In preparation for a forthcoming (and very brief!) visit to Bradbury's hometown of Waukegan, I have prepared a Google map. I thought it might be of interest to others, so I'm posting a link to it below.

Each placemark on the map has a brief explanation. In Google maps, you can switch on the "satellite" view, which will give you an aerial photograph. And if you zoom RIGHT IN, you will be given a "streetview", so you can see the faces of buildings etc.

Please be aware that I haven't yet been to Waukegan, so what I have written is based on what I have read elsewhere. If I have made any foolish mistakes, please alert me. Once I have actually been (in a few weeks' time), I will attach some photos to the map.

To transport yourself to Bradbury's Waukegan, click here!

PHIL~ You may want to meet for coffee or something with Wayne, the fellow who heads the rebuilding/restoring of the old Carnegie LIbrary in Waukegan, Bradbury's boyhood library haunt. Good guy! I can give you his contact info. Write me if interested: catchaway@comcast.net

Brilliant! Wonderful job. I can see you spent a lot of time working on this, and it's terribly accurate as far as I can see.

quote:

Originally posted by Nard Kordell:
PHIL~ You may want to meet for coffee or something with Wayne...

Nard, I've already been in touch, and he has been very helpful. I've asked if he can get me inside the Carnegie library (trying to get one up on Spaulding, who only took a photo through the window )

quote:

Originally posted by Doug Spaulding:
Brilliant! Wonderful job. I can see you spent a lot of time working on this, and it's terribly accurate as far as I can see.

That's a relief! Thankyou kindly.

quote:

Originally posted by philnic:
I've asked if he can get me inside the Carnegie library (trying to get one up on Spaulding, who only took a photo through the window )

But twelve-year old boys would much rather hang precariously from the edge of a prohibited building, peering inside, rather than go thru proper channels!

Good point.

Or you may have been scared that Mr Dark was still inside. (No, wait a minute, that would make no sense: you're from Dandelion Wine, Mr Dark is from SWTWC!)

quote:

Originally posted by Doug Spaulding:

But twelve-year old boys would much rather hang precariously from the edge of a prohibited building, peering inside, rather than go thru proper channels!

Then once they were in, they might wish they were outside watching in the rain.

quote:

Originally posted by dandelion:
Then once they were in, they might wish they were outside watching in the rain.

And sometimes, they like to watch certain rather "exotic events" thru a window whilst sitting in a tree.

Very good information on that map, Phil! Now, I may or may not have one thing to add... I believe "Lilac Ledge" is the name of that the very ugly, tall apartment block on Washington Street (right next to the ravine, directly between N Park Ave and N West Street). I had heard that this was the location of the mansion that was the inspiration for "Jack in the Box"---obviously the house was torn down long ago and replaced with that awful building. Can anyone verify this information?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: theoctobercountry,

Oh, I didn't realise that if you double-clicked on these streets you'll zoom right down into a street-level view---how extremely cool! So for the past few minutes I've just been "walking" all around Waukegan, seeing the locations at eye-level. Wow, Lilac Ledge is every bit as ugly as I remember it being... And they were doing work on the drains right by Bradbury's grandparents' house on the day the photos were taken.

Have you actually visited or just seen pictures?

quote:

Originally posted by dandelion:
Have you actually visited or just seen pictures?

My brother and I were there, but it's been 22 years ago, now. (Sheesh, where has the time gone?!) We did the whole little walking tour, checking out all the places where events in various books and stories could have taken place.

It was a very cool experience, but also a bit depressing as well. The entire area has a sort of tired, seedy feel to it, and I suppose in my mind I was hoping for a bit of leftover 1920's ambiance that would reflect the feel of Bradbury's stories. And that ambiance is long gone... Two things that didn't disappoint, however---the old library, and the ravine. I loved being down in the ravine (though the people at the historical society warned that it could be dangerous)---was just like I imagined it would be.

I have a bunch of photographs from that trip here somewhere---if I can ever find them, I'll scan them and post them here on the board.

Kewl, I have a bunch from my trip from shortly before yours, and my impressions pretty much tally with yours. Speaking of Tally, the other pleasant surprise for me was the lake--much better than I'd pictured!

Well, I'm back home in the UK having visited Waukegan for the first time. I have photos, which I will post in the next few days.

The people I met were most hospitable, and made me feel very much at home. I had a tour of the Genesee Theatre, saw the Ray Bradbury Room in the public library, saw the Bradbury family homes, went down the ravine (and back up again!), saw various Spaulding and Bradbury graves in Union Cemetery, and was given access to some fascinating files in the Historical Society Library. I have a photo of the real "Lonely One", and newspaper clippings reporting his crimes and capture. And I had an exclusive interior tour of the Carnegie Library.

I only had one day in town, and missed a couple of items off my list. Never did get to the Green Town Tavern, never did get to visit the road named after the Spauldings. Never did get to the beach on the lake. Maybe next time...