Chicago

Covering 237 square miles (613 square kilometers) along Lake Michigan, the city displays a dense urban core surrounded by 77 distinct neighborhoods, with the Chicago River branching through downtown and reversing its flow artificially since 1900.

Founded in 1837 with fewer than 4,000 inhabitants, the settlement expanded rapidly as a transportation hub linking the Great Lakes with the Mississippi River through canal construction completed in 1848, spurring industrial development that attracted millions of European immigrants.

Home to blues and jazz heritage, the city spawned musical innovations including house music during the 1980s, with nightclubs like the Warehouse establishing electronic dance traditions that spread worldwide.

Two major airports serve the metropolitan area: O'Hare International handles domestic and international flights 17 miles (27 kilometers) northwest, while Midway sits 10 miles (16 kilometers) southwest with primarily domestic connections accessible via rapid transit.

The street grid follows a numbering system established in 1909, using Madison Street and State Street as zero points, with addresses increasing by 800 per mile (about 100 per block) in all directions, simplifying navigation throughout the metropolitan area.

Location: Cook County

Founders: Jean Baptiste Point du Sable

Elevation above the sea: 179 m

Part of: Chicago metropolitan area

Shares border with: Park Ridge, Oak Park, Evanston, Blue Island, Skokie, Des Plaines

Address: Chicago, IL, USA

Phone: +13127445000

Website: https://chicago.gov

GPS coordinates: 41.88194,-87.62778

Latest update: November 28, 2025 13:38