A recent Chicago Tribune Magazine had an article by David Murray about Bill Hinchliff, who has been giving tours of downtown Chicago's architecture for 30 years. He has the inside on the inside stories of many of Chicago's buildings. For example, did you know that the most prominent Chinatown structures were designed by Swedish architects?

There is also a list of 10 Must-See Tour sites:

1. Alfred Caldwell's Lily Pool
2. Sherman Park
3. Elks Memorial
4. Northerly Island Park fieldhouse
5. Dan Ryan Memorial Chapel at St. Joseph Hospital
6. Legler Library
7. Bartlett Gymnasium
8. Vanderpool Gallery of Art
9. Flower Hall in Douglas Park
10. Earl Landon Neal Gateway Plaza

I've never heard of any of these, but they sound interesting. There is a brief synopsis, pictures, and locations of these places in the article.

The article can be seen at www.chicagotribune.com and search Bill Hinchliff. Unfortunately, you have to be a subscriber, but it's free.

Bill Hinchliff also works as a guide at the Chicago Architecture Foundation, located on the corner of Michigan and Jackson ( Rt 66) in the old Santa Fe building. The last several years, he has freelanced out of the Art Institute.

You can go to the Chicago Architecture Foundation site at

www.architecture.org

They offer a wide variety of tours, any of which will greatly increase your knowledge of the city. So, if you're interested in seeing places which are not on the short-list of things to see in Chicago, check this out.

Keep on Down that Road in the BIG CITY. -- RoadDog