FROM THEIR OFFICES HERE IN CHICAGO.

AND HERE IN THE OPERATIONS CENTER ANALYSTS COMBINE AND COMPILE AND INTERPRET DATA FROM A NUMBER OF SOURCES LIKE THE SENSORS AND CELLPHONE DATA AND TRASK REPORTER IN AIRCRAFT AND HUNDREDS OF TRAFFIC-CAM RAS, INCLUDING MANY ON BILLBOARDS.

AND THAT INFORMATION IS COMPILED AND DISSEMINATED TO ALL OF US ON OUR NAVIGATION SOFTWARE IN OUR CARS AND TRAFFIC BILLBOARDS AND AS AND -- APPS AND YES, REPORTERS BY BART SHORE WHO DELIVERED THE RAPID FIRE TRAFFIC REPORTS WE HEAR ON THE RADIO.

AND HERE IS SOMEONE ELSE THAT YOU WILL RECOGNIZE... >> THAT'S BONNIE GREEN.

>> INDEED THAT IS BONNIE GREEN AND WTTW VIEWERS WILL RECOGNIZE HER BECAUSE SHE HOSTS OUR PLEDGE BREAKS.

>> YAY BONNIE.

ANYWAY TOTAL TRAFFIC SAYS THAT CHICAGO IS ONE OF THE FEW CITIES IN THE COUNTRY THAT USES TRAVEL TIMES FOR RELATING TRAFFIC INFORMATION BY 20 MINUTES FROM O'HARE TO THE CIRCLE INTERCHANGE.

IN YOUR DREAMS!

IN OTHER MARKETS TRAFFIC REPORTS RELAY INFORMATION ABOUT TRAFFIC INCIDENTS, CONSTRUCTION AND DELAYS.

AND BY THE WAY, THAT RAPID FIRE BANTER THAT YOU HEAR ON THE RADIO IS ANOTHER REASON WHY TRAFFIC REPORTERS STICK WITH THORNDALE.

THE INFORMATION IS COMING AT YOU SO FAST THAT MOST PEOPLE REALLY LISTEN FOR THE ROADS THAT THEY ARE INTERESTED IN.

AND SO IF YOU MESS WITH THE LANDMARKS, OR EVEN THE ORDER IN WHICH YOU ARE LISTING THE HIGHWAYS, LISTENERS WILL MISS IT.

>> THAT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE AS LISTENERS YOU ARE TRAINED ABOUT THE SITUATION.

OUR NEXT QUESTION THIS IS JUICEY... .

>> WELL, THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES.

BUT PHIL, I HAVE TO SAY JUST BY WAY OF STARTING HERE, THAT I'VE COME ACROSS A LOT OF ECCENTRIC CHARACTERS IN 25 YEARS OF DOCUMENTING CHICAGO HISTORY.

BUT EDITH McCORMICK TAKES IT TO A NEW LEVEL.

SHE WAS THE SOCIETY QUEEN AND THE PHILANTHROPIST DAUGHTER OF JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER AND THE WIFE OF HAROLD McCORMICK.

>> TWO DYNASTIES.

>> AND BOTH OF THEM.

AND SHE HAD GA-GA IDEAS SHE BELIEVED HERSELF TO BE THE REINCARNATION OF KING TUT'S CHILD BRIDE.

>> WHERE DID THEY HOLD THE RECEPTION?

>> THEY LIVED IN A ROMANNESQUE MANSION AT 1000 NORTH LAKE SHORE DRIVE AND DESIGNED BY BEAM MAN.

>> ISN'T THAT NEAR WHERE THE PALMER CASTLE USED TO BE?

>> YES.

THE McCORMICK'S NEIGHBORS WERE THE PALMERS.

AND THEY SORT OF CREATED CHICAGO'S GOLD COAST WHEN THEY BEGAN BUILDING THEIR CASTLE ACROSS LAKE SHORE DRIVE IN 1882 AND OTHER WEALTHY FAMILIES STARTED BUILDING MANSIONS NEARBY TO JOIN THEM AND MANY CAME FROM PRAIRIE AVENUE ON THE SOUTH SIDE.

THE McCORMICKS WOULD HOST OPULENT PARTS IN THE 41-ROOM HOME APPOINTED WITH FURNITURE, A DINNER SERVICE OWNED BY NAPOLEON'S SISTER AND A PERSIAN RUG SUPPOSEDLY OWNED BY PETER THE GREAT BUT IT COULD NOT BUY HAPPINESS FOR EDITH.

SHE LEFT HER FAMILY IN 1913 AND WENT OFF TO EUROPE TO SWITZERLAND ACTUALLY.

TO STUDY WITH THE PIONEERING PSYCHO ANALYST CARL YOUNG AND WHILE THERE SHE VISITED A ZOO WHERE THE ANIMALS WERE KEPT IN ENCLOSURES WITHOUT BARS AND SAW THAT AND WANTED TO BRING THAT BACK TO AMERICA.

SO THEN SHE DONATED 83 ACRES IN THE WESTERN SUBURBS IN CHICAGO TO BUILD BROOKFIELD ZOO IN 1919.

AND THEY WENT THROUGH A MESSY DIVORCE AND HAROLD REMARRIED AND EDITH NEVER DID.

SHE LIVED IN THE MANSION UNTIL 1932.

AND SHE DEVELOPED A LAKEFRONT COMMUNITY FOR THE ULTRA WEALTHY OVER THE BORDER IN WISCONSIN.

CALLED EDITHTON BEACH.

>> WHERE DID SHE GET THE NAME?

>> THEY HELD A CONTEST AND THE WINNER BUTTERED HER UP AND HE WON $5,000 BUT THE DEPRESSION DERAILED THAT PLAN AND DECIMATED HER FORTUNE.

>> HOW DID SHE WINDUP IN THE DRAKE?

>> SHE MOVED INTO A FOUR-ROOM SUITE AT THE DRAKE PARTLY TO ECONOMIZE BECAUSE THE FORTUNE HAD BEEN LOST BUT IT WAS NOT RIGHT SHE FELT SHE SHOULD LIVE SIMPLY AT A TIME WHEN PEOPLE WERE INDEED.

A FOUR-ROOM SUITE AT THE DRAKE HOTEL QUALIFIED AS LIVING SIMPLY.

>> SCALING DOWN.

>> SCALING DOWN.

DOWNSIZING.

ANYWAY, SADLY SHE DIED OF CANCER AT AGE 60.

ONLY A FEW MONTHS AFTER MOVING INTO THE DRAKE.

AFTER TRYING IN VAIN TO CURE HERSELF WITH PSYCHOLOGY.

THE McCORMICK MANSION SAT VACANT UNTIL DEMOLISHED AND REPLACED WITH A TOWER AND HAS A PLACE IN WTTW HISTORY.

>> WHAT?

>> OUR BROADCAST ANTENNA WAS ON THE TOP OF THAT BUILDING PUT THERE IN 1964 AND MOVED TO SEARS TOWER IN 1974.

>> INTERESTING.

A CHARACTER.

THANK YOU GEOFFREY.

>> AND AS ALWAYS MORE ON OUR