It’s History

A quarter mile east of Navy Pier, the Chicago Harbor Lighthouse has been guiding ships into one of the busiest ports on the Great Lakes since 1893. It features a gold-medal Le Paute lens from Paris and has housed keepers living in near-total isolation. Since its automation in 1979, the lighthouse has been abandoned, quietly rusting with no agreement on who should restore it. The Le Paute lens, one of the finest optical instruments ever installed in an American lighthouse, took a century to reach its destination, and the tower it left behind may not last much longer.

#ItsHistory #Chicago #Lighthouse
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In the wake of the California Gold Rush in 1848, San Francisco faced an influx of vessels, many of which were abandoned by their crews. With no one to sail them home, these ships were left to deteriorate in Yerba Buena Cove. To manage the rapid growth, San Francisco made the drastic decision to sink these ships and build over them, creating a unique urban landscape. Today, it's estimated that between 50 and 200 ships, including the illustrious Niantic—once the finest hotel in San Francisco—remain buried beneath the city streets.

#SanFrancisco #GoldRush #ItsHistory
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Dating back over 150 years, the "L" train lines have captivated Chicago, serving numerous lines throughout the 20th century. This video explores the history of Chicago's public transportation systems, including:

- The Omnibus, intercity stagecoach, steam train, and cable cars.
- The transport system during the Great Chicago Fire.
- The introduction of electric streetcars to Chicago.
- The evolution of elevated train systems, including the Southside rapid transit line, the Lake Street elevated railway, and the MET West L.
- The history and consolidation of the Chicago Loop and CTA.
- The decline and lost lines of the Chicago "L."

#ChicagoL #PublicTransport #UrbanHistory
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For 57 years, the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico was the most powerful radio telescope ever built. It was instrumental in discovering the first planets outside our solar system, providing indirect proof of gravitational waves, and serving as Earth's primary radar defense against asteroid impacts. The facility also became a cultural icon, appearing in films such as James Bond and Carl Sagan's Contact. On December 1, 2020, it collapsed into a jungle ravine in under 15 seconds—a demise resulting from decades of underfunding, deferred maintenance, and a series of structural failures. This video narrates the story of the United States' greatest scientific instrument, its neglect, and ultimate loss before a replacement was ever planned.

#Arecibo #RadioTelescope #ItsHistory
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Just outside Chicago, a mile-long stretch of historic Route 66 is barricaded and crumbling above two massive quarry pits. Once called Joliet Road, this corridor carried twenty thousand drivers a day through the southwestern suburbs, lined with diners, gas stations, and family businesses. Today, it is off-limits to the public.

The story of this segment of America's iconic highway involves industrial ambition and legal battles. Decades of aggressive limestone quarrying by Vulcan Materials eroded the bedrock beneath the road, causing it to become suspended on a crumbling ridge. By 1998, the pavement was buckling and shifting, leading to its permanent closure by the Illinois Department of Transportation. A subsequent $40 million legal settlement led Illinois to opt not to rebuild, resulting in lost businesses and disrupted communities.

#Route66 #ChicagoHistory #ItsHistory
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