The Kemper Building

For years, I lived in a “white 8-story building on the corner of Lawrence and Sheridan Road”. It was several years before I began to appreciate the ornate beauty of the terra-cotta workings on its surface and on many of the buildings in the neighborhood.

During the Kemper Building’s early years, Uptown was “the place to be”. It boasted the largest movie theater in the world--in fact-- the Uptown Theater building is still the largest. It’s bigger than Radio City Music Hall! The most famous dance hall in the U.S. is the Aragon Ballroom. Most of the buildings in the area have clues of their former grandeur in the form of magical creatures such as gargoyles, cherubs and green men. A close look at the Kemper Building shows terra cotta gargoyles, dragons, cherubs and flowers. Its entire exterior is covered with such figures.

• Figures Over the Main Entrance:
  

• Detail of Kemper building exterior:
  

-- JimJewell - 24 Nov 2006