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A Cornerstone Ceremony Like No Other
In December 1922, something unusual happened at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Wacker Drive. Over 1,000 people gathered, not for a concert or parade, but to watch a cornerstone being laid.
In attendance? Descendents of Chicago's first settlers, members of the Chicago Historical Society, and an honor guard of 55 soldiers from Fort Sheridan.
The cornerstone itself was laid by William Robert Wood, great-grandson of Captain John Whistler, the first commander of Fort Dearborn. The building rising from that ground? The London Guarantee and Accident Building. The ground beneath it? The original site of Fort Dearborn, the first structure ever built in Chicago.
Inside the copper box sealed in that cornerstone, workers placed an oak timber from the second Fort Dearborn (1816-1871) and a blueprint of the original fort's plans.
It Starts Here (Literally)
Meeting planners who book LondonHouse Chicago often know the tagline. Fewer know how true it actually is.
The site at 85 E. Wacker Drive is the original location of Fort Dearborn, the first permanent structure built in Chicago in 1803. The fort was destroyed in 1812, rebuilt in 1816, and finally demolished in 1857. The first star on the Chicago flag commemorates Fort Dearborn. No other address in the city can make that claim.
Today, LondonHouse Chicago puts you at the start of the Mag Mile heading north, the Cultural Mile heading south, and ground zero of Chicago's founding story. Several of the hotel's meeting rooms carry names that reflect this directly: Whistler, Juliette, Dearborn and Ronan are among the spaces groups meet today.
Celebrating 10 Years
LondonHouse Chicago opened in May 2016. The hotel brought 452 guest rooms, 25,000 square feet of meeting and event space, and a rooftop that quickly became one of the city's most popular.
If you're planning a meeting, event, or wedding in Chicago and want to learn more about what LondonHouse Chicago can offer, contact sales@londonhouse.com.