After being appropriately prepped as a result of our visit to the Chicago Cultural Center we decided to head off yesterday to visit the Pullman Historic District, a planned industrial and residential community dating back to the 1880s, on Chicago’s South Side.

In order to get there we took the red line all the way to the end and then connected onto the 111 bus. What was very interesting to note was that the population on Chicago’s south side is predominantly black, as much of the black population from the US South had migrated northwards after the 2nd World War. Actually Chicago was known as one of the most racially segregated cities, and today, with the demolition of many of the bleak urban housing projects, the city is attempting to create more integration between its black and white population.

The Pullman Historic District is the manifestation of a very interesting social experiment: It was built between 1880 and 1884 as a planned model industrial town by George M. Pullman for the Pullman Palace Car Company. George Pullman (1831 to 1897) arrived on the scene with a design for the Pullman sleeping carriage which he originally developed to carry the dead body of Abraham Lincoln to his funeral. As a result the Pullman Sleeping Car Company was established and a whole town was built around the business and named after its originator.

We went to the Visitor Center and saw an 18-minute movie that described George Pullman and his ambitious plans for his development of a model community, a total environment, that he intended to be superior to that available to the working class elsewhere. By so doing, he hoped to avoid strikes, attract the most skilled workers and attain greater productivity as a result of the better health and spirit of his employees.

To achieve his vision, George Pullman hired Solon S. Beaman, landscape architect Nathan F. Barrett and civil engineer, Benzette Williams. The town was constructed by Pullman employees, using local red clay from Lake Calument and component parts that were produced in the Pullman factory. This project is one of the first examples of industrial technology and mass production in large-scale housing. The town was a complete planned community and included schools, a library and hotel all run by the company.

Pullman’s large Arcade building (now demolished and the present location of the Visitor Center) featured a restaurant, a bank, a library, a post office, a theater, and numerous shops. It was a forerunner of the modern shopping center. The town was completely self-contained. Pullman residents enjoyed the manmade Lake Vista and plenty of parks and promenades, features typically missing from Chicago’s working-class neighbourhoods.

The town of Pullman was a model of financial efficiency. Pullman demanded that the company return an 8-percent profit and the town return a 6-percent profit. A huge engine pumped sewage from the town to a nearby Pullman-owned farm, where it was used as fertilizer for produce that would be sold back in the town.

George Pullman maintained ultimate control over the town, even restricting workers’ access to alcohol, as the Hotel Florence only sold alcohol to out-of-town visitors. Resentment towards this paternalistic despot started to build. Misfortune struck with the decline of the Pullman car’s success which forced George to slash wages. Workers responded with a strike, fuelled by Pullman’s failure to reduce grocery costs and rent, but George simply fired them. The situation deteriorated as railway workers refused to handle Pullman cars and President Cleveland had to intervene, sending federal troops to the scene. The workers were forced to sign documentation declaring that they wouldn’t join a union.

Although the strike collapsed, George Pullman’s model for handling the “labour problem” had failed. Pullman had prided himself on his paternalistic approach with his workers, and he could not see how his heavy-handed methods had resulted in this worker rebellion. Criticized and scorned, Pullman died a bitter man in 1897.

In 1898, the Illinois Supreme Court ordered the Pullman Company to sell the non-industrial land in the neighborhood to its inhabitants, determining that the Pullman Palace Car Company did not have the proper authority to provide nonmanufacturing services such as renting property. Finally, residents could buy their homes.

Robert T. Lincoln, the son of President Lincoln, became head of the company after Pullman’s death and simplified its name to the Pullman Company. The Pullman Company continued to produce its famous cars at 111th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue. But with the explosion of automobile ownership, rail passenger traffic went into rapid decline. In 1957, Pullman Incorporated closed its plant in the neighborhood.

Only three years later, the city of Chicago included Pullman on a list of “blighted and deteriorating areas” that required clearance and redevelopment. Residents responded by forming the Pullman Civic Organization and began working to gain landmark status. The Historic Pullman Foundation, which formed in 1973, helps ensure the area’s preservation and restoration by sponsoring various events such as neighborhood walking tours, annual house tours, Sunday brunch at the Florence Hotel, and presentations at the Pullman Visitor Center.

In many ways the housing development was ahead of its time. Each building, most of them townhouses, had gas and water, complete sanitary facilities and abundant quantities of sunlight and fresh air, which was a rarity at that time, when the working class was mostly housed in squalid tenements. Originally the town of Pullman housed about 12,000 people while today it still has a population of about 2,000, with an ethnically and economically mixed background.

Other famous buildings on the Pullman grounds include the Hotel Florence, named after Pullman’s favourite daughter. It opened in 1881 as a hospitality showcase for visitors to George Pullman’s perfect town and originally had 50 rooms, a dining room, a billiard room, a parlor and the only bar in Pullman. The Historic Pullman Foundation managed to save the hotel from demolition and today the hotel is closed to the public while it is undergoing a capital improvement program to restore it for use with the State Historic Site.

The Pullman Clock Tower and Administration Building was built in 1880 for the executive offices of the Pullman Palace Car Company, at the time one of the most beautiful industrial complexes in the United States. In 1998 the Clock Tower and Administration Building were seriously damaged by a fire set by an arsonist. Since then the building has been stabilized and the restored Clock Tower was put back on just a few days before our visit. Future use of the site is currently being debated by a task force institute by Chicago Mayor Daley and Illinois Governor Ryan.

Another interesting building located on the Pullman Historic District is the Queen Ann-style Market Hall which was built in 1881. The Market provided a venue for fresh fruits, meats and other goods. The original market was destroyed by fire in 1892 and a new market was built on the existing foundation. The market is surrounded by four colonnaded circular apartment buildings that were built with the new Market Hall in 1893. Unfortunately the Market Hall Building was destroyed by fire in 1973 and today it awaits restoration.

The Greenstone Church, located centrally in the Pullman Historic District, has an exterior facade of serpentine stone quarried in Pennsylvania. The sanctuary is unchanged with the exception of the chancel arrangements. All of the cherry wood is original. Today the church is still occupied by a Methodist congregation.

The visit to the Pullman Historic District was very interesting. It taught us about a different time of ultimate laissez-faire capitalism, industrial growth and immigration, labour unrest, urban planning, architecture and the ultimate failure of a rather unique social experiment.

Susanne Pacher is the publisher of a website called Travel and Transitions( travelandtransitions.com travelandtransitions.com). Travel and Transitions deals with unconventional travel and is chock full of advice, tips, real life travel experiences, interviews with travellers and travel experts, insights and reflections, cross-cultural issues, contests and many other features. You will also find stories about life and the transitions that we face as we go through our own personal life-long journeys.

Submit your own travel stories in our first travel story contest( travelandtransitions.com/contests.htm travelandtransitions.com/contests.htm) and have a chance to win an amazing adventure cruise on the Amazon River.

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The article with photos is published at travelandtransitions.com/stories_photos/hello_chicago_5.htm Travel and Transitions – Travel Stories

Strategic location, political stability, legal protection to visitors, and the Aloha spirit of the people are a few reasons why Hawaii is one of the world’s most popular vacation destinations. Furthermore, Hawaii has the best weather, a diverse range of recreational and creative outlets, and one of the cleanest environments in the United States. So, if you are on the hunt for a vacation destination, consider Hawaii as your first choice.

Hawaiian vacations have gained popularity over the years as more and more visitors explore the scenic beauty of the place each year. With tropical gardens and beautiful beaches, who would want to miss this haven? There are certainly lots of activities that you can do while you are on your Hawaiian vacation. These will ensure that you will not have a boring time during your stay in the islands.

Some of these activities include airplane tours, hang gliding, helicopter tours, hiking, camping, horseback riding, golf, tennis, hunting, shooting, luaus, motorcycle riding, guided tours, boating, kayaking, whale and dolphin watching, water skiing, surfing, and snorkeling. There is definitely a long list of things to do while you are in Hawaii. Before you know it, it will be time to go home.

Hawaiian vacations will truly give you experiences of a lifetime. But to make your vacation memorable and enjoyable, you must do some thorough planning and organizing of the activities and other details ahead of time. It is important for you to plan your vacation as early as possible and do your research on vacation packages that will best suit your needs. By doing so, you can be sure that you have not missed out on opportunities to make for a memorable trip to Hawaii.

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Botswana is internationally acclaimed for its supreme and unforced combination of tourism and wildlife. 17% of the country is proclaimed protected and a further 20% made up of wildlife management areas. With its eclectic mix of serenely beautiful landscapes and some of the largest populations of wildlife species found in Africa, Botswana is a premier holiday destination amongst adventure and eco-tourists. Although the country is rich in cultural and historical heritage Botswana’s main tourist attractions are the national parks.
Of the many parks and reserves which make up this magnificent country there are three definite must sees when travelling to Botswana.

The Okavango Delta
Undoubtedly the most striking region in the country the Okavango Delta is situated in the Kalahari Desert and is the greatest inland delta system in the world. A natural wonderland of a thousand islands in a thousand streams, born of a great river’s determination top meet the sea which it never will, as its strengths are captured by the desert sands which surround the delta.

The delta ranks amongst the finest of wetlands in the world and from above it is a vast, fan shaped, emerald wilderness of waterways, lakes, lagoons and lush forests. Over 1000 species of plant can be found in the delta and the rivers are teeming with fish, 80 species overall which in turn draws many birds to the area, the Delta is in fact one of the most celebrated bird watching and angling regions in Africa. The few people who in fact permanently live here are mainly fishermen. Undoubtedly the best way to view this natural wonder is by means of a mokoro which is a dug-out canoe that manoeuvres swiftly through the waters near impenetrable areas. The waters are crystal clear and crocodiles, hippos and hundreds of fabulous birds can be seen as well as elephants, zebras and giraffes. The only area in the Okavango that is protected is the Moremi National Park; the rest of the delta is carved up into giant private concessions, sprinkled with luxury lodges.

The Okavango Delta has three main areas, the Panhandle which a 15km wide fault in the northwest offers superb fishing but less spectacular game viewing; the central permanent swamp, with its maze of pans and water meadows and the arid seasonal swamps to the south and east. In the months of August to November the Okavango is hot and dry which makes for magnificent game viewing but low waters which often prevent mokoro trips. From December to March the region is hot and wet prompting game to disappear into the undergrowth but this is when bird and plant life is at its best.
As independent travel is very difficult in the delta region the majority of visitors get to experience these amazing swamplands with the help of tour operators who offer package deals to the region.

The Moremi Wildlife Reserve
Acclaimed for its sheer beauty and intense variety of wildlife, this park covers 1812 sq km and is located in the northeast corner of the Okavango Delta. Comprised of lush wetlands, forested islands, lagoons, woodlands and grasslands the Moremi Wildlife Reserve offers spectacular game viewing accompanied by gorgeous landscapes. There are no artificial borers and human encroachment is kept to a minimum, which facilitates game viewing of such excellent nature. Some of the animals you will be able to view are Elephant, Buffalo, Zebra, Kudu, various herds of Buck, Lion, Leopard and Wild Cats. The parks dry months which span from April to October are the best months for game viewing; it is also during this time that the impressive herds of Elephants converge on the Khwai River.
The park is home to over 400 species of bird making it one of Botswana’s prime birding areas. The Pelicans, Ibises, Herons and Storks are only some of the species which bring gorgeous splashes of colour and sweet melodies to the area. The reserve is one of the most beautiful unmarred spots in Botswana and a trip to its tranquil plains is highly recommended.

The Chobe National Park
Botswana’s common border with Namibia’s Caprivi region has been set aside for one of Africa’s premier wildlife conservation parks. The Chobe National Park occupies 10,566 sq km of land and is home to a splendid variety of wildlife. The park is comprised of rivers, swamps, scrublands, grassy savannah and natural pans.

One of the most magnificent sights to behold here are the elephants who move in their thousands along the well-worn paths of the Chobe River every afternoon to drink. Boasting the highest elephant population in the world (approximately 45,000) is but one of the Chobe National Park’s drawcards. There are also large herds of Buffalo, Blue Wildebeest, Bushbuck, Kudu, Impala and Sable while the wetlands are home to impressive numbers of Hippo and Crocodile as well as an eclectic range of birds. The Savuti area of the park marks what was once the massive super lake which covered most of Botswana, its flat dry lakebed is now a sea of grass which is renowned for spotting Leopard, Cheetahs, Hyena and Lion.

With the exception of certain sections, which are closed in the rainy season during November to April, the park is open throughout the year. The best time to visit it is between May and September when it is possible to see several thousand animals each day. Even though the Chobe National Park is one of Botswana’s most developed reserves, many of the roads in the area are only accessible by 4X4 vehicles. Many visitors to the park chose a package option which includes luxury accommodation; safari drives various other guided expeditions.

With the wide range of activities, accommodation and travel option on offer in this magnificent country, a holiday in the wilderness regions of Botswana is made easy and accessible for all tourists. Many tour operators offer exceptional package deals which allow you to experience the true essence of Africa.

Explore the escape-tours.co.za wonders of Botswana with Escape Tours African safari packages. The Botswana Explorer package will take you to world-famous reserves in this unspoilt and magical country. This trip combines exciting game viewing with delicious bush cuisine and exclusive bush camp living. Southern Africa is an untouched and magical gem that is just waiting to be explored by you.

One of the most controversial American combat aircraft of the Second World War was the Martin B-26 Marauder. It was primarily used in Europe and was in fact numerically the most important USAAF medium bomber used in that theatre of action. However, on four occasions, investigation boards had met to decide if the development and production of the Marauder should continue.

In spite of this, the Marauder survived all attempts to remove it from service. By 1944, the B-26s of the US 9th Air Force had the lowest loss rate on operational missions of any American aircraft in the European theatre, reaching a point less than one half of one percent. Despite its high landing speed of 130 mph, which remained essentially unchanged throughout the entire production career of the B-26 in spite of numerous modifications made to reduce it, the Marauder had no really vicious flying characteristics and its single-engine performance was actually fairly good. Although at one time the B-26 was considered so dangerous an aircraft that aircrews tried to avoid getting assigned to Marauder-equipped units and civilian ferry crews actually refused to fly B-26s, it turned out that the Marauder could be safely flown if crews were adequately trained and knew what they were doing. It nevertheless did demand somewhat of a higher standard of training for its crews than did its stablemate, the B-25 Mitchell. Once mastered however, the B-26 offered a level of operational immunity to its crews unmatched by any other aircraft in its class.

A total of 5157 B-26 Marauders were built. Although on paper the B-26 was a more advanced aircraft than the North American B-25 Mitchell, it was built in much fewer numbers because it was more expensive to manufacture and had a higher accident rate (even though the accidents were mainly due to insufficient training and not inherently bad design).

The Martin Marauder’s history dates back to early 1939. Both the North American B-25 Mitchell and the Martin B-26 Marauder owe their origin to the same Army Air Corps specification. On March 11, 1939, the Air Corps issued a proposal for the design of a new medium bomber. According to the requirements listed in the specification, a bombload of 3000 pounds was to be carried over a range of 2000 miles at a top speed of over 300 mph and at a service ceiling exceeding 20,000 feet. The crew was to be five and armament was to consist of four 0.30-inch machine guns. The proposal called for either the Pratt & Whitney R-2800, the Wright R-2600, or the Wright R-3350 radial engine.

Four aircraft manufacturers responded with proposals, Martin, Douglas, Stearman and North American. Since the Army wanted a high maximum speed but hadn’t specified any limitation on landing speed, the Martin team selected a high-mounted wing with a wingspan of only 65 feet. Its small area gave a wing loading of more than 50 pounds per square foot. The wing was shoulder-mounted to leave the central fuselage free for bomb stowage. The fuselage had a low-drag profile with a circular cross section.

The engines were to be a pair of 1850 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800-5 Double Wasp air-cooled radials, which were the most powerful engines available at the time. Two-speed mechanical superchargers were installed in order to maintain engine power up to medium altitudes and ejector exhausts vented on each side of the closely-cowled nacelles. The engines drove four-bladed 13 foot 6 inch Curtiss Electric propellers. Large spinners were fitted to the propellers and root cuffs were added to aid in engine cooling. In all, the armament included two 30 calibre machine guns and three 50 calibre machine guns including one in the tail and another installed in the tip of a transparent nose cone and operated by the bombardier. The tail gunner had enough room to sit in an upright position, unlike the prone position that had been provided in the early B-25.

There were two bomb bays, fore and aft. The bomb bay doors were unusual in being split in tandem, the forward pair folding in half when opened and the aft set being hinged normally to open outward. Two 2000-lb bombs could be carried in the main bomb bay, but up to 4800 pounds of smaller bombs could be carried if the aft bay was used as well.

The Martin design was rated the highest of those submitted and on August 10, 1939, the Army issued a contract for 201 Model 179s under the designation B-26. Although the first B-26 had yet to fly, orders for 139 B-26As with self-sealing tanks and armor were issued on September 16. Further orders for 719 B-26Bs on September 28, 1940 brought the total B-26 order to 1131 aircraft.

A series of failures of the front wheel strut resulted in a delay in bringing the B-26 to full operational status. Although the forward landing gear strut was strengthened in an attempt to correct this problem, the true cause was an improper weight distribution. The manufacturer had been forced to deliver the first few B-26s without guns and had trimmed them for delivery flights by carefully loading service tools and spare parts as ballast. When the Army took the planes over, they removed the ballast without replacement and the resultant forward movement of the center of gravity had multiplied the loads on the nosewheel, causing the accidents. The installations of the guns called for in the original design corrected the problem.

The last B-26 was delivered in October of 1941. That month, the Martin Middle River production line shifted over to the B-26A version, which really was the same aircraft with a few modifications.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to