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Welcome!
At first glance, Chicago can be overwhelming.
But, like any city, it is the sum of its parts, and its parts are diverse.
So, when trying to digest Chicago, don't try to take it all in with one big bite.
Chicago is "The City that Works."
"The City of Big Shoulders."
It boasts North America's tallest building and one of the world's largest office buildings.
With the ubiquitous elevated trains creating a continuous clatter, the city looks big.
Feels big.
Is big.
Also known as "The City of Neighborhoods," Chicago comprises over 75 official neighborhoods,
more if you count the names real estate salespeople have devised.
In and around Downtown: The Loop, Near North Side, South Loop.
Beyond Downtown: Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Uptown, Wicker Park/Bucktown, The South Side, and others.
Each neighborhood features its own distinct quality and character.
So, don't be overwhelmed by Chicago's size or grit.
Just find a corner of this city that suits you and celebrate its diversity.
The first non-native to settle in the area now known as Chicago was Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable,
a fugitive slave from San Domingo.
By 1779, a small settlement had sprung up around his camp, and another trader,
who was bought out by Jonathan Kinzie in 1804, eventually purchased Du Sable's stake.
So the great history of the great city had begun.
Chicago grew from a small frontier town to a booming metropolis on the lake,
drawing both Easterners and European immigrants.
With the upsurge in the economy, building began once more in the Loop,
with huge office towers going up everywhere,
joining the ranks of the Sears Tower and the John Hancock Tower.
It was the busiest time for building in the Loop since Mies van der Rohe
erected his steel and glass buildings 20 years before.
An influx of people returned to the city from the suburbs.
Neighborhoods that had been in decline, such as Lincoln Park and Lakeview,
had new life breathed into them.
The old Chicago of belching smokestacks and brawling politicians has given way to world-class museums,
architecture, restaurants, hotels and theaters,
but it still has the character that earned it the title as the most American of American cities.
Today, Chicago stands as a thriving metropolis,
the proud home of millions and a popular destination for travelers.
Welcome to Chicago! |
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