Election Night in Chicago – Words Cannot Describe

I usually blog about what's happening in the real estate market, but today's post will be a little different. Let me just say that last night, Chicago felt like the center of the universe.

I've lived in the Windy City for 10 years now, and never in my life have I experienced a night like the one of Nov. 4, 2008. Not even the White Sox winning the World Series or all the Chicago Bulls NBA championships can compare to the magnitude of emotions that ebbed and flowed last night across the lawns of Grant Park and down the sidewalks of nearby Michigan Avenue. It didn't matter whether the local votes were blue or red — no one who was here in this city last night could deny the intensity that permeated the atmosphere.

HomeFinder.com's offices are within walking distance from Grant Park, where newly elected president, Barack Obama, held his election-night rally. Many HomeFinder.com colleagues and I made our way over there to watch the festivities from this historic night. It was a night that I will never forget, a night where America ushered in its first African American president.

Election Night 2008 in pictures

This photo essay from the evening says it all. It includes shots taken by several of my friends in New York City, who captured the hoopla in their city.

'Buy a piece of history!' one street vendor yelled as people headed down to Grant Park. Vendors were hawking T-shirts for $20 and buttons for $3.

To the west of the park, a picturesque skyline painted a perfect backdrop with the spires of the Sears Tower in red, white and blue. On the north end, another building's windows glowed 'USA'.

By 9:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday night, thousands of people continued to crowd the entrance way at Congress Parkway to get into the ticketed and non-ticketed areas of Grant Park.

Long before election results began rolling in, people waited anxiously, text-messaging their friends inside the gated area of the park.

Non-ticket holders, who didn't have access to the main celebration area, still got to anxiously follow election results on several Jumbotron TV screens positioned throughout the park.

Tired of standing, some people caught a good view of the festivities on top of Porta Potties.

A guy carried an American flag as he and his buddies watched election results from atop a Porta Pottie.

This young boy, perched on his father's shoulder, waved a flag and cheered every time Obama racked up more electoral votes.

The people who attended the Obama rally ranged from all age groups and ethnicities.

Inside Grant Park, people watched — some still shocked, others in awe — as Barack Obama gave his acceptance speech.

People took to the streets, dancing, waving Obama signs and high-fiving strangers as they made their way out of Grant Park. One man was offering free hugs to people leaving the rally.

One man, who was singing in celebration, held up a sign that read 'Yes We Did.'

The GE building in New York City kept count of the electoral votes on the front of their building, with red, white and blue lights illuminating the facade of the art deco skyscraper. Photo courtesy of Adam Valentine.

The Rockefeller Center was also aglow with red, white and blue. Photo courtesy of Adam Valentine.

I want to give special thanks to HomeFinder.comrs Angela Ripinski and Nitha Nagubadi, who contributed photos to this essay.

Got hot local housing tips or a story you want to share? Contact Amy Le at openingdoorsblog@HomeFinder.com.

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