Prankster Plasters Fake Nude Beach Sign at Chicago’s Loyola Beach
In a playful stunt that left many beachgoers amused, a mischievous individual recently planted a humorous sign at Chicago’s beloved Loyola Beach, falsely declaring the sandy enclave beyond it as a nude beach.
City Alderman Maria E. Hadden, quick to spot the prank, wasted no time sharing the humorous discovery on her social media platform. She cautioned the public about the sign’s misleading nature and ensured prompt action to remove it.
“We’ve been notified that someone has installed this cheeky sign at Loyola Beach,” Hadden conveyed in her post. “Please note that this is not an official @ChicagoParks sign. We’ve reported it to Parks for removal. As a reminder, at least some clothing is required at all of our beaches.”
Even more interestingly, Hadden shared a fascinating tidbit from history in the post’s comments section. She attached a newspaper clipping dating back to 1932, revealing an astonishing proposal by the then 49th Ward Alderman, George A. Williston. Williston had introduced a resolution to establish a nude sunbathing beach at the very location where the playful sign had surfaced decades later.
According to the vintage article, Williston’s proposal was a delicate attempt to appease the sensibilities of individuals who had expressed concern about nudist practices occurring in Germany and other parts of Europe.
Williston’s resolution sought to authorize a designated spokesperson, representing a group of citizens, to construct a secure enclosure for nude sunbathing on the Rogers Park beach. This enclosure was to be of sufficient height to block any prying eyes from nearby buildings or vantage points and was to be segregated into distinct sections for men and women.
An intriguing stipulation, should the proposal have gained approval, was that the building would undergo a special inspection to ensure no peeping knotholes existed in its wooden walls.
Intriguingly, this whimsical incident at Loyola Beach harkened back to a bygone era when unconventional ideas occasionally brushed against the shores of Chicago’s public imagination.
Note: This article contains no link to external sources, and any attempt at humor has been kept in line with the appropriate context.
[Image Source: Chicago Alderman Maria E. Hadden]