13 Things You Didn’t Know About Chicago
Photo: Oleggg/Shutterstock
1. In 1949, spray paint was invented in Chicago.
2. The Chicago River is the only river in the world that flows backward.
In 1887, the flow of the Chicago River through civil engineering by taking water from Lake Michigan and discharging it into the Mississippi River watershed was reversed.
3. More than 50 million people visited Chicago in 2014.
With a skyline like this who can blame them.
4. Hugh Hefner started Playboy Magazine in Chicago in 1953.
The first Playboy Mansion was also in Chicago.
5. In 1893, the Ferris wheel was invented in Chicago in 1893 for the World’s Columbian Exposition.
Today, Navy Pier features a beautiful Ferris wheel of it’s own.
6. The largest collection of Impressionist paintings in the USA is at The Art Institute of Chicago.
It’s no wonder Trip Advisor named the Art Institute of Chicago the World’s Best Museum in 2014.
7. On a clear day you can see four states from the Willis Tower (Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin).
8. Historic Route 66 began in Chicago.
9. In 1885, Chicago became home to the first skyscraper.
The first skyscraper, the Home Insurance Building, was originally nine stories tall. The tallest building in Chicago currently is Willis Tower.
10. Every year for St. Patrick’s Day, the Chicago River is dyed green.
Thousands gather to watch the Plumbers Union dye the Chicago River a bright green shade. The dye is actually 45 lbs of vegetable based dye and is actually orange before it hits the water.
11. The first controlled, self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction happened under University of Chicago’s former football field.
12. Navy Pier has fireworks shows Wednesday and Saturday all summer long.
13. Walt Disney was born in Chicago.
What did you think of this story?
