Caleb O. Halsted's 223nd Birthday Walk Across Chicago

The north-south road running one mile west of and parallel to State Street was once formally known as First Street, then Dyer Street (after a man who helped slaves escape along the underground railroad). Informally, it has been known as “Egyptian Road” (due to its course towards Little Egypt in Southern Illinois), and “Migration Mile” (due to its importance in early immigration). But people with a lot of money usually get their way, and the Halsted brothers (William H. and Caleb O.) were no exception. Though they visited Chicago only once, they helped finance real estate ventures of Chicago’s first mayor.

We’ll observe Caleb Halsted’s 223rd birthday by walking the 20 mile length of his road. Meeting at McDonald’s just outside the under-construction 95th Street CTA station, we’ll take the Pace 352 bus south to just past the city’s southern limit at the Calumet River, around 130th street. Then we’ll walk through West Pullman, Gresham, Englewood, Back of the Yards (including the old stockyard gate), Canaryville, Bridgeport, Pilsen, University Village, West Town, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, and Uptown, taking short breaks along the way.

To reach the starting point take the CTA Red Line to its terminus at 95th and State. McDonald's is just outside of the station to the west.