Sputnik Chevorlet

    A close-up of the satellite-shaped spire atop the old Circle Chevrolet dealership sign on Racine Avenue in Chicago.

    Comments and faves

    1. ★

      aerolith and frozenchipmunk added this photo to their favorites.

    2. babygirldiamond (80 months ago | reply)

      Great shot!

    3. ChicagoEye (80 months ago | reply)

      thanks BGD!

    4. ★

      NearHunter and Dennis Dixson added this photo to their favorites.

    5. Dennis Dixson (77 months ago | reply)

      So it this thing still there? Is Circle Chevrolet is closed?

      We have at least one of these in St. Louis but all the spikes are gone. I really like your black & white treatment and the way it appears to be radiating some sort of energy. Very nice work.

    6. ChicagoEye (77 months ago | reply)

      It's still there Dennis. But the dealership has been closed for some time. It looks like they sell used refrigerators out of there now.

    7. Dennis Dixson (77 months ago | reply)

      Do you remember what the cross street is. I just came back from Memphis where they have a restored sputnik that is lighted and spins. Actually it rotates and spins. It is pretty cool. I would like to have a look at this one next time I am in Chicago. I want to see if it is built the same way.

      Here is an excellent photograph of the one in Memphis by Amiev.

      www.flickr.com/photos/amiev/20606420/

    8. ChicagoEye (77 months ago | reply)

      Dennis..I want to say the cross street is 81st or 82nd. It between 87th and 83rd on the east side of the street.

    9. Dennis Dixson (77 months ago | reply)

      Hey thanks very much.

    10. ★

      scrubbles added this photo to his favorites. (74 months ago)

    11. agilitynut (68 months ago | reply)

      I couldn't find it there -- seems it's gone now, right?

      By the way, this was a Roto-Sphere (rotating sphere) -- about 230 of them were produced in Bossier City, LA from 1961 til the early 1970s. Only about 16 of them are left now.

      More about them here:
      www.agilitynut.com/sca/roto.html

    12. ChicagoEye (68 months ago | reply)

      agility: I just noticed a week or so ago that the sign is gone. Too bad, too.

    13. Dennis Dixson (67 months ago | reply)

      Bah! I guess I am not going to get a better photo of it then. It seems like we are losing a lot of signs this year.

    14. ★

      suzysputnik added this photo to her favorites. (60 months ago)

    15. agilitynut (56 months ago | reply)

      27 Roto-Spheres went to Chicago -- more than any other city in the country. It's too bad that none remain there.

    16. ★

      Bryen., fotohawaii, and e15rimac added this photo to their favorites.

    Want to format your comment?
    keyboard shortcuts: ← previous photo → next photo L view in light box F favorite < scroll film strip left > scroll film strip right ? show all shortcuts