake Front - North Avenue Beach, [winter], 1977 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.48 | Lake Front - Oak Street Beach, 1200 N. Lake Shore Drive, 1985 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.49 | Lake Front - Oak Street Beach, 1985 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.50 | Lake Front - E. Oak Street and N. Lake Shore Drive, 1985 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.51 | Lake Front - E. Oak Street and N. Michigan Avenue, 1985 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.52 | Lake Front - Triathlon, [swimmers], 1992 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.53 | Lake Front - Unidentified location, 1983 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.54 | Lake Front - Unidentified location, Marlyn [boat],1984 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.55 | Lake Front - Unidentified location, [Monroe Harbor], 1989 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.56 | Lake Front - Unidentified location, [view from lake of city skyline], 1983 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.57 | Lake Front - Water filtration plant, 1976 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.58 | Lake Front - [Winter ice formations, unidentified location], 1977 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.59 | Lake Front - [Winter ice formations, unidentified location], 1978 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.60 | Parks - Humboldt Park, 1986 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.61 | Portraits - Dick Gregory, circa 1978 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.62 | Portraits - [Unidentified men], Pow-Wow at Navy Pier, 1983 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.9 | Religious Institutions - St. Michael's Church, circa 1984 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.63 | Residences - [1250] N. Astor Street, 1984 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.64 | Residences - Cardinal's house, Miles' car at [W. North Avenue and N. State Parkway], 1987 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.65 | Residences - Cardinal's house, W. North Avenue and N. State Parkway, 1987 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.66 | Residences - 1246 N. Lake Shore Drive, 1984 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.67 | Residences - [Marina City Towers], 1982 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.68 | Schools - Latin School of Chicago, circa 1980 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.69 | Streets - N. Astor Street, 1979 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.70 | Streets - N. Astor Street, circa 1984 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.71 | Streets - 805 W. Castlewood Terrace [garden], 1987 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.72 | Streets - N. Michigan Avenue and E. Ohio Street, circus headed for Medinah Shriners Temple, circa 1984 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.73 | Streets - W. Montrose Avenue, 1200 block, circa 1991 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.74 | Streets - Unidentified street, 1982 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.75 | Streets - Unidentified street, 1983 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.76 | Streets - Unidentified street [children and open fire hydrant], 1986 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.77 | Streets - Unidentified street [building under construction], 1982 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.78 | Transportation - Calumet River, 1988 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.79 | Transportation - Chicago River, circa 1984 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.80 | Transportation - Chicago River, circa 1984 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.81 | Transportation - Chicago River, circa 1984 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.82 | Transportation - Chicago River, 203 W. 18th Street, circa 1988 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.83 | Transportation - Chicago River, from Kruceks' boat, 1982 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.84 | Transportation - Chicago River from outer drive bridge, boat that transports men from 68th Street crib, 1983 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.85 | Transportation - Chicago River, South Branch, circa 1980 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.86 | Transportation - Chicago River, Traffic Court Building, circa 1983 |
| Box 1 | Photograph 1.87 | Transportation – W. Fullerton Avenue [Elevated Station], circa 1980s |
