South Chicago

The Blues Brothers is my all-time favorite movie. Growing up, my baby sitter sat me in front of the TV and turned it on almost every day, and as any young boy would be, I was enthralled with the fast driving, the police chases, and the super-human strength of the car. So needless to say, visiting he 95th Street bridge that they jumped in their 1974 Dodge Monaco was, without a doubt, a highlight in my young life. I didn't know what neighborhood it was in, I probably didn't even know what a neighborhood was, but it was the spot where Elwood slammed on the accelerator and flew over the bridge. It was amazing, and I most likely asked my dad if we could try to jump the bridge as well (if I did ask, I can assure you that we didn't attempt it). 

I now know that the jump originated in South Chicago (and the car landed in East Side), a working class neighborhood that has been defined by the steel mills that were so dominant in the area throughout most of the 1900s. The mills have since closed, but the famous bridge, as well as the Calumet Fisheries seafood stand, are two things that continue to draw people to this portion of South Chicago.