What is "The Chicago Cultural Mile"?

Upon walking down Michigan Avenue recently just north of Roosevelt, we noticed a sign we haven't seen or just simply overlooked - it says "Welcome to the Chicago Cultural Mile".

While we've heard of this and even posted about the moniker once (back in February 2013), for some reason the signs surprised us.  Upon doing some digging on the interwebs we found the following from May 2014 (via NBCchicago):

A Chicago not-for-profit organization has transformed part of Michigan Avenue into what they’re calling the “Chicago Cultural Mile” to recognize cultural institutions and historic buildings along the stretch.  

The Cultural Mile starts at the Chicago River and extends south to Roosevelt Road and east to the Museum Campus. On a map, it appears to be an extension of Michigan Avenue’s Magnificent Mile, which begins at Oak Street and ends at the river.  

Bronze signs announcing the boundaries of the Cultural Mile will be placed in medians on Michigan Avenue at Wacker Drive and Roosevelt Road this month. Owners of buildings along that stretch will also be provided with flags bearing the name “Chicago Cultural Mile” to hang from their buildings.

Seems like a nice idea to us and there surely is reason to tout all of the things on this stretch.  Frankly, all of the parks and museums along this stretch are some of the best things about Chicago.

It also seems to us that more and more interesting things are happening on Michigan Ave south of the River.  We give a ton of credit to Millennium Park and all of the tourists and people it has brought to this stretch.  Seems like the "Cultural Mile" is trending upwards.

There is even a website with background and news as well as the map above.

Anyway, it's nice to see the Sloop's stretch of Michigan Avenue get some much warranted love.