Streeterville

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One of the most curious chapters in the history of Chicago, a chapter full of ludicrous situations, of selfishness, ignorance, cupidity, yet with its pages of bravery, too, and at times of pathos, is the record of “Streeterville.” Every city has its experiences, few or many, with “squatters,” but this involved more than the usual attempt to seize upon the property of another, and by establishing a residence, seek to establish also a title to the land.

The story begins back in July, 1886 when Civil War veteran and show promoter “Captain” George Wellington Streeter was wrecked in his 35-ton stemboat, Reutan at the foot of Superior Street. Unable to get his vessel off the sands, Streeter established his residence in her. Succeeding storms and the natural current of the lake piled the sand about his vessel until 1889 when he had quite a tract of new land. Over 150 acres!

The land he claimed “by right of discovery,” acknowledging no allegiance to the State of Illinois or the City of Chicago, but only to the United States Government. He named it “The Deestrict of Lake Michigan,” and exercised thereon the rights and priviledges of a sovereign. Streeter’s claim was based on the 1821 survey of John Kinzie’s property which specifically described the boundary as the shore line, but never to exceed 103.27 acres.

No attention was paid to him at first, but as the city grew and extended, and property along that section of the lake front became more and more valuable, his title began to be disputed. Owners of the property on the lake shore, who under the ordinary process of law would own the made land, brought suit in the courts to oust the squatter. The mansion owners included Potter Palmer who considered him a “rude, blasphemous, drunken thief.”streeter

The new land by this time was about two blocks or more in width, extending from the Chicago River and beyond. Streeter laid out lots in his “Deestrict of Lake Michigan,” and actually sold some of them for money from an office in the Tremont House to adventurous spirits willing to gamble on the chance of getting a better title.

The case dragged along in the courts, delayed from time to timeto permit Streeter to petition the government to recognize his ownership of a sovereign state – which of course the government never did.

On various occasions officers of the peace tried to evict the old squatter, but he was courageous and determined, and on more than one occasion opened fire with his rifle on officers who “invaded the Deestrict of Lake Michigan.”

Of course he could have been evicted by force at any time, but the owners of the property were not willing that life should be lost if it were possible to gain possesion without it. The old captain had a strong backing of public sympathy, groundless though hiis claims were in law, as every intelligent person knew. He could have been put out without being killed and probably killing one or more others and public opinion would not have condoned that. So for many, many years he held posssesion of his crazy habitation, and breathed defiance to all.

But the lawful owners of the property grew tired of waitting for the slow process of peace, and built a shanty close to Streeter’s old schooner, where they installed armed guards. Their purpose, apparently, was to seize the property when Streeter was off his guard. Then one night there was a clash, and true to his promises, Streeter opened fire with his old rifle and one of the guards was killed. The state could no longer ignore the situation and on 5 May 1889, the captain was arrested and he did not resist legal process except as they interfered with his possesion of the property and was tried and sent to the penitentiary.

Even this did not terminate the long-drawn struggle. Streeter’s wife, Maria, still lived, and she held on to the old shanty with the same determination he had shown, and declared that she would defend with his rifle the property he had claimed. So long as she was in possesion of the old shanty, public opinion would not permit her to be ousted by force. She had no means, could not earn money for her support, had no friends to help her, and was too proud to ask for help. So one morning in 1910, she was found dead – if not of starvation, certainly of illness aggravated by hunger and neglect.

When Streeter was released from prison in 1900, he went back to the “Deestrict of Lake Michigan,” got himself a houseboat which he anchored near the mouth of the Chicago River, and again claimed all the made land around the site of his schooner. The opening of the Michigan Avenue bridge in 1920 catapulted Streeterville into the most prime real estate in Chicago. The owners of the property bided their time and finally Captain Streeter died om 21 January 1921.

But again there were complications. He had taken a second wife, and she claimed title to the land as his widow, and the case came up iin court at intervals. But it was shown that she had married Streeter while her first husband was alive, though she believed him dead. This swept away her claim to whatever title Streeter might have had to the property, and since that time the owners have had undisputed possesion, Mrs. Streeter disappeared and was not heard of again. The court ruled against a collection of nieces and nephews and in favor of Chicago Title and Trust in April, 1928.

Today the “Deestrict of Lake Michigan” is one of the finest and most valuable sections of the city, built up with costly hotels and sumptuous condominiums representing millions upon millions of dollars. It is interesting to recall that this “made land” is only an extension of “The Sands” from which Mayor “Long John” Wentworth once evicted by force the loose women of the town, and burned their dwellings.

What was perhaps the last echo of Captain Streeter and his regime was heard on 30 August 1928, when Corporation Counsel Samuel Ettelson ruled that the old houseboat abandoned by “Ma Streeter” was a menace to navigation, and should be removed. It already sunk in the sands until only the upper part was visible above the water and today all that remains is the name of the neighborhood to mark the site of “Streeterville.”

A new high rise being was recently developed in the Streeterville area called “The Streeter”.