Chicago
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Facts about Chicago

We found 34 facts about Chicago

From an Indian settlement to one of the largest cities in the USA

It is one of the largest American cities and one of the most important business areas. It is inhabited by a large number of people with Polish roots, whose ancestors emigrated to the USA before the outbreak of World War I. It is one of the greenest cities in the USA, where sports and recreation are an important aspect of residents' lives. Over the years, Chicago has also become an important scientific center and its inhabitants have offered the world many innovations that we still use today.

Chicago
1
The name of the region appeared for the first time in 1688 as "Chigagou", which in the Algonquian language meant onion field.
2
In the second half of the 18th century, the area around the city was entirely inhabited by Indians, mainly from the Illinois tribe.
3
The first non-Indian settler to arrive in these lands was Jean Baptiste Point du Sable.

Du Sable was a black merchant and trapper who came from Haiti to the Chicago area between 1770 and 1780.

4
Chicago received town rights on August 12, 1833.

At that time, the town had 350 inhabitants.

5
It received city rights on March 4, 1837.
6
The first railroad connecting Chicago with the city of Freeport opened in 1853.
7
Chicago experienced its greatest boom at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.

It was then that the city saw an influx of people who came to America from Europe. In 1900, 1.7 million people lived in Chicago, and 10 years later it was almost 2.2 million.

8
Chicago is the third largest and most populous city in the USA. It is inferior to New York and Los Angeles.
9
The population of Chicago is 2.7 million and the population density is almost 4450 people/km².
10
During World War I, Chicago was inhabited by 351.600 Poles.
11
The largest population center with Polish roots in Chicago is the Portage Park district.
12
It was for the first time in history that yellow taxis appeared on the streets of Chicago.

Only later did other American cities adopt this color for this type of transport.

13
Approximately 1.6 million people ride the Chicago subway every day.
14
Chicago is located on Lake Michigan, the third largest lake in the five Great Lakes of North America.
15
The city has a 41-kilometer stretch of Lake Michigan waterfront, with as many as 25 beaches.
16
Cyclists in Chicago have a lot to do.

There are over 321 kilometers of bicycle paths in the city, 30 km of which run along the lake shoreline.

17
There are 600 parks in Chicago.

The green space in the city covers an area of over 35 square kilometers.

18
Art lovers will not be disappointed, Chicago has about 60 museums and almost 200 art galleries.

For those craving theater arts, there are over 250 theaters available.

19
There are over 7300 restaurants in the city.

The most famous of them are Alinea, The Berghoff, Gene & Georgetti Steakhouse, Gibson's Bar & Steakhouse, Girl & the Goat, and The Signature Room at the 95th.

20
The Signature Room at the 95th restaurant is located on the 95th floor of the skyscraper at 875 N Michigan Ave.

There is a fantastic view of the city from there, which is a perfect addition to the restaurant's excellent cuisine.

21
While in Chicago, it is worth visiting the Museum of Science and Industry.

It is the largest museum dedicated to science and engineering in this region. In the museum you can admire a full-scale replica of a coal mine, the German U-boat U 505, and the command module of the Apollo 8 mission.

22
At the Chicago Museum of Natural History, you can admire the fossilized skeleton of the largest dinosaur - Patagotitan - and the most complete skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus named Sue.
23
The Lincoln Park Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in the United States.
24
Chicago is home to one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world - Willis Tower until 2009 known as Sears Tower.

The building has a height of 442,3 m to the roof and a total height of 527,3 m.

25
The first American to receive the Nobel Prize in science in 1907 was Albert A. Michelson, who worked at the University of Chicago.
26
The first skyscraper in the world was built in 1885 in Chicago. It was the Home Insurance Company Building.
27
In 1892, the first suspended railway in the USA was built in the city.
28
In 1943, Ike Sewell invented and created the world's first Chicago-style pizza.

This type of pizza is characterized by a thick layer of dough and ingredients and looks more like a casserole or a tart.

29
The first televised presidential debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon was filmed in the Chicago CBS studio.
30
Hugh Hefner, Walt Disney, and Harrison Ford were born in Chicago.
31
Spray paint was invented by Ed Seymour, a salesman who lived and lived in Chicago.
32
On April 15, 1956, the Chicago television station, NBC5 Chicago/WMAQ was the first in the world to broadcast a color program.
33
The first blood bank was established in Chicago in 1937 at Cook County Hospital.

The originator of this initiative was Dr. Bernard Fantus.

34
The first open-heart surgery can be boasted by Provident Hospital in Chicago, where Dr. Williams operated on a victim who was stabbed in the heart area.

The procedure took place in 1893 and was completely successful and the patient recovered after 2 months.

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