Chicago was founded in 1833 as a town to link the Great Lakes with the Mississippi River system. Informally called the "Windy City" - Chicago is a major center of transportation, industry, politics, culture, finance, medicine & education. 

Chicago in its first century was one of the fastest growing cities in the world, heavily promoted by entrepreneurs & land speculators. It reached 1 million people by 1890.

Starting in 1848, the city became an important transportation link between the eastern & western United States. A combination of railways, steamboats & sailing ships connected  the Great Lakes through Chicago to the Mississippi River. The city's manufacturing & retail sectors dominated the Midwest & greatly influenced the American economy.

After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, Chicago experienced rapid rebuilding & growth including  the first skyscraper which was constructed in 1885.

The 1920s brought notoriety to Chicago as gangsters such as Al Capone battled each other & the law during the Prohibition era. 

On December 2nd 1942, the world's first controlled nuclear reaction was conducted at the University of Chicago as part of the top secret Manhattan Project.

 Starting in the 1950s, many upper & middle-class citizens left the inner-city of Chicago for the suburbs & left many impoverished neighborhoods in their wake.

Since the early 1990s, Chicago has seen a turnaround with many formerly abandoned neighborhoods starting to show new life.

Today's Chicago has seen considerable investment in infrastructure, revitalizing downtown theatres & retail districts, & improving lakefront & riverfront cityscapes.