Chicago, nicknamed The Windy City, is the third-largest city in the state of Illinois in the United States of America.The Art Institute of Chicago, the world’s best-rated museum, is located in Chicago. The city is also recognized as the railroad capital of the United States, as it is served by more major railroads than any other city in the country.The name Chicago comes from a French translation of the indigenous Miami-Illinois term shikaakwa, which refers to a wild onion relative known botanically as Allium tricoccum and more generally known as ‘ramps.‘Chicago is known for being tourist-friendly, and it is the ideal city for people seeking a world-class metropolis area with Midwestern values.Seventy-seven distinct neighborhoods within nine districts make up Chicago’s backbone. Each has its unique blend of history, culture, attractions, and personality. The city is the United States’ third-largest convention center.Chicago has one of the nicest skylines in the United States, with over 1,300 high-rise structures, more than 50 of which are above 600 ft (182.9 m) tall.The 110-story Willis Tower, formerly known as the Sears Tower, is the city’s tallest building. The first skyscraper was built in Chicago in 1885, with the Home Insurance Building being the first.The annual Chicago River dyeing is a beloved tradition that dates back over half a century and is one of the world’s most recognized St. Patrick’s Day activities. The event takes place on the Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day, when the Chicago River is dyed green and remains that way for about five hours. On this day, the Chicago River sparkles in hues of emerald, making it a beautiful sight.Continue reading to learn some more interesting facts about Chicago in Illinois. After reading these facts about Chicago, you may also look at other fun fact articles about theUniversity of Chicago and how often it snows in Las Vegas.Topography Of Chicago, IllinoisChicago is located in the northwestern part of the United States, on the south-eastern tip of Lake Michigan. Chicago is the state’s largest city and the country’s third most populated metropolis, with a population of almost three million people.The Chicago metropolitan area in northeastern Illinois, which includes Chicago and its surrounding suburbs, is known as Chicagoland. ‘Chicagoland’ is a colloquial term for the whole Chicago metropolitan area, which includes the city and all of its suburbs. The Illinois Department of Tourism, however, defines the Chicagoland area as Cook County (excluding the city of Chicago) plus Lake, DuPage, Kane, and Will counties.The overall driving distance between Chicago and Wisconsin is 195 mi (313.8 km), with a driving time of three hours if you don’t stop. The whole driving distance between Chicago and Frankfort, Illinois, is 36 mi (57.9 km) and takes 45 minutes to one hour.Chicago to Springfield, Illinois, is 200 mi (321.9 km) and takes around three hours to drive. The distance between Chicago and Cleveland is 344 mi (553.6 km), and it takes roughly five hours and 20 minutes to drive there.The city’s original town tract, which was limited by Lake Michigan on the east, North Avenue Beach on the north, Wood Street on the west, and 22nd Street on the south, was laid out in a street grid that evolved from the city’s original town plot.Former US President Barack Obama lives in the Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side. Chicago is home to the University of Chicago, which is regarded among the top 10 universities in the world, as well as the Museum of Science and Industry.The University of Illinois in Chicago is located on the Near West Side, which was originally home to Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Studios, which has been rebuilt as the global headquarters of McDonald’s.John F Kennedy High School is a public four-year high school in Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is located in the Garfield Ridge area on the southwest side of the city. The school is named after John F Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States.Chicago is renowned as the railroad capital of the United States, as it has more mainline railroads servicing it than any city in the country, and the Chicago Transit Authority administers the country’s second-largest public transport system. On a typical daily, the CTA sees 1.6 million riders.Communities In Chicago, IllinoisIn 1833, Chicago became a township, and in 1837, it became a city. The city is made up of 77 communities and spans 234 sq. mi. (606.1 sq. km) of territory. Chicago has various nicknames such as the Windy City, Chi-Town, Second City, and the City of the Big Shoulders.Improvisational comedy, house music, industrial music, blues, hip hop, gospel, jazz, and soul are just a few of the performing genres that Chicago, Illinois, is noted for inventing or significantly advancing. The Chicago School and Prairie School architecture are well-known in the city.Manufacturing, printing, publishing, insurance, transportation, financial trading and services, and food processing are all significant contributors to the city’s economy.Chicago has a plethora of regional specialties that reflect the city’s ethnic and working-class origins. Its nationally known deep-dish pizza, which is supposed to have originated at Pizzeria Uno, is one of them. This sort of pizza is baked in a pan with a high edge, allowing for more cheese and chunky tomatoes.Bertha Palmer is a famous personality who contributed a lot to Chicago’s history. She acted as the de facto hostess for the city of Chicago during the World’s Columbian Exposition, a fair organized to honor Christopher Columbus. She entertained monarchs and presidents. She was there for the first official ride on the opening day of the Ferris wheel.Jennifer Hudson is a Chicago native, American singer, and actor who has won two Grammy awards, a Daytime Emmy award, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe.Architecture Of Chicago, IllinoisChicago remained a minor community even after Illinois became a state in 1818. With the construction of canals and railroads, Chicago became a more appealing destination for manufacturing.Chicago became the enormous industrial metropolis it is today as a result of a succession of great engineering projects staged by the state that established a sewer system, drinking water, and a path linking the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins.The city rebuilt itself after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which devastated several square miles and left more than 100,000 people homeless. During the next decades, the construction boom drove population expansion, and by 1900, less than 30 years after the Chicago Fire, the city had risen to become the world’s fifth-largest metropolis.South bank, on the Chicago River’s South Branch, combines the best of modern design with almost two acres (0.8 ha) of the riverside park. Southbank is a metropolitan paradise in the heart of the city, offering the best in modern housing, food, culture, and entertainment just steps from downtown.The Willis Tower is one of Chicago’s most popular attractions, with millions of tourists each year. On a clear day, guests can see Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan from the Skydeck, which is the second tallest building in the Western Hemisphere after One World Trade Center. Trump International Hotel and Tower is the third tallest structure in the country.Architect Jeanne Gang is known to have built the Aqua Tower, an 82-story residential tower in the heart of Chicago, which is the world’s second-tallest structure built by a woman.Chicago has 18.5 mi (29.8 km) of sand along Lake Michigan, making for a spectacular summer beach spot without saltwater.In 2018, the median home value in Chicago was $285,579, while the median rent was $166 more than the national average of $1,469.Monuments And Public Art In Chicago, IllinoisNumerous excellent museums in Chicago are well-known and well-worth visiting. When visiting Chicago, you might wish to spend some time in one or more museums, depending on how much you enjoy museums.Next to Millennium Park is the Art Institute of Chicago. It is one of the country’s oldest and largest art museums, and it frequently appears on lists of the world’s best museums.The Museum of Science and Industry is a great place to visit since it has a lot of interactive displays and hands-on experiences. It’s in Hyde Park, which is a little out of the way from downtown Chicago.The Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum, the Field Museum of Natural History, and the Shedd Aquarium are all part of the city’s Museum Campus, a 10 acre (four ha) lakefront park that surrounds three of the city’s main museums, each of which is nationally significant.Outside of Paris, Chicago possesses the largest collections of Impressionist paintings. The Art Institute of Chicago houses this collection. In terms of art, Chicago has about 700 public pieces of art and over 125 art galleries.Broadway The Nederlander Theatre, Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, the Broadway Playhouse at Chicago Water Tower Place and the Auditorium Building of Roosevelt University all offer Broadway-style entertainment in Chicago.The Chicago Avenue Pumping Station is a property contributing to the historic district of the Old Chicago Water Tower District. It is located on Michigan Avenue in the Near North Side neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, along the Magnificent Mile shopping district.Spray painting was pioneered by Chicago paint salesman Ed Seymour, and it is currently utilized to produce vibrant artwork in public locations throughout the city.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our Chicago Illinois facts, then why not take a look at our articles on the Eiffel Tower’s height (Las Vegas) or the Eiffel Tower in the USA?

Chicago, nicknamed The Windy City, is the third-largest city in the state of Illinois in the United States of America.