Panoramic view of the area - - Taken from high atop the old bell tower of the original Lafayette Elementary School. Founded at this very corner of Sibley Street and Calumet Avenue in 1890, it was one of the first public school buildings in the city. A new structure built further east at 856 Sibley Street in 1956, replaced the original building.

Upon further examination of the picture, we can see State Street, near the center of the photo. This intersection was the home of a White Castle Hamburger stand, located at the northwestern corner. Traveling eastward down State Street would take you downtown. Proceeding further northward down Calumet Avenue, we cross the NYC-IHB railroad tracks Now drivers cross via an overpass, the bridge over the Grand Calumet River is located at the horizon.

The passage of time here has made many changes - - - With the construction of the Calumet Avenue bridge over the grade crossing, most of the buildings seen here in the forground were razed, to make room for the elevated highway and reconfigured traffic pattern. Even the White Castle restaurant relocated a mile or two north on the same street, since it loss its main entrance off Calumet Avenue.

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The above photo is compliments of Mr. George Kovacich.
Twentieth Century Time Capsule © 1999 HammondIndiana.com

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