Wilson Avenue In 1955

Wilson between Hazel and Clarendon in 1955

The same stretch in 2011, courtesy of Google Streetview

Another view, courtesy of Google Streetview

Wilson Avenue between Hazel and Clarendon is hardly residential these days.  There's Lakeview Towers and the Covington Apartments at the corner of Clarendon and Wilson.  Go west, and you'll find vacant lots, parking lots, a big-box pharmacy, Uplift School, and the Chicago Health Department building before you get to Hazel Avenue.

There's just one exception:  a small residential building on the north side of the street, next to the alley.

Take the Wayback Machine to 1955, and you can see that Wilson used to be chock full of brick apartment buildings.  Best of all, there was a neighborhood bar in the commercial space of the lone residential building. No name or marquee, just an ad for Peter Hand Reserve Beer (Peter Hand was the bottler of Meister Brau, once a big name in Chicago brewing.  The brewery was located at Sheffield and North, where the Container Store and Whole Foods are now), and a small "For Rent" sign.

Neighborhoods change.  This building somehow survived.  Our favorite part of the photo comparison? The same fire hydrant is still there in the parkway.