Fort Dearborn Building

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Fort Dearborn Building, Nixon, Standard Trust & Savings Bank
Life Span: 1895-1957
Location: SW corner of Clark and Monroe
Architect: Jenney & Mundie

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1904
Fort Dearborn Bldg.—134 Monroe sw. cor. Clark.

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1911
Fort Dearborn Bldg.—105 W. Monroe sw. cor. Clark.

Chicago Tribune, January 1, 1895

The Fort Dearborn Building at the southwest corner Clark and Monroe is rapidly approaching completion. The frontage is seventy-nine feet on Clark street and ninety feet on Monroe, and the height twelve stories above the sidewalk. The first story will be devoted to stores, and the second floor will be divided between two banks, the Fort Dearborn National and the Bank of Nova Scotia having already secured the space. The bank story in finished in mahogany, the others in oak, and all modern conveniences have been utilized.

Chicago Tribune, January 22, 1895

NINE MEN HURT FROM FALLING BOARDS.
Section of Scaffolding Falls from the Fort Dearborn Building
A serious accident was that at the Fort Dearborn Building, Monroe and Clark streets, by which nine persons were injured, some of them seriously. Sectiors of the wooden casing around the upper stories were blown away at 9:30 and the men hurt were on the street. The injured are:
Bay. George, 19 years= old, employed at No. 102 Clark street: left leg and arm bruised, scalp wounds, and minor injuries.
Burke, John D., ticket broker, No. 185 Clark street; right arm broken and scalp wounds. Removed to St. Luke’s Hospital.
Donaldson, A. J., Lakeside Building; left shoulder injured.
Erwin, H. H., agent Bundy’s automatic time recorder; injured internally and scalp wound. Taken to County Hospital.
Letcher, H.S., Kinsley’s café; injured about head and shoulder.
Lucius, William, painter. Grand Hotel; scalp wounds.
Martin, H. B., bruised on shoulder.
Woodward, Frank, teamster; bruised about the shoulders.
Unknown, young man, who forced his way through police lines: cut on head.

About the upper four stories of the Fort Dearborn Building extends an inclosed scaffolding intended to protect the workmen. Early yesterday morning the wind broke into the false work and soon heavy boards were blown into the street. They fell with dangerous force from the height of twelve to fourteen stories. When the boards began blowing from the buildings about 8 o’clock a crowd gathered in the street below. No one thought of serious danger and the spectators cheered loudly as the boards swayed loosely at their high elevation and sailed through the air to the street. Warnings were called to passers-by and most of them escaped by lively dodging. One or two were struck and slightly injured, but left without giving their names. Not until a section twenty-five feet square suddenly broke loose from the south end of the Clark street facing was the extent of the danger realized. It became loosened and swayed back and forth a moment. The fastenings broke and the large planks tilted diagonally and sailed across the street. It lurched here and there, and pedestrians were unable to find a place of certain safety. The boards finally struck the east side of Clark street across from the building and several feet farther down the street. John D. Burke was taiking with H. B. Martin. They were about to part when the scaffolding struck between them, burying Burke and leaving his associate slightly injured. H. H. Erwin was standing near Burke and Martin. He was buried beneath the boards, and it was first thought he had been killed.

Occupants of Charles F. Maurer’s cigar store, No. 185 Clark street, were panic-stricken. The planks fell directly in front of the entrance. George Bay, employed at No. 192 Clark street, was about to enter the store and was struck by a loose board. Ambulances were called from the police stations to remove the wounded and additional officers were sent to the corner to blockade the street. Passage in front of the building was afterward prevented by the police.

At 10:30 o’clock a well-dressed young man attempted to pass a police officer at the Monroe street picket line. He was stopped. “But I work up there,” he exclaimed, “and I must get to my office,” indicating one of the buildings across the street. “Can’t help it; orders are to allow no one to pass,” was the uncompromising reply. A moment later the youth. who had retired, darted between two policemen and ran towards his office. “Hi, there; come back!”‘ shouted two or three officers in chorus, but the young man sped on. Just then a board swung loose near the corner of the building, shot out towards Clark street, then turned, caught a tack in another current of air, and swooped down on the trespasser. He saw it coming and dropped to the ground. The blow struck him hard enough to render him unconscious. He was not dangerously injured.

W. T. McLaughlin, superintendent of construction for the Fort Dearborn Building, notified Lieutenant of Police Backus that the entire scaffolding, 75×100 feet, was in danger of falling and asked that the streets for a block on all sides be blockaded. Fifty men were sent to the upper stories of the building with orders to use ropes and nails to secure the scaffolding.

Chicago Tribune, February 9, 1957

FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK TO MOVE ON JUNE 1
The Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago will move June 1 from 105 W. Monroe st. to newly leased quarters in the Monroe building, 104 S. Michigan av., John E. Stipp, president, announced yester-day. The bank is the reserve credit institution for 557 savings and loan associations in Illinois and Wisconsin.

It was announced recently that all leases in the 105 W. Monroe building will be canceled as of April 30 and the premises vacated by July 1. The building is owned by a subsidiary of Harris Trust and Savings bank, whose main building adjoins to the west. Harris Trust is preparing plans for use of the vacated property.

Fort Dearborn Building

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