Chicago Guide » More About Chicago: Overview

Overview

First city to use the word "jazz." First planetarium in the Western World. First atomic reaction. First steel-framed skyscraper. First elevated train system. First commercial air flight. The Second City of Comedy has experienced its fair share of firsts over the years. Indeed, the Windy City has a style and pace all its own. Little wonder that the Chairman of the Board christened it, "My kind of town!"

In the 1670s, Marquette and Joliet discovered a route connecting the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River. The link relied on the Chicago River and allowed the French to expand their American empire. The area later fell under the auspices of the British and, by 1795, those of the United States. Over the next century, the tiny settlement grew into the country's main east and west portal.

Between the year of its incorporation (1833) and the year of the Great Fire (1871), Chicago ballooned from 300 to 300,000 people. From the ashes of the fire, a New Chicago arose, shaking off its pioneer planks. Indeed, artists and architects converged on post-fire Chicago, creating a phalanx of modern design and sweeping decorative elements.

The city also emerged as a leading cultural and educational center. Today, the University of Chicago, University of Illinois-Chicago, DePaul University, and Northwestern University combine with smaller schools to create a modern-day Alexandria, and iconic institutions like the Art Institute of Chicago and Oriental Theatre don't merely bring culture to the city – they share Chicago's own brand with the world.

Chicagoans know how to play as well as to enrich, and even first-time tourists recognize the city's symbiotic relationship with the Bears, Bulls, Cubs, and White Sox. Plus, Historic Navy Pier and Brookfield Zoo provide great places to spend the day with kids. Meanwhile, Lake Shore Park, Lincoln Park, and Grant Park are popular for their jogging paths and for hosting public galas like the Chicago Jazz Festival.

Yes, there is jazz in Chicago. And rock. And soul. And even Cajun. The nightscape is rich in quality and possibility. One night you're ambling around the North Side's pubs or dance clubs; another, you're tucked into a crowded booth in Buddy Guy's on the South Side. The flourishing dining scene, too, leaves no stone uncovered. In addition to historic standbys – steakhouses, Italian restaurants, and dog and burger joints – there's a truly international palate of choices, from churrasco to sushi, pelmeni to sweetbreads.

Chicago is also the story of trade and politics. For many years, big business and the mob had their hands firmly planted in the pockets of local government. Thankfully, such corruption is long gone, and "Windy City" better references climatic conditions than the turbulent political landscape. Today, business thrives along the Lake Michigan shore like never before, thanks to Fortune 500 stalwarts like the Boeing Company, Bank One, and Sara Lee.

And then there are the people of Chicago, whose wry wit, Midwestern values, and friendly demeanor make the city one of the world's most hospitable. Combine that with a wealth of diversions and an awe-inspiring skyline, and it's easy to see why Chicago has been romanticized in poetry, song, TV, and film time and time again. Indeed, far from being a Second City, Chicago is now more than ever "everybody's kind of town."