Here’s a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on March 13, according to the Tribune’s archives.
Is an important event missing from this date? Email us.
Weather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago)
- High temperature: 73 degrees (2007)
- Low temperature: 6 degrees (1896)
- Precipitation: 1.15 inches (1917)
- Snowfall: 3.9 inches (2017)
1848: The Chicago Board of Trade was founded.
1938: Legendary attorney Clarence Darrow died. Some believe his ghost haunts a bridge named in his honor in Jackson Park.
Vintage Chicago Tribune: Ghost stories from Chicagoland
The Clarence Darrow Memorial Bridge was designed by famed Chicago architectural firm Burnham and Root. Originally known as the Columbia Drive Bridge, it has spanned Jackson Park’s lagoon since 1880, offering picturesque views and passage to the lakefront. Recently recognized by Preservation Chicago as one of the city’s most endangered structures, the bridge has since fallen into disrepair.
1958: Nathan Leopold, who was convicted with Richard Loeb in the “perfect murder” of Bobby Franks in 1924, was released from Stateville prison in Joliet on the 20th anniversary of his attorney Darrow’s death.
Vintage Chicago Tribune: Leopold and Loeb
Leopold was driven back to Chicago, but took up residence in Puerto Rico.
1960: The Chicago Cardinals, one of the founding teams in the NFL, received permission to move to St. Louis.
Violet Bidwill was entrusted with the leadership of the Cardinals after her first husband and team owner Charles Bidwill died unexpectedly in 1947. And though she, too, later died suddenly, the Bidwill family still retains ownership of the team due to her efforts.
1976: Fans left Comiskey Park with a patch of artificial turf. The team invited souvenir hunters to dig up the infield to make way for the return of natural grass.
Want more vintage Chicago?
Subscribe to the free Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter, join our Chicagoland history Facebook group, stay current with Today in Chicago History and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicago’s past.
Have an idea for Vintage Chicago Tribune? Share it with Kori Rumore and Marianne Mather at krumore@chicagotribune.com and mmather@chicagotribune.com