Oldest Chicago

Please join the Northwest Chicago Historical Society and hear author and Jefferson Park native, David Witter present Oldest Chicago. Mr. Witter will highlight dozens of the oldest local treasures in Chicago and its suburban and exurban areas. Remarkable for having survived demolition and extinction for decades, these beloved landmarks have also helped define our city's landscape, offering continuity and civic identity across generations. Oldest business: Peacock Jewelers (1838); oldest apothecary: Merz Apothecary (1875); oldest tavern: Schaller's Pump (1889); oldest theater: the Biograph Theater (1914), oldest private school: Saint Patrick High School (1861), and oldest drive-in restaurant: Superdawg (1948).