Chicago

Chicago always has been a city of contrasts. It is a business center, with a varied, inspiring economy. It is also a tourism center, with world-renowned shopping, dining, museums, architecture, theater, music and more. Chicago is an exciting, international city with a friendly Midwestern outlook. The high-class architecture, smooth jazz and raw blues, lakeside food festivals, cutting-edge galleries, innovative theater, cocktails at Al Capone’s favorite nightclub are quintessential to the city. Chicago is the third largest city of the United States. The city when combined with its suburbs and eight collar counties forms the greater metropolitan area known as Chicagoland; and when Chicago and Chicagoland are combined with the greater Milwaukee region, is considered a megacity or megalopolis. Chicago is located in the Midwest state of Illinois along the western shores of Lake Michigan. Ranked as one of the ten alpha world cities, Chicago is best known for its multi-ethnic cuisine skyscrapers and sports teams. Chicago was originally inhabited by Potawatomis. In the 1770s the first non-native settler, Jean Baptiste Point du Sable settled on the banks of the Chicago River.

In 1795, the area served as a military post for the sepoys of United States. In March 1833, the town of Chicago was integrated as a city by the state. The opening of the Illinois and Michigan Canal in 1848, the first rail line to Chicago, the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad put Chicago on the trail to become the transportation hub of the United States with its road, rail, and water (and later air) connections. The city faced two booms in the construction of commercial buildings- the period after the recession of the 1870s and the early 1890's. In 1871, most of the city burnt into ashes in the Great Chicago Fire. The following years were the years of revitalization. The world renowned architects of the 19th Century proved to be more engineers than architects. In 1885 the first skyscraper was constructed. 1893 Chicago World's Fair put Chicago’s revival onto the world scene. Chicago World Fair was an unbelievingly popular and immensely influential social and cultural event. Many wealthy Chicagoans made their fortunes in 1880s and 1890s, but poverty stigmatized the lot of poor people. Chicago started showing more signs of technological growth when the world's first controlled nuclear reaction was conducted at the University of Chicago as part of the top-secret Manhattan Project in December 1942. Lively ethnic neighborhoods have been Chicago’s unique feature.

Devon Avenue is an Indian neighborhood and has Indians and Pakistanis working as professionals in Chicago. Chinatown near 35th and Cermak is a major tourist attraction. The 'Michigan Riviera,' has historic lighthouses, sophisticated art colonies and the best beaches in the Midwest. Chicago was known as a lawless city back in the 1920’s, but now the crime rate has greatly slumped. From world class shopping, to unique neighborhoods rich in distinctive heritage, with their city parks and local gathering places, the city has all to boast off. The city’s most popular attractions are Millennium Park, Navy Pier, Taste of Chicago, Grand Victoria Casino, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago Cubs, Harrah's Casino Joliet , Empress Casino Joliet, Hollywood Casino Aurora, Brookfield Zoo, Chicago Air & Water Show, Chicago White Sox, Field Museum, Art Institute of Chicago, John G. Shedd Aquarium, Museum of Science & Industry, Sears Tower Skydeck, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago Botanic Garden, Chicago Blues Festival, Chicago Children's Museum, Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago Bears, Ravinia Festival, and Venetian Night. The primary shopping strip in the city is the Magnificent Mile. It has department stores such as Bloomingdale’s, Lord & Taylor and Nordstrom, home furnishing retailers such as Crate & Barrel and Pottery Barn, jewelers such as Tiffany and Van Cleef & Arpels, big name apparel retailers such as Gap, Banana Republic and Ralph Lauren, plus a host of boutiques and specialty shops. The Chicago suburbs also offer excellent shopping centers as well. Chicago offers some of the best nightlife in the US. Chicago is also one of the prime transportation hubs in America.