They kept everything.

Ask

My Grandparents kept everything, and it all ended up in my lap. This collection of stuff ranged from the cool (WWII V-Mail from my Uncle Frank) to the "you've got to be kidding me" (receipts from a trip taken in the 50s). I've weeded out a lot of the nonsense and kept the more interesting (at least what was interesting to me). In turn I decided to create this site to not only post some items, but also as a research exercise. Most items are from Chicago and Detroit, but of course family trips expanded their reach of hoarding. I hope you enjoy this very random collection. Frank Kownacki

theme by Robin Wragg

 
The Rainbo Arena was located on N. Clark Street in Chicago where the Rainbo Village condos currently are, right across from St. Boniface Cemetery, which just so happens to be the final resting place for many of my ancestors. This would include my Grandpa George, who kept this old ticket stub. I couldn’t find any information about this particular event, but what I did find is an interesting history about the Rainbo. It was founded by a WWI veteran of the famous Rainbow Division, hence the name. Originally it was a music venue called the Moulin Rouge Gardens, and was supposedly modeled after the famous French Club. That name didn’t last long and it became the Rainbo Room. Many famous vaudeville acts performed there and supposedly it was the largest nightclub in America during the 1920s. While being dry because of prohibition, ho ho, it was a hangout for various gangsters including John Dillinger. After the 1920s the club appears to have changed hands a few times. During the 1933 Century of Progress World’s Fair it was the French Casino. After that it became a theatre café, and then an arena. In the 1950s it was converted to an ice rink and was even a practice spot for the Blackhawks. In the ‘60s & ‘70s it became a roller rink and also a music hall called the Kinetic Playground. Bands like the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin even played there. At some point it became the Rainbo Roller Center, which was the name it had when it finally closed for good in 2003. But the story doesn’t end there… Soon after it closed demolition began, and soon after that human bones were found buried in the basement. At first it appeared to be just one individual, but then it became more. I couldn’t find a number of how many people they found, but one report had the police removing over 20 bags of human remains. Weirdly, I can’t find any information after that! So yet another mystery. 

The Rainbo Arena was located on N. Clark Street in Chicago where the Rainbo Village condos currently are, right across from St. Boniface Cemetery, which just so happens to be the final resting place for many of my ancestors. This would include my Grandpa George, who kept this old ticket stub. I couldn’t find any information about this particular event, but what I did find is an interesting history about the Rainbo.

It was founded by a WWI veteran of the famous Rainbow Division, hence the name. Originally it was a music venue called the Moulin Rouge Gardens, and was supposedly modeled after the famous French Club. That name didn’t last long and it became the Rainbo Room. Many famous vaudeville acts performed there and supposedly it was the largest nightclub in America during the 1920s. While being dry because of prohibition, ho ho, it was a hangout for various gangsters including John Dillinger.

After the 1920s the club appears to have changed hands a few times. During the 1933 Century of Progress World’s Fair it was the French Casino. After that it became a theatre café, and then an arena. In the 1950s it was converted to an ice rink and was even a practice spot for the Blackhawks. In the ‘60s & ‘70s it became a roller rink and also a music hall called the Kinetic Playground. Bands like the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin even played there. At some point it became the Rainbo Roller Center, which was the name it had when it finally closed for good in 2003.

But the story doesn’t end there… Soon after it closed demolition began, and soon after that human bones were found buried in the basement. At first it appeared to be just one individual, but then it became more. I couldn’t find a number of how many people they found, but one report had the police removing over 20 bags of human remains. Weirdly, I can’t find any information after that! So yet another mystery. 

  archive