A Look Back: Key Events in Chicago on October 20
Examining the historical events in Chicago on October 20, provides insight into significant moments in the city’s past. Here are notable occurrences:
Wacker Drive Opening in 1926
On October 20, 1926, Wacker Drive was dedicated. This event marked a critical development in Chicago’s infrastructure.
Weather Records
Chicago’s National Weather Service records show notable temperatures and precipitation on October 20. The highest recorded temperature was 86°F in 1953. The lowest was 24°F in 1930. The day saw its wettest with 1.65 inches of rain in 1916, and the most snowfall, 3 inches, in 1952.
Goodman Memorial Theatre Dedication in 1925
The Kenneth Sawyer Goodman Memorial Theatre, with 700 seats, was dedicated in 1925. It honored the Chicago playwright who died of pneumonia in 1918. Originally located next to the Art Institute of Chicago, it moved to the theater district in 2000, allowing space for the Art Institute’s Modern Wing.
Prison Riot in Greenville in 1995
In 1995, inmates at the Federal Correctional Institution in Greenville overtook a housing unit. The incident followed guards trying to enforce a Justice Department-mandated lockdown.
Shooting of Laquan McDonald in 2014
On October 20, 2014, Officer Jason Van Dyke shot Laquan McDonald 16 times near Pulaski Road and 41st Street. McDonald, a 17-year-old, was declared dead at Mount Sinai Hospital. Van Dyke was convicted on one count of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery in 2018. He received an 81-month sentence and was released in February 2022 after serving over three years.
Termination of Robert Breuder in 2015
College of DuPage trustees fired President Robert Breuder on October 20, 2015. His dismissal at Illinois’ largest community college cited excessive spending and poor financial oversight as reasons. Following a lengthy legal battle, Breuder awaited a $4 million settlement by 2022.
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