penguin chick pictureHI EVERYBODY!!

Chicago has a lot of very interesting traditions. One of them is where they turn the Chicago River green on something called St. Patrick's Day. Mom says we can't swim there cause it would make us turn green too, but it looks like it fun anyway.

See you later!


For over 40 years, the Chicago River has been transformed from
a murky almost non-descript color to a bright Irish Green!
This duty has fallen to the Chicago Journeyman Plumbers
since 1961, when it was observed that a dye used for spotting leaks
into the river turns a perfect color green.

Now as to why they can't dye it blue the rest of the year.. well never mind!

 

A little drop of green...
stir gently...
and let spread!
The crowd watches in awe.
The dye begins to mix..
and gets churned up.
A marine mix-master?
Careful of the no-wake area!
Spread it towards the lake!
Making sure the mixing is complete.
The dye goes every which way.
And almost as soon as it starts...
it spreads down river and disappears.
The traditional wearin' of the green.
What DOES an Irishman were beneath his kilt?

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All original works on this site are copyright © 2004 Phillip A Barker, Jr, (except where noted or owned by others), and are registered with the U.S. Copyright Office.
*Emperor penguin chick photo courtesy of Guillaume Dargaud