Could this unassuming corner of Wacker Drive and Lake Street whisper tales of transformative moments? This is the Site of the Sauganash Hotel/Wigwam Plaque. Here, history wasn’t just made; it was ignited.
Let’s step back in time to 1831. Mark Beaubien, a pioneer, built the Sauganash Hotel right here. It was more than just a hotel. It was the social heart of a growing Chicago. Imagine a two-story, white-framed building. It stood as a beacon, welcoming travelers and hosting the town’s first village board meetings. Named after Billy Caldwell, a Potawatomi-British fur trader also known as Sauganash, the hotel thrived until a fire claimed it in 1851. It even functioned as the city’s first theater for a time.
Nine years later, this very spot saw the rise of the Wigwam. This wasn’t just any building. It was purpose-built for the 1860 Republican National Convention. Picture a two-story structure, illuminated by gaslight. Civic leaders financed it. W. W. Boyington, who also designed the Chicago Water Tower, designed it. The Wigwam was the first convention hall with on-site telegraph equipment. It could seat over 10,000 people.
The 1860 Republican National Convention was a pivotal event. Abraham Lincoln received the nomination here on May 18, 1860. He was later elected president. The Wigwam, named after an Algonquin word for a temporary dwelling, later became a retail space. Sadly, it likely met its end in a fire in 1867.
Chicago has a rich history of hosting conventions. It has hosted 14 Republican National Conventions and 11 Democratic National Conventions. The Wigwam hosted the second Republican National Convention.
After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, another “Wigwam” building served as a temporary home for the Chicago Board of Trade. It was located at Washington and Market Streets. In 1892, another temporary “Wigwam” was erected in Lake Park for Grover Cleveland’s third nomination.
Today, the address at this location is 191 North Wacker. A 37-story office tower stands here. It was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox and completed in 2002.
The Daughters of the American Revolution gifted plaques in the early 20th century. In 2017, the city rededicated these plaques. They commemorate Lincoln’s nomination at the Wigwam and the Sauganash Hotel. The plaques are affixed to a stone marker on the Wacker Drive pedestrian median near Lake Street. The Landmarks Commission staff designed the marker. The Chicago Department of Transportation installed it.
These plaques, once stored away, now stand proudly on display. They join other markers throughout the city. They tell the important story of Chicago’s history. So, next time you pass by, remember the stories embedded in this ground. The Sauganash Hotel and the Wigwam. They are silent witnesses to Chicago’s vibrant past.