Can you imagine a city dumping its sewage into the same water it drinks from? That was Chicago in the mid-1800s. The consequences were predictable: outbreaks of cholera and typhoid fever ravaged the city. Enter Ellis S. Chesbrough, a visionary engineer. His solution? The 2 Mile Crib. Standing two miles out in Lake Michigan, the 2 Mile Crib was a feat of engineering for its time. Construction began in May 1864. Miners and workers toiled day and night, six days a week. They constructed a wooden structure far from the contaminated shoreline. This crib, completed in 1867 at a cost of $380,784, became the city’s first offshore water intake. This innovative system pumped clean water from the lake, through a tunnel 60 feet below the lakebed, to the Chicago Avenue Pumping Station. This station, which still stands today on North Michigan Avenue, distributed the purified water throughout the city. The 2 Mile Crib was more than just an engineering marvel; it was a symbol of hope. It represented a turning point in Chicago’s history, a move towards a healthier future. While the 2 Mile Crib is no longer standing, having been replaced by the Carter H. Harrison Crib in 1900, its legacy lives on. Every time a Chicagoan takes a sip of clean water, they owe a silent thank you to the 2 Mile Crib and the man who envisioned it.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to