#TBT Michigan Avenue in Roseland

Long time no see. Allow me to wish you all a Happy New Year. Hopefully the past holiday season was a wonderful and joyous one.

I found the three pics below in the Roseland History Group on Facebook and just though this was a great look back at Michigan Avenue in the past. And my hope is that one day it could go back to its former glory. Especially once that Red Line extension is finally built

The first two pics shows the area surrounding the long demolished State Theater which is about one block north of 111th Street. It appears these two photographs below are shown on the Cinema Treasures site credited to Dr. Gene Ossello and was taken in 1967.

This next shot shows what movies where playing here at the time. According to Cinema Treasures the State had a capacity of about 2,030 people. At this point this place was showing Casino Royale which starred Peter Sellers - this movie was more of a comedy. You might know Sellers if you've been a longtime fan in his role as Inspector Closeau in the Pink Panther movies.

As you see in both the above pics there is a Rexall pharmacy across the street and on both sides of Michigan there are furniture stores. One is going out of business at this point.

After being home to a church for many years this building was demolished in 1997 and is now used as a parking lot for the Post Office located near 111th & State on the same block.

This last pic caught my eye because of the traffic heading south on Michigan Ave and two transit buses seen here. One is a New Look "fishbowl" GMC bus and I had to focus in on what the destination sign on it and could easily make out South Chicago. So this bus is headed to the south suburbs.

I'd be curious where this bus originated from. Most Pace buses that are headed south originate from 95th Red Line stop, however, if this is a mid to late 1960s photo that station isn't open yet. Also Pace as we know it didn't exist yet, so this is likely a South Suburban Safeway Lines bus on it's way south. Right below the Fishbowl Bus is an old look bus though I can't fully make out the company that manufactured that bus.

Also I don't know who to credit the below photo to and nor do I exactly know the date. However this is a bone thrown for those transit geeks.

You see how vibrant the main thoroughfare of Roseland used to be. Full of functioning businesses and the old Gately's store was still open at the time. What a different time and place to today.

Hopefully you enjoyed this look back!