The Wrigley Building: Chicago's Gleaming Beacon of Gum, Grandeur, and Grit
- 123gochicago
- Nov 5
- 3 min read
Nestled at the threshold where the Chicago River meets the Magnificent Mile, the Wrigley Building stands as a luminous sentinel—its pristine white facade catching the light like a pearl in the city's crown. If Chicago is the City of Big Shoulders, this 1920s skyscraper is its polished handshake: elegant, unapologetic, and endlessly photogenic. Built as the headquarters for William Wrigley Jr.'s chewing gum empire, it's more than just an office tower; it's a time capsule of ambition, innovation, and that unmistakable Windy City swagger.
Picture Chicago in 1920: The Michigan Avenue Bridge is still under construction, and north of the river, it's less Magnificent Mile and more muddy Pine Street—a gritty stretch of docks, factories churning out soap and cheese, and the faint whiff of industrial ambition. Enter William Wrigley Jr., the Philadelphia-born chewing gum tycoon whose Juicy Fruit and Spearmint brands were already sticky-sweet sensations. Fresh off debuting his wares at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition (that dazzling "White City" fair that inspired so much of Chicago's Beaux-Arts flair), Wrigley eyed this odd-shaped plot at 400–410 North Michigan Avenue for his company's new digs.
Ground was broken on November 11, 1920, and the south tower rose swiftly, opening in April 1921 as Chicago's tallest building north of the river at 425 feet. Offices rented out before the paint dried—talk about a hot property. The north tower followed in 1924, connected by walkways at the third and fourteenth floors (the latter added in 1931 to shuffle bank offices per city regs). Costing a jaw-dropping $8 million (about $140 million today), it was dubbed "the house that chewing gum built." Wrigley, ever the showman, floodlit the exterior from day one, making it Chicago's first illuminated landmark—a nightly spectacle that turned heads and set the stage for the Mag Mile's glow-up.
What makes the Wrigley Building pop like a fresh pack of Doublemint? It's the handiwork of Graham, Anderson, Probst & White—titans of the era, channeling the City Beautiful movement born from Daniel Burnham's 1909 Plan of Chicago. Chief designer Charles Gerhard Beersman drew inspiration from Seville's Giralda tower (that soaring Spanish cathedral bell tower) fused with French Renaissance flourishes and Beaux-Arts grandeur.
The result? Two towers in harmonious discord: the 30-story south spire with its massive four-faced clock (each dial 19 feet across) and the 21-story north annex, angled for drama.
The star is the facade: over 375,000 pieces of glazed terra cotta in six shades of white-to-cream, hand-sculpted into ornate garlands, finials, and balustrades. It's not just pretty—it's practical.
This was Chicago's first air-conditioned office building, a cool oasis amid sweltering summers. Steel-framed for height, it nods to modernism while evoking the ethereal White City of 1893. Walk inside, and you're in a vaulted atrium of marble walls, floors, and original doors—historic corridors preserved like a gum wrapper's crisp fold. Renovations keep it fresh: Post-2011, over 2,000 windows were swapped and the terra cotta gets regular hand-washings to stay dazzling. Designated a Chicago Landmark in 2012.
Fun Facts: The Juicy Bits That Stick
Bug-Eyed Cameo: In the 1957 sci-fi schlock Beginning of the End, giant grasshoppers scale the Wrigley like a candy-coated Everest. Frank Sinatra crooned about it in "My Kind of Town" too: "Chicago is... the Wrigley Building." Pop culture immortality, achieved.
Clock Tower Secrets: Those south tower clocks? Accurate to the second, with Roman numerals that skip "IIII" for "IV" because Wrigley thought it looked classier. (Spoiler: It's a nod to traditional clockmaking.)
Riverfront Hideaway: Step through the center doors for a secluded plaza overlooking the Chicago River—once a buffer from soap factories' stink, now a serene urban escape.
Global Guests: From 1996–2011, the UK Consulate-General called the 12th and 13th floors home. Today, it's buzzing with outfits like the Austrian Consulate and Perkins and Will architects.
Centennial Shenanigans: For its 2021 birthday bash, owners hosted a contest for 100 couples to wed inside—370 entries poured in, each essay gushing about the building's intangible magic.
Next time you're strolling the Mag Mile, pause at its base. Snap a pic, pop some gum, and tip your hat to Wrigley Jr.—the man who turned a sticky idea into Chicago's sweetest skyline jewel.
Wrigley Building
400-410 Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
Discover More Hidden Gems
For more hidden gems check out my book Chicago Beyond the Bean, available now. It’s filled with stories that take you beyond the typical tourist spots to explore the city’s most fascinating corners.
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