Chicago has a population of 2.7 million, making it the third most populous city in the U.S. It was incorporated in 1837. In 1871 much of Chicago was consumed in a major fire which left over 100,000 homeless. Thirty years after being rebuilt, it was the fifth largest city in the world! Many noteworthy buildings from the past are still standing. Examples are:
The Art Institute
Founded in 1879, The Art Institute is one of the oldest art museums in the country and the second largest. The current building opened in 1893 for the second year of the Columbian Exposition. The first photo is dated 1900, the second 1905.
Marshall Field & Company
The building housing the Marshall Field’s store was built in phases from 1881-1909. It had 1.3 million square feet of retail space over 12 floors and for a while was “the world’s largest department store.” It was acquired in 2006 by Macy’s, which has done a suburb job of maintaining the Field’s traditions. For an excellent article on what they have done, go to visitmacys.com and scroll down to The Fascinating History of Macy’s on State St. The first photo is undated.
Navy Pier
Navy Pier opened in 1916 as a shipping dock and was named to honor Navy veterans returning from WWI. It reaches out 3,000 feet into Lake Michigan, covers 50 acres, and currently hosts two million visitors a year, making it one of the top attractions in the Mid-West. The first photo is dated 1916.
The Museum of Science and Industry
The Museum of Science and Industry Museum was originally constructed in 1893 as the Palace of Fine Arts for the Columbian Exposition. The building is the only major one not destroyed when the fair closed It was later renovated and opened as the museum in 1933. The first photo is dated 1893.
