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A Look Back at Chicago in the Mid-1990s Through these Stunning Photos

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Chicago transformed itself from an old Rust Belt town into a global metropolis in the 1990s. After becoming a popular destination for those new employees, Chicago gained a lot of population in the 1990s, the only time a Midwestern metropolis did so in the 1950s.

A Chicago native who would become more famous than Michael Jordan and Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama won his first election, to the Illinois State Senate in 1996. He began a career that would erase the city’s reputation for provincialism and corruption.

Steven Martin took these amazing photos of the city of Chicago in 1996.

#2 Row of detached townhouses on Harrison Street, Chicago, February 1996

Row of detached townhouses on Harrison Street, Chicago, February 1996

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#3 Ontario Street, looking west from in front of the River North McDonald’s, Chicago, February 1996

Ontario Street, looking west from in front of the River North McDonald's, Chicago, February 1996

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#5 Chicago River and Michigan Avenue Bridge, Chicago, February 1996

Chicago River and Michigan Avenue Bridge, Chicago, February 1996

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#6 Chicago skyline along the lakefront as it appeared on a winter day in February 1996

Chicago skyline along the lakefront as it appeared on a winter day in February 1996

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#9 Lake Street from Wabash Avenue, Chicago, February 1996

Lake Street from Wabash Avenue, Chicago, February 1996

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#10 Landmark skyscraper condominiums on the north bank of the Chicago River as seen from Wacker Drive, February 1996

Landmark skyscraper condominiums on the north bank of the Chicago River as seen from Wacker Drive, February 1996

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#12 A dams Street from Wabash Avenue, Chicago, July 1996

A dams Street from Wabash Avenue, Chicago, July 1996

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#13 Columbus Drive, Grant Park, Chicago, February 1996

Columbus Drive, Grant Park, Chicago, February 1996

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#14 Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, July 1996

Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, July 1996

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#15 Hilton and Blackstone Hotels from Congress Parkway, Grant Park, July 1996

Hilton and Blackstone Hotels from Congress Parkway, Grant Park, July 1996

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#16 Looking south along Michigan Avenue from Van Buren, Grant Park, Chicago, July 1996

Looking south along Michigan Avenue from Van Buren, Grant Park, Chicago, July 1996

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#18 The Art Institute of Chicago. Bronze lion statues flank the main entrance on Michigan Avenue, July 1996

The Art Institute of Chicago. Bronze lion statues flank the main entrance on Michigan Avenue, July 1996

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#19 The Water Tower place is the white skyscraper and the John Hancock Center is the tall dark skyscraper, taken from Navy Pier, Chicago, July 1996

The Water Tower place is the white skyscraper and the John Hancock Center is the tall dark skyscraper, taken from Navy Pier, Chicago, July 1996

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#20 An old apartment building in the River North neighborhood, corner of Dearborn and Erie, Chicago, February 1996

An old apartment building in the River North neighborhood, corner of Dearborn and Erie, Chicago, February 1996

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#21 Church and houses on Congress Parkway, Chicago, February 1996

Church and houses on Congress Parkway, Chicago, February 1996

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#22 Lighthouse is on Lake Michigan outside the entrance to Chicago Harbor, July 1996

Lighthouse is on Lake Michigan outside the entrance to Chicago Harbor, July 1996

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#23 Looking toward the John Hancock Center and Water Tower Place from Sheraton Hotel, Chicago, February 1996

Looking toward the John Hancock Center and Water Tower Place from Sheraton Hotel, Chicago, February 1996

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#24 Loop and Lakeshore East skyscrapers viewed from Buckingham Fountain, Chicago, July 1996.

Loop and Lakeshore East skyscrapers viewed from Buckingham Fountain, Chicago, July 1996.

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#25 Loop and Lakeshore East skyscrapers viewed from Buckingham Fountain, Chicago, July 1996

Loop and Lakeshore East skyscrapers viewed from Buckingham Fountain, Chicago, July 1996

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#26 Michigan Avenue looking south from Chicago River Bridge.

Michigan Avenue looking south from Chicago River Bridge.

Three landmark skyscrapers, the 333 N. Michigan Avenue, Carbide & Carbon Building, and the London Guarantee Building, are visible from left to right, February 1996

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#27 Michigan Avenue looking south of Wacker Drive, Chicago, February 1996

Michigan Avenue looking south of Wacker Drive, Chicago, February 1996

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#28 North Dearborn Street townhouses, Chicago, February 1996

North Dearborn Street townhouses, Chicago, February 1996

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#29 Sears Tower rising over Hilton and Blackstone Hotels, Chicago, February 1996

Sears Tower rising over Hilton and Blackstone Hotels, Chicago, February 1996

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#31 Townhouses facing demolition, River North, Chicago, February 1996

Townhouses facing demolition, River North, Chicago, February 1996

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#32 Wabash Avenue looking north from Monroe Street, Chicago Loop, July 1996

Wabash Avenue looking north from Monroe Street, Chicago Loop, July 1996

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#33 Wabash Avenue looking south from Lake Street, Chicago, February 1996

Wabash Avenue looking south from Lake Street, Chicago, February 1996

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#34 Wabash Avenue looking south from Wacker Drive, Chicago, February 1996

Wabash Avenue looking south from Wacker Drive, Chicago, February 1996

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#35 Wacker Drive west of Michigan Ave., Chicago, February 1996

Wacker Drive west of Michigan Ave., Chicago, February 1996

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#36 Wrigley Building and Tribune Tower, landmark skyscrapers anchoring the north bank of the Chicago River at Michigan Avenue, taken from Wacker Drive, February 1996

Wrigley Building and Tribune Tower, landmark skyscrapers anchoring the north bank of the Chicago River at Michigan Avenue, taken from Wacker Drive, February 1996

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#38 Congress Parkway looking west, Chicago, February 1996

Congress Parkway looking west, Chicago, February 1996

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#39 Dearborn Street looking south, in front of Federal Plaza, Chicago, July 1996

Dearborn Street looking south, in front of Federal Plaza, Chicago, July 1996

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#40 El train turning on the curve from Wabash Avenue to Lake Street in the Loop, Chicago, February 1996

El train turning on the curve from Wabash Avenue to Lake Street in the Loop, Chicago, February 1996

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Written by Aung Budhh

Husband + Father + librarian + Poet + Traveler + Proud Buddhist. I love you with the breath, the smiles and the tears of all my life.

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11 Comments

    • There’s a few more buildings now. The Michigan Ave bridge pic, you can see the edge of the old Sun Times building (Trump Tower hasn’t replaced it), that’s nostalgic to me haha.

      But in some of these you can see how much more surface parking lots there were back in the 90s.

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