For the third time in four years, we had a pre-conference event that tied into Pagan studies somehow. (Previously: Montréal, San Francisco.)
This was the Occult Chicago conference organized by Jason Winslade at DePaul University—his take on “Chicago Quarter,” an urban orientation class that all first-year DePaul students must take.
Imagine a bright new student who, however, does not know a Theosophist from a Chicago Bear. Suddenly she (who maybe just took this section because it fit her schedule) finds herself immersed in a world yogis, magicians, witches, astrologers, hucksters, publishers, and — this being Chicago — architecture.
Those of us who attended the one-day version (see also Jason Pitzl-Waters’ review) heard some of the students’ capstone presentations, learned that the first skyscraper in Chicago was built by the Freemasons, listened to representatives of contemporary magical groups, and visited sites and building associated with occult organizations, hauntings, violent deaths, and publishing houses.
One highlight was the Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan Ave., where at one time the Thelemite Choronzon Club held its meetings and the Akbar Lodge of Theosophists had its office.
Finally came a performance by the Terra Mysterium steampunk theatre troupe. You might think that a classroom would not make the best performance space, but the performance was laced with academic parody, so it worked.
I agree, it was a great day and the performance simply provided a nice capstone on it all. After living in Chicago since 1984, I had some idea of how intense the city was in occult/magickal leanings, but this really helped to put it into perspective. One always thinks of New York or the west coast as the centers of “marginal” culture or “occulture” but I think Chicago certainly ranks up there.
It was good meeting you there also!
Thanks for the review, Chas. One (slight) correction. As far as I know, the Masonic Temple Building was the first skyscraper EVER, not just in Chicago. This event was a lot of fun and exactly the kind of thing I wish I could do all the time. Hopefully, someone can make something happen in Baltimore. In the meantime, I hope we can create more of a Chicago scene with this stuff.
True, Chicago being the birthplace of the skyscraper and all that!
Sounds like heaven. I would have LOVED to have been there.
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