Garfield Park in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Finley Peter Dunne
— Chicago Tribute —
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, December 4, 2021
1. Finley Peter Dunne Marker
Note that the marker's pole is somewhat tilted, hence the odd angle for the marker.
Finley Peter Dunne
Journalist
1867 - 1936
One of the most memorable characters in Chicago literature is Martin Dooley, the loquacious and opinionated Irish immigrant who tended bar along Archer Avenue in the Bridgeport neighborhood. Mr. Dooley was created by Finley Peter Dunne.
Peter Finley Dunne (he later reversed his names) was born to Irish Catholic immigrants in 1867. With his instinct for a good story, he gravitated toward journalism, joining the staffs of several newspapers, including the Chicago Telegram and the Chicago Times. It was at the Chicago Evening Post where he created the character of Martin J. Dooley, who was modeled after a real-life Chicago bartender. Mr. Dooley was known for his quick wit, common sense, and strong opinions delivered in a broad Irish dialect.
Dunne's weekly columns became a Saturday evening tradition in Chicago. Between 1893 and 1900, he wrote about 300 Dooley pieces. In 1893-95, Dunne lived at 3109 West Warren Boulevard.
Dunne's satirical pieces on the Spanish-American War earned him a national reputation. By World War I, Finley Peter Dunne was the most famous newspaper columnist in the country.
Erected 2002 by Chicago Tribune Foundation,
this page online
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment. In addition, it is included in the Chicago Tribute series list. A significant historical date for this entry is July 10, 1867.
Location. 41° 52.908′ N, 87° 42.254′ W. Marker is in Chicago, Illinois, in Cook County. It is in Garfield Park. Marker is on West Warren Boulevard east of North Kedzie Avenue, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3109 West Warren Boulevard, Chicago IL 60612, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Behold Thy Mother (approx. 0.3 miles away); Garfield Park (approx. 0.4 miles away); a different marker also named Garfield Park (approx. 0.4 miles away); Garfield Park Fieldhouse (approx. 0.6 miles away); a different marker also named Garfield Park (approx. 0.6 miles away); Garfield Park Natural Area (approx. 0.6 miles away); a different marker also named Garfield Park Natural Area (approx. 0.7 miles away); a different marker also named Garfield Park (approx. 0.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chicago.
More about this marker. The "3109" West Warren address is no longer extant, with the church now located on that building's lot.
Also see . . .
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, December 4, 2021
2. Finley Peter Dunne Marker - wide view
The marker is visible here just peeking above the white car.
"Finley Peter Dunne (July 10, 1867 – April 24, 1936) was an American humorist, journalist and writer from Chicago. In 1898 Dunne published Mr. Dooley in Peace and in War, a collection of his nationally syndicated Mr. Dooley sketches. Speaking with the thick verbiage and accent of an Irish immigrant from County Roscommon, the fictional Mr. Dooley expounded upon political and social issues of the day from his South Side Chicago Irish pub. Dunne's sly humor and political acumen won the support of President Theodore Roosevelt, a frequent target of Mr. Dooley's barbs. Dunne's sketches became so popular and such a litmus test of public opinion that they were read each week at White House cabinet meetings."(Submitted on December 14, 2021.)
Photographed By Charles Scribner's Sons
3. Finley Peter Dunne portrait (marker photo source image)
Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 14, 2021, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 208 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 14, 2021, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. 3. submitted on December 14, 2021.
