Bismarck Hotel Known for Good Food

Celebrating 50 years of ‘The Bismarck in the Heart of Chicago.’

This charming pictorial ‘map’ of Chicago was illustrated by Peter Diem and published as a postcard by the local firm of R.R. Donnelley & Sons. It advertises the iconic Bismarck Hotel, which opened in 1926 and is still operating today as the Hotel Allegro. The map’s use as a reference is limited, as the location for the various points of interest can best be described as approximate. Of note is the Rialto Theater, known for its burlesque shows.

Text on the verso reads: “Famous for hospitality, the Bismarck has been a great center of Chicago for 50 years. Newness everywhere distinguishes the “Loop’s” newest hotel. Its location in the heart of Chicago is but a step from theater, wholesale and financial centers.”

The ’50 years’ likely references the original Bismarck, built in 1894 by a pair of German brothers after they successfully managed a hotel during the Columbian Exposition.