Lake Michigan beach, south of 76th Street

On a hot summer day a favorite spot for Chicagoans was the beach. On the Southeast Side, there were two main beach areas separated by the huge South Works plant of Illinois Steel seen in the distance in this postcard view. Beyond the mill to the south and east was Calumet Beach which ran from 95th Street to the Indiana border. The section from 79th St. to 83rd St. was known as Cheltenham Beach which was the site of an amusement park until its 70 acres were purchased by Illinois Steel in 1898 for $350,000. This scene shows the beach north and west of the steel mill which ran from 79th Street to 71st Street. The portion of the beach shown in this view was known at that time as Nichols Beach or Windsor Beach. Currently it is known as Rainbow Beach. North of this view was Manhattan Beach.