35 Vibrant Color Photos Of Chicagoans In The 1940s
Oct. 31, 1940: Jackson Park lagoon, south of the wooded island
![Oct. 31, 1940: Jackson Park lagoon, south of the wooded island]()
Feb. 19, 1941: Art Institute
![Feb. 19, 1941: Art Institute]()
Feb. 23, 1941: Sunday morning along frozen lakefront at the end of 67th St.
![Feb. 23, 1941: Sunday morning along frozen lakefront at the end of 67th St.]()
March 2, 1941: "South Chicago moppet"
![March 2, 1941: "South Chicago moppet"]()
Apr. 12, 1941: Ice floe retreats on Lake Michigan, on the first hot day of spring. Views of green grass, blue lake & sky, and white ice, from a point off 55th St.
![Apr. 12, 1941: Ice floe retreats on Lake Michigan, on the first hot day of spring. Views of green grass, blue lake & sky, and white ice, from a point off 55th St.]()
May 29, 1941: Flower- suited sun bathers at 55th St. Promontory
![May 29, 1941: Flower- suited sun bathers at 55th St. Promontory]()
Jun. 22, 1941: Sunday on Jackson Park Beach 67th St.
![Jun. 22, 1941: Sunday on Jackson Park Beach 67th St.]()
July 1, 1941: Anni Sokol of Dusseldorf, Germany tans her legs at Promontory
![July 1, 1941: Anni Sokol of Dusseldorf, Germany tans her legs at Promontory]()
July 1941: "Little Butch + big beach ball"
![July 1941: "Little Butch + big beach ball"]()
July 20, 1941: Promontory Visitors: Judy Sargent and a blonde friend stroll along lake shore
![July 20, 1941: Promontory Visitors: Judy Sargent and a blonde friend stroll along lake shore]()
August 2, 1941: The Flying Concellos hang out their wash in the back of the Big Top.
![August 2, 1941: The Flying Concellos hang out their wash in the back of the Big Top.]()
August 22, 1941: German girl puts on shoes as the lake whips up a sudden storm.
![August 22, 1941: German girl puts on shoes as the lake whips up a sudden storm.]()
August/September, 1941: Blonde girl with Dalmatian at the 55th St. Promontory
![August/September, 1941: Blonde girl with Dalmatian at the 55th St. Promontory]()
September 11, 1945: An Old Cadillac is readied for a race at Rosenwald Industrial Museum (now known as the Museum of Science and Industry)
![September 11, 1945: An Old Cadillac is readied for a race at Rosenwald Industrial Museum (now known as the Museum of Science and Industry)]()
May 3, 1942: Polish Independence Day on Augusta Blvd.
![May 3, 1942: Polish Independence Day on Augusta Blvd.]()
June 1942: Marion Jacob, girl in brown & white sweater and white shorts, who rode her bicycle to the 55th Street Promontory.
![June 1942: Marion Jacob, girl in brown & white sweater and white shorts, who rode her bicycle to the 55th Street Promontory.]()
July 4, 1942: Jean, Mary & Hank in Circle Garden in the Chicago Botanic Garden
![July 4, 1942: Jean, Mary & Hank in Circle Garden in the Chicago Botanic Garden]()
November 8, 1942: Passing Almon T. Ellis House, built in 1877, on a Sunday Stroll
![November 8, 1942: Passing Almon T. Ellis House, built in 1877, on a Sunday Stroll]()
May 1944: Toddler with a toy monkey name Dexter in Jackson Park
![May 1944: Toddler with a toy monkey name Dexter in Jackson Park]()
Sep. 17, 1944: Girl in Jackson Park Golf Course, leaning back against tree
![Sep. 17, 1944: Girl in Jackson Park Golf Course, leaning back against tree]()
Oct. 1944: Student army doctor photographs red-headed fiancee on Wooded Island.
![Oct. 1944: Student army doctor photographs red-headed fiancee on Wooded Island.]()
Jun. 24, 1945: Two sailboats off La Rabida Point in Jackson Park
![Jun. 24, 1945: Two sailboats off La Rabida Point in Jackson Park]()
Jul. 22, 1945: Radio technician
![Jul. 22, 1945: Radio technician]()
Jul 29, 1945: Father and son, at Buckingham Fountain
![Jul 29, 1945: Father and son, at Buckingham Fountain]()
Aug. 9, 1945: Chick Evans, the famous golfer, in quest of another Chicago city championship at Jackson Park
![Aug. 9, 1945: Chick Evans, the famous golfer, in quest of another Chicago city championship at Jackson Park]()
Nov. 15, 1946: Mary and her mother feed the Jackson Park ducks
![Nov. 15, 1946: Mary and her mother feed the Jackson Park ducks]()
Jul. 26, 1948: Lilliputian train of Union Pacific at the Chicago Railroad Fair
![Jul. 26, 1948: Lilliputian train of Union Pacific at the Chicago Railroad Fair]()
Sep. 17, 1948: Throwback to the Gay Nineties at the Chicago Railroad Fair
![Sep. 17, 1948: Throwback to the Gay Nineties at the Chicago Railroad Fair]()
Jan. 14, 1949: Enolia Brown and brother Leonard Jr. at window, of first floor of 250 W. 23rd St.
![Jan. 14, 1949: Enolia Brown and brother Leonard Jr. at window, of first floor of 250 W. 23rd St.]()
Feb. 17, 1949: White horse and red wagon at West 14th St near Sangamon
![Feb. 17, 1949: White horse and red wagon at West 14th St near Sangamon]()
Feb. 18, 1949: Proud lad poses for his portrait at 1355 So. Morgan
![Feb. 18, 1949: Proud lad poses for his portrait at 1355 So. Morgan]()
March 4, 1949: 58 West 37 St.
![March 4, 1949: 58 West 37 St.]()
March 13, 1949: Maxwell Street, on Sunday morning
![March 13, 1949: Maxwell Street, on Sunday morning]()
March 12, 1949: East 35 St.
![March 12, 1949: East 35 St.]()
March 28, 1949: Confectionary cart at Lexington & Dekalb
![March 28, 1949: Confectionary cart at Lexington & Dekalb]()
Photographer Charles Cushman jumped on the color photography bandwagon in 1938, creating a rare, fantastic trove of images. The amateur photographer took his camera with him on his journeys around the globe, but fortunately there are quite a few in Chicago, where he made his home for decades.
Cushman was born in Poseyville, Indiana in 1896, and he attended Indiana University, which now hosts his archive of 14,500 Kodachrome slides. He later moved to Chicago, where he enlisted in the Navy, worked for the railroad and other private companies, including Montgomery Ward and LaSalle Extension University in Chicago.
Cushman died in 1972, and his photos nearly ended up in the trash heap until a photo researcher saved them, NPR says.
The university's biography of him says little is known of him: "It is known that Charles enjoyed attending the opera and the theater, and presenting shows of his slide collection. After moving to San Francisco sometime in the 1950s he would enjoy having a five o'clock drink while overlooking the ocean."
We picked out a few shots from his archives of Chicago in the 1940s, and arranged them in chronological order. Based on the archives, we'd guess that two of his favorite spots in the city were the lagoon at Jackson Park and Promontory Point.
