As late as the second half of the 18th century, the area around the city was entirely inhabited by Native Americans, most of the Illinois tribe. 1)
The first non-Native American settler to arrive in the area 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. 2)
It was the first time in history that yellow cabs took to the streets in Chicago. Only later did other American cities adopt this color for this type of transportation. 3)
The city has a 26-mile stretch of Lake Michigan waterfront with close to 25 beaches. 4)
Chicago has several nicknames: Second City, Chitown, and The Big Onion. In recent years, new ones have also appeared: Chiberia (referring to the harsh winter) and Chiraq (referring to the high crime rate). 5)
Chicago is the third largest city in the United States after New York and Los Angeles. 6)
Chicago became the first city to build a blood bank in 1937. 7)
In 1900, Chicago successfully completed a massive and highly innovative engineering project - reversing the flow of the Chicago River so that it empties into the Mississippi River instead of Lake Michigan. The river is the only river in the world that flows backward. 8)
In 1973, Chicago banned the use of pay toilets. 9)
The world's first skyscraper, the Home Insurance Company, was built in 1885. 10)
The Columbian Exposition grounds in 1893 were so attractive and popular that they sparked the so-called “City Beautification” movement, which emphasizes parks, boulevards, and other green spaces in American urban planning. 11)
In 1908, the Chicago Sears Company offered home sets called “Sears Modern Houses”. 12)
The Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago owns the world's most complete T-Rex dinosaur, named Sue. 13)
In 1966, the Chicago post office had to close due to massive mail volume, causing a delay in the delivery of over 10 million letters and other mail. This closure was a major factor in the eventual creation of the United States Postal Service in 1971. 14)
Gwendolyn Brooks was the first African American woman to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1949. 15)
There are over 1,800 hot dog stands in the city of Chicago, more than the number of Burger Kings, McDonald's, and Wendy's restaurants in the city combined. 16)