Nelson Algren’s Legacy Celebrated Through Tavern Tours

Nelson Algren, a renowned writer, was known to drink in the apartment where I grew up. He joined other writers and friends of my parents, filling the living room with lively conversations, smoke from cigarettes and cigars, and the sound of ice clinking against cocktails. Though I didn’t realize it then, Algren’s drinking was not marked by the desperate enthusiasm common among other famous writers. He was a talented writer, but his output was not as prolific as it might have been.

There is an upcoming three-day event in Chicago, not to indulge in Algren’s fondness for alcohol, but to honor his love for saloons and the people in them. These taverns were essential to neighborhood life, offering comfort from life’s storms. Algren once wrote, “Between streetcar stops stretch the streets where the shadow of the tavern and the shadow of the church form a dark and double-walled dead end.”

Algren left Chicago in 1975, and he passed away in 1981 from a heart attack in Sag Harbor, Long Island. His legacy lives on in his books, films, a museum, and numerous tributes. Journalist Mary Wisniewski, author of the biography “Algren: A Life,” explained Algren’s relationship with alcohol. She noted that few of his friends thought he was an alcoholic, though he sometimes overindulged. Mid-20th-century writers and artists were more inclined toward a culture of drinking than today. Algren frequented bars partly out of loneliness and a desire to be with others. Being in a Chicago tavern with friends was more enjoyable than being alone with his typewriter, especially as selling his work became more challenging.

This weekend of tavern hopping celebrates the 75th anniversary of Algren’s book “Chicago: City on the Make.” Paul Durica and Bill Savage are the creators of this event. Durica is the director of exhibitions at the Chicago History Museum and runs Pocket Guide to Hell. Savage teaches at Northwestern University, focusing on Chicago history and culture, particularly Algren’s work. Durica shared, “We developed this idea over beers at Miller’s Pub. We both believe that the book remains relevant. This event is another way to ensure Algren is remembered.”

At each tavern stop, Durica, Savage, and others will read from “City” and offer historical insights. “A key point of comparison with ‘City’ is Carl Sandburg’s poem ‘Chicago,’” Savage stated. “Both works reflect their times, and while we may no longer be ‘hog butcher for the world,’ Sandburg and Algren captured enduring aspects. The city of ‘the hustler and the square’ still exists, and Algren’s language is powerful.” The event will include music and other surprises, with tickets priced between $5 and $20. A cash bar is available.

The event starts at 7 p.m. Friday at Bernice’s Tavern, located at 3238 S. Halsted St., a neighborhood tavern with deep roots. Algren lived on the South Side as a boy and was a White Sox fan. The Black Sox scandal of 1919 helped him make keen observations on corruption in “City.”

At 1 p.m. Saturday, the event moves to the Old Town Ale House, 209 W. North Ave. The late Roger Ebert called it “the best bar in the world that I know about.” Algren was a regular here, and it features artwork by Bruce Elliott, including a sizable portrait of Algren.

The final stop is at 5 p.m. Sunday at the Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia Ave. This venue is the largest, boasting a stage for multiple readers. Participants include journalist Lester Munson, beer historian Liz Garibay, former Hideout owner Tim Tuten, poet Gregorio Gomez Aguayo, writer Dmitry Samarov, and radio host Mario Smith. A limited edition poster by Ethan D’Ercole will be available for purchase.

Algren spent part of his life nearby at 1523 W. Wabansia Ave., where he courted French writer Simone de Beauvoir. That building has since been demolished for the Kennedy Expressway’s lanes. Savage will display the Holiday magazine that first published segments of “City” and share items from his Algren collection.

Some people plan to attend all three days, while others might only join for one evening. The celebrations continue with a trip to the Nelson Algren Museum of Miller Beach in Indiana the following Saturday. It marks the 25th anniversary of the 50th anniversary edition of “City,” which teacher David Schmittgens and Savage annotated. Local brewery Hop Butcher for the World has crafted four beers inspired by “City on the Make.”