The billboard to the left of the Blackstone advertised Thrift Stamps that were being sold to the public to aid the Liberty Loan drive during WW1. They sold for 25 cents each.
and could eventually be traded for interest bearing War Bonds. We had similar stamps during WW2 but they could be purchased for as low as a dime.

I have stayed there a few times, actually. Neat old building. A ton of movies were filmed there too!

That would be the Art Institute in the distance on this side of the street - also still there in the same building.

Below is the same view from April of 2007.

Funny, with the decline of Detroit in the news so much I was expecting this hotel and entire block to be gone or abandoned. It's nice to see that the hotel appears to be as beautiful as it was in 1918.

[This is Chicago, though. -tterrace]

Oohh...Detroit PUBLISHING company. Thanks tterrace. I saw Detroit at the bottom in the description and got it in my head. Thanks for setting me straight. I had a moment of hope for Detroit! :)

The unique originals were replaced in the '50's by a bland street lighting design eventually used throughout the city. These 50's replacements are still in use in most areas in Chicago proper. Later use of sodium vapor in the lighting elements, these newer fixtures have contributed to the "Orange-ing" of Chicago which sets the city streets apart from those of the suburbs.

Even though these replica lampposts use sodium lamps (orange), I was glad to see them return!

those multi-globed street lamps are still in use today.

Thank you.