Chicago is weird. I don't mean that in a bad way, but if you spend enough time walking the Loop or grabbing a thin-crust square cut in Bridgeport, you realize the "official" version of the city doesn't really match the reality. Most people think they know the facts about the city of chicago—it’s cold, there’s deep dish pizza, and Al Capone ran the show.
That’s basically the tourist brochure version.
In reality, Chicago is a massive, sprawling architectural experiment built on a swamp that shouldn't exist. It’s a place where the river flows backward because we forced it to. It’s the birthplace of the skyscraper, yet it feels more like a collection of small European villages once you leave the shadow of the Willis Tower. You’ve probably heard it called the "Windy City" because of the gusts off Lake Michigan, right? Actually, that’s one of the first things people get wrong.
The Windy City Tag Has Nothing to Do With Weather
If you look at wind speed rankings from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Chicago usually isn't even in the top ten. Cities like Dodge City, Kansas, or even Boston often clock higher average speeds.
The name is political.
Back in the late 19th century, Chicago was competing with New York to host the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. Charles Dana, an editor at the New York Sun, got so fed up with Chicago politicians "blowing smoke" and bragging about their city that he labeled them "windy." He was calling the people full of hot air, not the climate. It stuck. Now, we just use it as an excuse for why our umbrellas break every Tuesday in October.
Architecture That Literally Changed the World
You can't talk about facts about the city of chicago without mentioning the skyline. After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871—which, for the record, probably wasn't started by Mrs. O'Leary's cow—the city had a blank slate. Architects like Louis Sullivan and Daniel Burnham moved in and decided that wood was out and steel was in.
In 1885, the Home Insurance Building became the world's first skyscraper. It was only 10 stories tall. By today's standards, that's a parking garage, but at the time, it was a revolution. It used a steel frame to support its weight instead of thick masonry walls. This changed everything. Without Chicago’s engineering ego, New York, Dubai, and Hong Kong would look very different.
Then there's the Willis Tower. Most locals still call it the Sears Tower, and if you call it Willis, we’ll know you’re from out of town. For 25 years, it was the tallest building on the planet. Even now, standing on "The Ledge"—the glass balcony on the 103rd floor—is a disorienting experience that makes your stomach do somersaults.
The River That Runs Backward
This is arguably the most insane engineering feat in American history. In the late 1800s, Chicago had a massive problem: it was dumping its sewage into the Chicago River, which flowed directly into Lake Michigan. Lake Michigan was also where the city got its drinking water.
You see the issue.
Cholera and typhoid were rampant. So, the city decided to simply flip the river. In 1900, the Sanitary District of Chicago completed a canal system that used gravity and a series of locks to reverse the flow. Instead of emptying into the lake, the river started flowing toward the Des Plaines River and eventually into the Mississippi. St. Louis was furious. They actually sued to stop it, but the Supreme Court eventually sided with Chicago.
Every St. Patrick's Day, we dye that same river a neon, radioactive-looking green. It’s a tradition started by the local plumbers' union using a vegetable-based dye. It stays that color for a few days, looking like a giant vat of lime Gatorade snaking through the downtown canyons.
Deep Dish is for Tourists, Thin Crust is for Locals
Let’s settle the pizza debate. If you visit, you’re going to Lou Malnati’s or Pequod’s for a massive, buttery crust filled with a pound of cheese. It’s delicious. It’s also a once-a-year meal for most people who actually live here.
The real Chicago style? It’s "Tavern Style."
It’s a very thin, almost cracker-like crust, loaded with fennel-heavy sausage, and—this is the important part—cut into squares. Never wedges. The "party cut" or "square cut" is the true king of Chicago neighborhoods. It was originally designed by tavern owners so that patrons could hold a small square of pizza in one hand and a beer in the other. It’s practical. It’s salty. It’s what you order on a Friday night while watching the Bulls.
A City of Firsts (And Some Bizarre Records)
The list of things invented here is honestly exhausting.
- The Ferris Wheel? Debuted at the 1893 World’s Fair to rival the Eiffel Tower.
- Spray paint? Ed Seymour invented it here in 1949.
- The zipper? Whitcomb Judson premiered it at the Chicago World's Fair.
- Blood banks? The first one in the U.S. was established at Cook County Hospital in 1937.
- Softball? Invented inside the Farragut Boat Club on a cold Thanksgiving Day in 1887. They used a rolled-up boxing glove as a ball.
We also have the only river in the world that is regularly dyed green and a lakefront that is almost entirely public. Thanks to a 19th-century legal battle and the vision of Aaron Montgomery Ward (the mail-order mogul), the lakefront is "forever open, clear and free." That’s why you don’t see private mansions or massive skyscrapers blocking the water; you see parks, beaches, and bike paths.
💡 You might also like: Domestic Flight News Today: Why Your Next Trip Just Got Complicated
The Reality of the Neighborhoods
Chicago has 77 officially defined community areas, but hundreds of "neighborhoods." This is where the facts about the city of chicago get complicated. The city is incredibly diverse, but it’s also historically one of the most segregated cities in the country.
In Bronzeville, you can feel the ghost of the Great Migration and the "Black Metropolis" where figures like Ida B. Wells and Louis Armstrong lived. In Pilsen, the street art and the National Museum of Mexican Art showcase a vibrant, fiercely proud Latino culture. In Andersonville, you'll find Swedish roots mixed with a massive LGBTQ+ community.
The "L" train—the elevated railway—is the pulse that connects these spots. It’s loud. It’s screechy. It’s sometimes late. But riding the Brown Line into the Loop at sunset, watching the golden light hit the glass of the skyscrapers while you glide over the river, is arguably the best $2.50 you’ll ever spend.
Quick Stats You Might Need
- Population: Roughly 2.7 million in the city, nearly 10 million in the metro area.
- Museums: The Art Institute of Chicago houses the largest collection of Impressionist paintings outside of Paris.
- Shoreline: 26 miles of open lakefront.
- Bridges: Chicago has 38 movable bridges, more than any other city in the world except maybe Amsterdam.
What Most People Miss About the "Black Sox" and Capone
History buffs love Chicago for the grit. The 1919 "Black Sox" scandal, where the White Sox allegedly threw the World Series, happened here. Al Capone's headquarters were at the Lexington Hotel. But if you ask a local about Capone, they’ll probably roll their eyes. He’s a piece of history, but he’s not the identity.
The real history is in the labor movements. The Haymarket Riot of 1886, which fought for the eight-hour workday, happened in the West Loop. That’s why we have May Day. The city was built on the backs of meatpackers and steelworkers. Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle was an exposé of the Chicago Union Stockyards. When you walk through the city today, you’re walking on the site of what was once the "Hog Butcher for the World."
Practical Next Steps for Your Chicago Visit
If you're planning to explore these facts about the city of chicago in person, don't just stay in the Loop. The Loop is for work; the neighborhoods are for living.
- Take the Architecture Foundation Boat Tour. Yes, it’s a bit touristy. No, locals don't hate it. It is legitimately the best way to see the engineering of the city.
- Eat Tavern Style Pizza in Bridgeport or Beverly. Try Vito & Nick’s. It’s legendary for a reason.
- Visit the Museum of Science and Industry. It’s located in the only remaining grand building from the 1893 World's Fair. You can walk through a real German U-boat from WWII.
- Walk the 606. It’s an abandoned elevated rail line turned into a park, similar to New York’s High Line but much more focused on local commuters and bikers.
- Check out a Jazz or Blues club. Skip the North Side tourist traps and head to Kingston Mines or Rosa’s Lounge.
Chicago is a city that demands you look closer. It’s a city of layers—literally, since parts of the city were raised several feet in the 1850s to install sewers, leaving "hidden" basement levels across the downtown area. It’s a place of massive ambition, deep-seated traditions, and some of the best food you’ll ever eat. Just remember to pack a coat, even if it’s May. You never know when the lake will decide to drop the temperature 20 degrees in ten minutes.