A Morning Detour to McKinlock Gate
An early downtown errand turned into an unexpected art encounter—Chicago’s full of these surprises if you just take the long way around.
This morning I had to head downtown early, so I hopped on the bus. I arrived a little ahead of schedule, and the morning air was so cool and pleasant that I thought, “Why not walk a little more?” Instead of going straight in, I looped around the building, aiming for a different entrance. That’s when this massive iron gate suddenly came into view.
As I walked closer, I thought, Wait… haven’t I seen this before? Sure enough—it’s the McKinlock Gate at Northwestern University. It’s a memorial for George Alexander McKinlock Jr., a soldier who died in World War I, created by the artist Samuel Yellin. Pretty magnificent, right? Apparently, Yellin’s work can be found all over the U.S. The only other place I’ve been where he has work is The Cloisters in New York… though honestly, I couldn’t tell you exactly where it was.
That’s the magic of walking in Chicago—you never know when you’ll stumble upon a giant, jaw-dropping piece of art. Lately, I’ve been guilty of letting the heat boss me around, sticking to the shortest, fastest routes possible. But this little morning detour reminded me just how much joy there is in taking the scenic route.
Up close, you can see that the higher you look, the more intricate the motifs become—and even the structural supports have elegant twisted designs. Beauty in every detail!