Sara and I have become unofficial Al Capone afficionados. This wasn't a role we sought after, rather it was thrust upon us due to our unquenchable need to understand the roots of our new-found Mid West culture. Also, there's something fascinating about the mob, its sorta like that dead raccoon just off the road, you don't want to go shake its hand, or date its daughter, but you can't turn your head away as you drive by as quickly as possible.
A few days before we moved to Wisconsin we consulted the internet in search of a list of the reputable people that have lived in this fine state. Among the listed we found that Al Capone had two hideouts in Wisconsin, one up in the North Woods somewhere (we plan to find it in the Spring) and the other one right here in Brookfield.
We stored this information somewhere in the cache of our brain files and went on with life, never knowing that Al's hideout was in the subdivision next to ours. We took a little hike around the corner to what is now called Capone Court and snapped some pictures of Capone's creepy old house. The place sticks out like a sore thumb, being the only one in the cul-de-sac that was built pre-1970's. People actually live in this place! Can you imagine how awesome it would be to brag to your friends and family that you live in the house once owned by the world's most notorious mobster? Very awesome. I hope they don't mind me taking pictures, no one shot at me with a Tommy gun from the patio, so I imagine it was alright.
You should get on the internet and learn more about Al Capone. He was the ne'er-do-well of ne'er-do-wells. The real irony about the whole story is that after all his shenanigans, he was finally sent to Alcatraz on tax evasion charges. Those Untouchables would not have gotten my vote for G-men of the year. To make it even worse, his ultimate demise wasn't getting all shot up Bonnie and Clyde style, rather, after completing both of his prison terms in California he died of cardiac arrest brought on by syphilis. I take comfort in knowing that he went totally nutso in those last few years. Super sleuth Sara found out that Al's grave is located just outside of O'hare Airport, so we stopped by last week after I flew in from recruiting at BYU. Yeah, we
really like to find the final resting places of famous people (see the Pere Lachaise cemetary blogs of 2 years ago) so how could we resist that of Mr. Capone? Its way creepy that grass never grows in front of Al's gravestone. There used to be a huge bush planted in front of the family marker so that strange grave seekers couldn't find it. Next time any of you come out to visit, be sure to fly into O'hare so we can take you to see the mobsta cemetery.
You should get on the internet and learn more about Al Capone. He was the ne'er-do-well of ne'er-do-wells. The real irony about the whole story is that after all his shenanigans, he was finally sent to Alcatraz on tax evasion charges. Those Untouchables would not have gotten my vote for G-men of the year. To make it even worse, his ultimate demise wasn't getting all shot up Bonnie and Clyde style, rather, after completing both of his prison terms in California he died of cardiac arrest brought on by syphilis. I take comfort in knowing that he went totally nutso in those last few years. Super sleuth Sara found out that Al's grave is located just outside of O'hare Airport, so we stopped by last week after I flew in from recruiting at BYU. Yeah, we really like to find the final resting places of famous people (see the Pere Lachaise cemetary blogs of 2 years ago) so how could we resist that of Mr. Capone? Its way creepy that grass never grows in front of Al's gravestone. There used to be a huge bush planted in front of the family marker so that strange grave seekers couldn't find it. Next time any of you come out to visit, be sure to fly into O'hare so we can take you to see the mobsta cemetery.
1 comment:
Wow, that is one inconspicuous hideout. He should have just put a neon sign out front that said "AL CAPONE'S PLACE"
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