The City is Reopening a 125 Year-Old, Restored Civil War Memorial, the G.A.R. Rotunda

By CGN Staff

Later this month Mayor Lightfoot and the city's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) will mark the public reopening of the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) Memorial Hall and Rotunda at the Chicago Cultural Center following a year-long, and overdue, restoration. 

"Revitalizing the historic Chicago Cultural Center is vital to our tourism and recovery efforts, as well as our ability to bring our creative community back together," said Mayor Lightfoot.

The G.A.R. rooms in the Cultural Center, completed in 1897, were designed by the Boston firm of Shepley Rutan and Coolidge as a site to honor the social, political, and moral well-being of Civil War veterans and their families. Their historic restoration shines a fresh light on the rooms’ purpose. 

The G.AR. dome–which measures 40-feet in diameter and is made up of 62,000 pieces of art glass–is even larger than the Cultural Center's other well-known dome in Preston Bradley Hall (restored in 2008.) In the 1940s, the dome was placed under a cement and copper cover (and lit with electric lights) to end damaging water intrusion. Now the stained glass is fully restored, lit with natural light and protected by a new state-of-the-art clear cover. The dome’s leaded glass underwent a monumental cleaning, repair and re-assembling process at Daprato Rigali Studios, located on the far Northwest Side of Chicago, revealing its overwhelming beauty. The restoration team discovered that the original Tiffany-designed finishes of the cast-iron dome frame were completely intact beneath layers of grime. In this room, you will also see the original paint colors revealed chip by chip, repaired plaster detailing, re-created moldings, and renovated embossed plaster carvings on the ceiling.

In gold around the room is a chronological listing of major Civil War battles. The green marble is from Vermont. The newly restored cherry wood cases along the walls previously displayed Civil War artifacts, which are now preserved at the Chicago Public Library’s Harold Washington Library Center. During the restoration, the ceiling, upper walls, and crown molding all were treated to intricate paint removal, damage repair and painstaking touch-up work. The carpets, newly created by computer to duplicate the patterns and colors of the irreparably damaged original mosaic and terrazzo floors, will now help control sound; not a functional concern in 1897. Cutting-edge technologies were used to recreate missing 1897 elements. To recreate the long-missing chandeliers, old photographs and architectural drawings were brought to life through computer imaging, and models of individual pieces were generated by 3D printing. They were then recast in the original bronze and feature replica hand-blown glass shades. The enormous windows have been restored to their original clear glass, allowing light flow into the room (with UV protection) and a stunning view into G.A.R. Hall from the street.

The meticulous restoration of the art glass dome and decorative finishes in the G.A.R. rooms, a Civil War memorial, was made possible by a generous grant of services valued at $15,425,000 to the City of Chicago. This private support provided access to a highly specialized team that exposed the original 1890s surfaces of the rooms; conserved the glass dome, and recreated long-lost custom-designed lighting fixtures.

“This was no ordinary preservation project. It’s been an undertaking beyond belief, assembling the top talents in historic restoration to revive one of the great lost treasures of decorative arts,” said Tim Samuelson, Cultural Historian Emeritus for the City of Chicago. “With its sparkling mosaics and art glass dome, the Chicago Cultural Center’s better-known Preston Bradley Hall has been a must-see attraction for decades, but it’s about to get some stiff competition from the G.A.R. rooms.”

Following the restoration, the G.A.R. rooms will reflect their historic appearance as well as more ably facilitate a wider range of free and diverse cultural programming. This includes upgraded lighting, electrical and Wi-Fi — and opportunities for artists and organizations to activate the space through performances and exhibitions.

“I am thrilled to see the magnificent restoration of the G.A.R. rooms come to fruition. The work will not only improve the building and physical structures; it will enhance the public programming at the Chicago Cultural Center,” said DCASE Commissioner Erin Harkey. “Our Reopening Weekend will offer a behind-the-scenes look at the restoration process, a conversation with art historians on what sacrifice and freedom continue to mean to us today — and dance performances (celebrating the 2022 #YearofChicagoDance) intentionally centering Black artists and perspectives in the historical context of slavery and the American Civil War.”

The Chicago Cultural Center restoration, which began in February 2021 following an intensive yearlong study, was executed by Harboe Architects and a team of highly specialized preservation experts and artisans, in partnership with the Department of Assets, Information and Services (AIS) and in consultation with conservators and Tim Samuelson, Cultural Historian Emeritus for the City of Chicago. The Landmarks Commission reviewed and unanimously approved the project.

For more information, visit ChicagoCulturalCenter.org

Reopening Weekend Schedule of Events (subject to change):

The reopening will also usher in a celebration of the 125th anniversary of the Chicago Cultural Center, which opened in 1897. Free public programming will take place during a special Reopening Weekend, March 26–27, featuring tours, talks, dance performances and more in addition to continuing exhibitions, Welcome Center and Learning Lab events and shopping at BUDDY. 

Saturday, March 26:

• 11am, “MYTH BUSTIN’ — The REAL Story Behind the G.A.R. Rooms” with Cultural Historian Emeritus Tim Samuelson (G.A.R. Foyer)
• 12pm and 12:30pm, Guided Tours (G.A.R. Foyer)
• 1pm, Behind-the-Scenes Tour with Harboe Architects (G.A.R. Hall)
• 2pm, “What Sacrifice & Freedom Mean Today” with professor Christopher Reed, professor Eileen McMahon and artist Leah Gipson; moderated by Chicago Sun-Times columnist Laura Washington (G.A.R. Hall)
• 3pm, Performance by Red Clay Dance (G.A.R. Hall and beyond)
• Plus, View the G.A.R. documentary by Chanel 25 (G.A.R. Foyer), visit our hands-on art cart and exhibit displays (G.A.R. Hall) or take a self-guided tour. (Building is open 10am – 5pm.)

Sunday, March 27:

• 11am, “MYTH BUSTIN’ — The REAL Story Behind the G.A.R. Rooms” with Cultural Historian Emeritus Tim Samuelson (G.A.R. Foyer)
• 12pm and 12:30pm, Guided Tours (G.A.R. Foyer)
• 1pm, Behind-the-Scenes Tour with Harboe Architects (G.A.R. Hall)
• Plus, View the G.A.R. documentary by Chanel 25 (G.A.R. Foyer), visit our hands-on art cart and exhibit displays (G.A.R. Hall) or take a self-guided tour. (Building is open 10am – 5pm.)

In addition to in-person programming, a new TV documentary (“Restoration”) airing in May chronicles the work of Harboe Architects and a team of fine artists and preservation experts as they restore the historic Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Hall and Rotunda in the Chicago Cultural Center to their original 1897 grandeur and beauty. “Restoration” will air in May on Comcast, RCN, and WOW on Cable25. Check the Chicago Cultural Center website for dates and times.