W Is for Waukegan
He bought a second-hand Nova from a Cuban Chinese
And dyed his hair in the bathroom of a Texaco
With a pawnshop radio, quarter past four
He left for Waukegan at the slamming of the door
Left for Waukegan at the slamming of the door
"Gun Street Girl"/Tom Waits
Thanks to C.P. McDill for reminding me.
Today Mike, Nate, and I went up to Waukegan to see the sights. Specifically, the Ray Bradbury sights, since the famed science fiction author was born and bred there. If you think you've never read any Bradbury or encountered his work-which I somehow doubt-you're probably wrong. Not just a scifi writer, Bradbury crossed over into fantasy, horror, mystery, and more and has turned up in TV and film for the past 50 or years. There's a good chance you read Fahrenheit 451 in high school, yes? Bradbury. Saw Something Wicked This Way Comes? Bradbury again. The Twilight Zone episode with the android grandmother? Various EC Comics stories? Yep. The man is a giant. I was weaned on The Martian Chronicles, The Illustrated Man, and I Sing the Body Electric, and while I won't say he's my absolute favorite writer, I like him greatly, and he's been a huge influence. Bradbury wasn't afraid to be lyrical in a genre that shunned poetry.
Bradbury used his remembrances of his home turf to create the imaginary Green Town, IL. Green Town appears in two famous Bradbury novels: the aforementioned Something Wicked This Way Comes (which I've read) and Dandelion Wine (which I have yet to read, but I'm correcting that omission now). In Bradbury's descriptions it's a typical semi-rural village of the 20s filled with sun-dappled fields, charming old houses, pies cooling on windowsills, and so on (which happened to be visited by serial killers and evil carney sprits on occasion). Waukegan may well have been sun-dappled, etc. when Mr. Bradbury was growing up there, but today's reality is a bit grimmer. I can't help but think that the Autumn People may have succeeded after all, sucking the marrow and soul out of Green Town and leaving semi-industrial, depressed Waukegan in their wake. Add to that the fact that it's the location of not one but three superfund clean-up sites (asbestos and PCBs). Eek. It's not a happy place, though it has its charms, and it's obvious that some people are trying to revive the poor thing.
Which leads to one of my favorite small town* practices: ferreting out claims to fame, however tenuous ("George Washington Slept Here") or peculiar (World's Largest Muskie), and then exploiting them. Waukegan, however, doesn't have to fake it too much OR bring in the fiberglass. They have two favorite sons who get the star treatment, Mr. Bradbury (born in Waukegan), and comedian Jack Benny (moved to and lived there as a young 'un). It's interesting to see how the good people of Waukegan have parlayed the two men's lives and reputations into potential tourist dollars.**
Jack Benny, for instance, has a statue in town square (see below; one can only hope they erect a Frank Nelson statue nearby), prissily touching its neck in that inimitable Benny way. Benny's historical stature as a comedian and worth as a human being is incontestable, though his contemporary relevance is dubious at best. I can't see too many folks under the age of 70 making the trek to Waukegan to light a candle at the foot of his statue or sigh wistfully as they recall their favorite miser gag.
Bradbury, I imagine, can at least pull in the scifi geeks and lit fans, though perhaps not all year long. Bradbury (who's still alive and in L.A., by the by), had a lovely park dedicated to him (again, see below). Apparently, they have a yearly Bradbury Storytelling Festival and walking tour too. That's about it though. The house Ray was born and raised in is currently occupied, and looking a little worse for wear (yes, see below). I hope Ray or the Chamber of Commerce snatches it up for a future Bradbury museum. Likewise his grandparents' house next door. Outside of August Derleth, I can't think of any other midwestern scifi author who's gotten that sort of treatment. Hell, I'd pay to see his original manuscripts, models from the The Martian Chronicles series (not a great show, but the Martians looked AWESOME), and Ray's baby booties.
Despite living in Illinois and the Chicago area for 42 years I'd never been to Waukegan. Once we got there I could see why the place never came recommended to me before. Most areas of the town give the impression people are struggling to make ends meet, and the lovely old homes of Bradbury's time are looking worse for wear. It reminded me of Battle Creek, MI; Des Moines, IA; and this U.P. town I can't remember the name of, whose main source of income seemed to be the local penitentiary-a beaten-up burg, but don't count it out. Don't plan to visit for more than a couple of hours and come with an appreciation of Bradbury's role in scifi and lit history, and you'll have a fine time. Best to bring a lunch. Few of the restaurants there inspired us.
* To be fair, it's the ninth-largest town in Illinois. Then again, that's not saying much. You have Chicago, which has a population of 2.8 million or so. Next, you have Aurora... with about 170,000 folks. Waukegan tops out at 87,000.
** Waukegan has a few other celebrity past-residents. Neil "The Janitor" Flynn from Scrubs, Jerry Orbach (though his family only lived there a short time), and the Brothers Strause, directors of the film classic Aliens vs. Predators: Requiem. I'm shocked you didn't know that. In fact, I'm embarrassed for you. God.
Bradbury's birthplace and boyhood home.
The Carnegie library, where Bradbury spent many hours reading. I'm led to understand that this is the library Bradbury had in mind in Something Wicked This Way Comes. I suppose you could argue that Fahrenheit 451 has its deepest roots here. Closed and replaced by a new library a few blocks away, but I hear there's talk of renovation. Nice building.
Mr. Benny, seen in the distance through the car window.
"These boys in particular, they're two of a kind. One tow-headed, the other black as pitch. You could take them for blood brothers." Yo, Mr. Dark. Are you in the market for this brunette? Because I've got a novel I'd like to sell, and... Uh, I'm just chatting with the nice creepy circus ringmaster, Mike. Of course, I would never sell Nate for personal gain.
Ray Bradbury Park is a nice park. Bradbury showed up for the dedication in 1990. And why not? Wouldn't you love to see your childhood play-lot named after you. Weird, almost organic playground equipment, with a somewhat obscene tongue-like slide. The commemorative plaque is tasteful and poetic, though the other one, which explains Mr. Bradbury's career, belongs in a children's museum. The ravine, described in Dandelion Wine is beautiful, evocative, and slightly disturbing (it was the site of several murders by a serial killer called the Lonely One). This was not help by the obviously mentally disturbed fellow who silently walked past us as Nate played. and down the steps before moving several yards downstream, and laying face down on a fallen tree crossing the water. If you keep clicking one of the photos you can just make him out. I wasn't trying to photograph him. He was so still I didn't notice him until after I took the picture. Not to ruin the surprise, but the rocky steps on the east side, while cool-looking, don't go anywhere.
And dyed his hair in the bathroom of a Texaco
With a pawnshop radio, quarter past four
He left for Waukegan at the slamming of the door
Left for Waukegan at the slamming of the door
"Gun Street Girl"/Tom Waits
Thanks to C.P. McDill for reminding me.
Today Mike, Nate, and I went up to Waukegan to see the sights. Specifically, the Ray Bradbury sights, since the famed science fiction author was born and bred there. If you think you've never read any Bradbury or encountered his work-which I somehow doubt-you're probably wrong. Not just a scifi writer, Bradbury crossed over into fantasy, horror, mystery, and more and has turned up in TV and film for the past 50 or years. There's a good chance you read Fahrenheit 451 in high school, yes? Bradbury. Saw Something Wicked This Way Comes? Bradbury again. The Twilight Zone episode with the android grandmother? Various EC Comics stories? Yep. The man is a giant. I was weaned on The Martian Chronicles, The Illustrated Man, and I Sing the Body Electric, and while I won't say he's my absolute favorite writer, I like him greatly, and he's been a huge influence. Bradbury wasn't afraid to be lyrical in a genre that shunned poetry.
Bradbury used his remembrances of his home turf to create the imaginary Green Town, IL. Green Town appears in two famous Bradbury novels: the aforementioned Something Wicked This Way Comes (which I've read) and Dandelion Wine (which I have yet to read, but I'm correcting that omission now). In Bradbury's descriptions it's a typical semi-rural village of the 20s filled with sun-dappled fields, charming old houses, pies cooling on windowsills, and so on (which happened to be visited by serial killers and evil carney sprits on occasion). Waukegan may well have been sun-dappled, etc. when Mr. Bradbury was growing up there, but today's reality is a bit grimmer. I can't help but think that the Autumn People may have succeeded after all, sucking the marrow and soul out of Green Town and leaving semi-industrial, depressed Waukegan in their wake. Add to that the fact that it's the location of not one but three superfund clean-up sites (asbestos and PCBs). Eek. It's not a happy place, though it has its charms, and it's obvious that some people are trying to revive the poor thing.
Which leads to one of my favorite small town* practices: ferreting out claims to fame, however tenuous ("George Washington Slept Here") or peculiar (World's Largest Muskie), and then exploiting them. Waukegan, however, doesn't have to fake it too much OR bring in the fiberglass. They have two favorite sons who get the star treatment, Mr. Bradbury (born in Waukegan), and comedian Jack Benny (moved to and lived there as a young 'un). It's interesting to see how the good people of Waukegan have parlayed the two men's lives and reputations into potential tourist dollars.**
Jack Benny, for instance, has a statue in town square (see below; one can only hope they erect a Frank Nelson statue nearby), prissily touching its neck in that inimitable Benny way. Benny's historical stature as a comedian and worth as a human being is incontestable, though his contemporary relevance is dubious at best. I can't see too many folks under the age of 70 making the trek to Waukegan to light a candle at the foot of his statue or sigh wistfully as they recall their favorite miser gag.
Bradbury, I imagine, can at least pull in the scifi geeks and lit fans, though perhaps not all year long. Bradbury (who's still alive and in L.A., by the by), had a lovely park dedicated to him (again, see below). Apparently, they have a yearly Bradbury Storytelling Festival and walking tour too. That's about it though. The house Ray was born and raised in is currently occupied, and looking a little worse for wear (yes, see below). I hope Ray or the Chamber of Commerce snatches it up for a future Bradbury museum. Likewise his grandparents' house next door. Outside of August Derleth, I can't think of any other midwestern scifi author who's gotten that sort of treatment. Hell, I'd pay to see his original manuscripts, models from the The Martian Chronicles series (not a great show, but the Martians looked AWESOME), and Ray's baby booties.
Despite living in Illinois and the Chicago area for 42 years I'd never been to Waukegan. Once we got there I could see why the place never came recommended to me before. Most areas of the town give the impression people are struggling to make ends meet, and the lovely old homes of Bradbury's time are looking worse for wear. It reminded me of Battle Creek, MI; Des Moines, IA; and this U.P. town I can't remember the name of, whose main source of income seemed to be the local penitentiary-a beaten-up burg, but don't count it out. Don't plan to visit for more than a couple of hours and come with an appreciation of Bradbury's role in scifi and lit history, and you'll have a fine time. Best to bring a lunch. Few of the restaurants there inspired us.
* To be fair, it's the ninth-largest town in Illinois. Then again, that's not saying much. You have Chicago, which has a population of 2.8 million or so. Next, you have Aurora... with about 170,000 folks. Waukegan tops out at 87,000.
** Waukegan has a few other celebrity past-residents. Neil "The Janitor" Flynn from Scrubs, Jerry Orbach (though his family only lived there a short time), and the Brothers Strause, directors of the film classic Aliens vs. Predators: Requiem. I'm shocked you didn't know that. In fact, I'm embarrassed for you. God.
Bradbury's birthplace and boyhood home.
The Carnegie library, where Bradbury spent many hours reading. I'm led to understand that this is the library Bradbury had in mind in Something Wicked This Way Comes. I suppose you could argue that Fahrenheit 451 has its deepest roots here. Closed and replaced by a new library a few blocks away, but I hear there's talk of renovation. Nice building.
Mr. Benny, seen in the distance through the car window.
"These boys in particular, they're two of a kind. One tow-headed, the other black as pitch. You could take them for blood brothers." Yo, Mr. Dark. Are you in the market for this brunette? Because I've got a novel I'd like to sell, and... Uh, I'm just chatting with the nice creepy circus ringmaster, Mike. Of course, I would never sell Nate for personal gain.
Ray Bradbury Park is a nice park. Bradbury showed up for the dedication in 1990. And why not? Wouldn't you love to see your childhood play-lot named after you. Weird, almost organic playground equipment, with a somewhat obscene tongue-like slide. The commemorative plaque is tasteful and poetic, though the other one, which explains Mr. Bradbury's career, belongs in a children's museum. The ravine, described in Dandelion Wine is beautiful, evocative, and slightly disturbing (it was the site of several murders by a serial killer called the Lonely One). This was not help by the obviously mentally disturbed fellow who silently walked past us as Nate played. and down the steps before moving several yards downstream, and laying face down on a fallen tree crossing the water. If you keep clicking one of the photos you can just make him out. I wasn't trying to photograph him. He was so still I didn't notice him until after I took the picture. Not to ruin the surprise, but the rocky steps on the east side, while cool-looking, don't go anywhere.