CHICAGO CITY TOUR FIELD GUIDE
Old Town Revealed: 105 Minutes Through Victorian Cottages, Midcentury Oddities and Modern Ambition
A 105-minute guided tour with Brick of Chicago that traces Old Town’s layered architectural and cultural history—use this guide to orient before you go.
Old Town Revealed: 105 Minutes Through Victorian Cottages, Midcentury Oddities and Modern Ambition.
Explore the vibrant Old Town neighborhood of Chicago on a captivating 105-minute tour. The route traces a tapestry of Victorian workers’ cottages, distinctive midcentury buildings and large modern homes, and tells a complex story shaped by German immigrant settlement, destructive fires, postwar artists and later waves of urban renewal and preservation-minded homeowners.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
From German settlers to postwar artists
Old Town’s narrative threads—early German settlement, the impact of destructive fires, a postwar artist community and the tug-of-war between urban renewal and preservation—are woven into the neighborhood’s streets and façades.
Victorian cottages, midcentury experiments, and modern statements
Expect to see a close-packed mix of Victorian workers’ cottages alongside unique midcentury structures and imposing modern houses that together reveal how Old Town evolved architecturally across eras.
A neighborhood that reframes how you read the built world
This short but focused tour aims to change the way you perceive everyday urban fabric—showing how eccentric individuals, star architects and the forces of renewal and loss shaped what you now walk past.
What the day feels like
What the tour feels like
In 105 minutes the guide threads together Old Town’s architectural contrasts and layered histories, moving between residential streets and notable buildings while unpacking the neighborhood’s evolution—from its pre-fire origins to its midcentury artistic heyday and later waves of reinvention.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this tour suits
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
Bring a water bottle, sunscreen and a hat as recommended by the operator.
The tour runs rain or shine except in cases of extreme weather.
The tour lasts 105 minutes.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
How long is the Old Town Tour?
The tour lasts 105 minutes.
Where do we meet for the tour?
The meeting location is 1734 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60614.
What is the ticket price and are discounts available?
Standard price information is provided by the operator; if the $28 price is too expensive, use promo code BRICKSFORALL for a $20 ticket.
Will the tour run in bad weather?
The tour will run rain or shine, barring extreme weather.
What should I bring?
The operator recommends bringing a water bottle, sunscreen and possibly a hat.
Who operates the Old Town Tour?
The tour is offered by Brick of Chicago.