Beginner's Guide to Chicago

North and south of the Loop

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Pay close attention to East and West, North and South designations when looking for an address in Chicago. State Street is one of the most important north-south thoroughfares, and is the dividing line for the city's east/west addresses (e.g., an address on West Randolph Street is west of State Street, and an address on East Randolph Street is east of State Street). The El's Red line runs along State Street. Madison Street is the dividing line for Chicago's north/south addresses.

North of the Loop, you will find Navy Pier, which stretches out into Lake Michigan. The Magnificent Mile is also north of the Loop, in the area known as Near North. This famous shopping district extends along North Michigan Avenue, from the Tribune Tower (on the south end of the Mag Mile) to the Water Tower, which is just above Chicago Avenue. Just a few blocks above that stands the John Hancock Center, a notable landmark at 1,127 feet. The John Hancock Center and the Water Tower are both in the Gold Coast, which stretches from Chicago Avenue up to North Avenue. To the north of that is Lincoln Park; the park itself is the gorgeous green space along Lake Michigan, and the neighborhood is the upscale residential area across Clark Street from the park.

On the other side of the Loop, in the South Loop, you will find the Adler Planetarium, the Field Museum of Natural History, the Shedd Aquarium. These three are all on the "Museum Campus," the green area in the south of Grant Park. The historic Printer' s Row and Dearborn Park neighborhoods are further inland in the South Loop.

Not bad for a city named after an onion...

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The name "Chicago" comes from the Native American "Checagou," their word for the wild onions that grew in the area. Although Sauk, Mesquakie, and Potawatomi tribes inhabited the greater region around what is now Chicago, they do not seem ever to have settled in the region where the Chicago River meets Lake Michigan. Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, a Haitian trader, was the first person to settle there permanently, sometime in the 1770s.

In 1803, the United States government built Fort Dearborn in Chicago to protect the link from inland areas to Lake Michigan. During the War of 1812, the fort was destroyed after all of its soldiers and settlers fled and were killed by Native Americans (who were allies of the British). The U.S. government rebuilt Fort Dearborn in 1816, and two years later made Illinois a state. Most newly-made Illinoisians lived in the south of the state near the Mississippi River; Fort Dearborn and the area around it were sparsely populated until the 1830s.

Chicago was incorporated as a town in 1833, and as a city in 1837. In 1837, its population was 4,000, and it had begun to grow rapidly with the initiation of the Illinois and Michigan Canal, which would connect Chicago with the Mississippi River. 20,000 people lived in Chicago by the time the canal was completed in 1848.

In the 1850s, the railroad came to Chicago, which along with the canal promoted continued rapid growth of the city. The Civil War only stimulated Chicago's economic expansion. In 1865, the Union Stockyards opened, bringing together scattered smaller meat operations from all over the city. This was an important development, since it soon made Chicago the major supplier of meat to all parts of the United States.

Immigrants from Ireland, Germany, and Scandinavia flocked to Chicago as the economy kept on booming. Later, immigrants from Eastern Europe and Russia followed suit. The population reached 1,000,000 in 1890. As the city spread north, west, and south, its government continually annexed new territory.

In October of 1871, Chicago's Great Fire raged for three days and destroyed about a third of the total area of the city. It killed at least 250 people and left 90,000 homeless. The fire had an enduring effect on Chicago's city planning and development. Its citizens seized the opportunity to rebuild their city, and rebuild it better than before. Blocks of solid, brick buildings replaced the blocks of wooden buildings that had burned; and architects and city planners competed to dictate plans for the city's future growth. 13 years after the fire, William Le Baron Jenney secured Chicago's architectural significance forever, by building the world's first steel-framed skyscraper. This monument to architectural history, the Home Insurance Building, still stands proud and (sort of) tall -- at ten stories, or 138 feet.

In 1893, Chicago celebrated its full recovery from the fire by hosting the World's Columbian Exposition. The Exposition commemorated the 400th anniversary of European arrival in America. Several of Chicago’s important buildings and museums were designed for this Exposition. Daniel Burnham, its chief architect, was also the developer of a Plan of Chicago in 1909, which served as a guide for Chicago's physical expansion in the 20th century. His plan involved the creation of parks along Lake Michigan and a user-friendly street grid.

The elevated railway, or El, began to run in 1892. But Chicago's chief concern in the late 1800s was its industrial workers' fight for better working conditions. Strife between labor groups and the police erupted periodically for about 50 years, starting in the 1870s. The 1886 Haymarket Riot rocked the city, resulting in a number of deaths on both sides. Poor working conditions for many immigrants did not stop the continual influx of new Chicago-dwellers -- often as many as 10,000 a week toward the end of the 19th century.

Chicago in the 20th century and today

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The early decades of the 20th century saw a massive population movement, as more than two million African-Americans relocated from the South to the North. Chicago was a chief destination, and its African-American population grew rapidly. Hostility against these newcomers resulted in oppression, discrimination, and rioting; and race relations continued to be an enormous problem for the city, which has only just begun to be healed in recent times. In the present day, Chicago is one of the most diverse cities in the United States.

The "Roaring '20s" certainly roared in Chicago. Chicagoans in general did not favor Prohibition -- in fact, they voted six to one against it in an advisory referendum. The Prohibition era saw the rise of mob bosses, whose gangs made an easy living selling bootlegged liquor. Al Capone, the most notorious of these, ruled with practical impunity from 1924 to 1931. Widespread corruption among the police forces at that time helped to secure his domination, as did his habit of having his adversaries gunned down. The Untouchables and several other movies have re-created this moment in history on film.

Like many large cities that had major defense contracts during World War II, Chicago experienced a huge population growth in the 1940s. The city’s population reached 3.6 million in 1950, after which it entered a 50-year period of decline. During this time, there was an ongoing trend of Chicago's residents relocating to suburban areas not incorporated in the city limits. The 2000 Census demonstrated that Chicago's population is on the rise once more. City government has worked hard to make the city a better place to live, with projects ranging from urban renewal to improving public schools. There has also been a new influx of people from other nations into Chicago. Today, Chicago is a vibrant city of 77 distinctive neighborhoods, incredible ethnic and cultural diversity, a strong arts community, and over 30 million visitors each year.

Resources:

Baty, Chris. Lonely Planet City Guide to Chicago, third edition. Oakland, California: Lonely Planet, 2004.

Conzen, Michael P. “Chicago (city, Illinois)," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2005. http://encarta.msn.com. © 1997-2005.

Given, Tom. Chicago -- Condensed. Oakland, California: Lonely Planet, 2001.

Terry, Cliff. Off the Beaten Path: Chicago, third edition. Guilford, Connecticut: Insiders' Guide, 2005.

Chicago: One Week Itineraries Overview

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So you're going to be spending a week in Chicago? Excellent choice. You’ll find plenty to do, and you won't have to move at the frantic pace of a shorter visit. A few tips for your vacation: do look for a hotel with an indoor pool or hot tub, so you can relax and rest your muscles at the end of long walking days. To make transportation simple, leave your car behind, and buy seven-day travel passes for the El and bus lines, which cost $20 per person. You can also save up to 50% at the Sears Tower, Adler Planetarium, Art Institute, Museum of Science and Industry, Field Museum of Natural History, and Shedd Aquarium by purchasing a CityPass (www.citypass.net ). And finally, since you're going to be having a lot of meals over the course of the week, it will probably be worth investing in a Zagat restaurant guide. These guides are pocket-size (or purse-size), and will help you find affordable and delicious dining options wherever your sightseeing takes you. Check out the itineraries below for ideas to organize your trip, and get ready for a spectacular week in this spectacular city!

Greatest Hits

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This is the itinerary that keeps you from missing any of Chicago's "can't-miss" attractions. Hey, there are lots of good reasons to take the path more-traveled-by -- especially in Chicago, where the most popular attractions are all deservedly so.

Day One: Start BIG by going up in the Sears Tower. From the 110th floor, you'll have a majestic view of the city, which will also help you to orient yourself in the city. Then take in some sights at street level on your way to meet an Architectural Foundation Tour. The Chicago Architectural Foundation offers wonderful, educational tours by foot, bicycle, bus, and boat. Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van der Rohe and many others not only put Chicago on the architectural map -- they made it the city of modern architecture, and the place where you'll find some of the most breathtaking buildings in the world. Since there are dozens of tour options, visit www.architecture.org to choose one and buy advance tickets.

Day Two: Now that Chicago has introduced you to its architectural splendors, it's time to get acquainted with the Art Institute. Allow yourself the luxury of several hours in this incredible museum, with a break for lunch in the Loop. Afterwards, stroll through Grant Park and see the Wildflower Works, Rose Gardens, and Buckingham Fountain.

Day Three: Spend day three on the Magnificent Mile. Start at the Chicago River and make your way north through a shopper's paradise. At Chicago Avenue, detour east two blocks to the Museum of Contemporary Art. Have lunch in the John Hancock Center, and check out the half-price tickets for that night's theater performances at Hot Tix, right near the Water Tower. If the weather is nice, retreat from the fast pace and glamour of the Mag Mile to Oak Street Beach, northeast of Oak Street and just five minutes from the Water Tower. After a delicious dinner and taking in a play, return to the John Hancock building and ascend to the 96th-floor Signature Lounge. It's two floors above the observation deck, and costs only the price of the drink you’ll savor as you look out over Chicago's night lights. The sky deck is also open until 11:00 PM, and is family-friendly.

Day Four: Today, travel to the Museum Campus in the south of Grant Park. Here you'll find the Field Museum of Natural History, the Shedd Aquarium, and Adler Planetarium. The three are usually open 9 to 5, and will provide ample scope for curious minds of all ages to explore and learn. To make up for your late night last night, turn in early and rent one of the many great movies set in Chicago: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Risky Business, North by Northwest (all rated PG), or The Untouchables or High Fidelity.

Day Five: Head south again; this time farther south to the Hyde Park area, University of Chicago campus and Jackson Park. In Jackson Park, you'll find the Museum of Science and Industry. Have lunch on 57th Street and visit Frank Lloyd Wright's celebrated Robie House and the University of Chicago campus.

Day Six: On day six, enjoy the beautiful scenery, the zoo and the conservatory in Lincoln Park. Spend the late afternoon and evening on Navy Pier, where you can visit the Ferris wheel, the Crystal Gardens (a six-story greenhouse) the Children's Museum, and/or the IMAX theater.

Day Seven: This is the perfect day for you to return to the Loop and pick up some loose threads. Start by taking the El to the Library stop, and visit the Harold G. Washington Library -- the largest public library in the world. Don't miss the rooftop Winter Garden. Then wind your way through the Loop, visiting the Chicago Board of Trade, the Rookery, the Marquette Building, and the Auditorium Building; and keep your eyes open for outdoor sculptures like the Flamingo, the Picasso, the Four Seasons, and Miro’s Chicago.

Summer in the City

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This itinerary combines some of Chicago's premier attractions with outdoor activities and warm-weather escapes. It's perfect for families who love fitness and nature, or couples who couldn't decide whether to spend their vacation in the city or at the lake. And daily highs in Chicago in April and September are normally above 50, so consider parts of this itinerary for a trip in early fall or late spring, as well.

Day One: Spend the morning at Lincoln Park, visiting the zoo, conservatory, and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. Then whistle "Take me out to the ballgame" on your way to Wrigley Field, about a mile from the Lincoln Park Zoo, for an afternoon Cubs game. Go Cubs!

Day Two: Take an early morning Architectural Foundation Tour (www.architecture.org ), by foot, bicycle or boat. This is definitely one of the best ways to see Chicago, and you may enjoy it so much that you want to schedule a second tour for later in the week; there are dozens of tours that focus on different parts of town and different architects. In the afternoon, walk up the Magnificent Mile, have dinner, and ascend the John Hancock building -- either to the 96th-floor Signature Lounge or the 94th-floor open-air, screened observatory deck. Watch the sun set over the city.

Day Three: Play tennis in Grant Park in the morning, and then cool off and spend the afternoon in the Art Institute. There is also a family golf center north of Grant Park. Spend the evening on Navy Pier.

Day Four: Reserve the fourth day of your trip for a day trip away from the city. Go kayaking or canoeing on the North Fork of the Chicago River (rent a boat at Chicagoland Canoe Base, 773-777-1489). Alternatively, drive out to the Indiana Dunes (or take the train from the Randolph Street Station on the South Shore Line). Here you'll find beautiful beaches on the shores of Lake Michigan, and sand dunes as tall as 100 feet. The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and the Indiana Dunes State Park are both local favorites.

Day Five: After your escape into nature, reimmerse yourself in culture by wandering the Loop, checking out outdoor sculptures and beautiful indoor spots such as the Rookery, the Chicago Board of Trade, and the Palmer House Hilton lobby (also see Greatest Hits tour day seven). Investigate play tickets at Hot Tix in the Loop, near the Washington El station. Or, if your day five falls on the first Friday of the month, spend the evening at Adler Planetarium, instead of at the theater. There you can view the stars at the Doane Observatory, and also check out the StarRider shows and the Sky Theater.

Day Six: Walk south through Grant Park to the Museum Campus, and visit the Shedd Aquarium and the Field Museum. Enjoy a picnic dinner at the 12th Street Beach.

Day Seven: Finish the Summer in the City Tour strong, spending the day on the University of Chicago campus, with visits to the Museum of Science and Industry (in Jackson Park), the Robie House, and the DuSable Museum of African-American History (in Washington Park). Browse in some of the many bookstores around campus, and wolf down a thin-crust pizza like you haven't done since college, at Medici on 57th Street.

Resources:

Baty, Chris. Lonely Planet City Guide to Chicago, third edition. Oakland, California: Lonely Planet, 2004.

Given, Tom. Chicago -- Condensed. Oakland, California: Lonely Planet, 2001.

Chicago: Real Estate Overview

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If you've realized that you love Chicago so much that you can't bear to leave -- then don't! Chicago is a great place to live, work, and raise a family. Its schools compare favorably to those in most other cities, and the cultural opportunities are unbeatable. Furthermore, Chicago city government and citizens alike are committed to making Chicago a better and better place to live. Chicago has 500 parks and counting, and the city also shows the fruits of other consistent efforts to maintain the city well and provide help for run-down areas. In 2000, the metropolitan area had 8.4 million inhabitants, and the city proper had 2.9 million. Hundreds of neighborhoods are appreciating, so dive right in to the Chicago real estate market to get your share of the action!

Chicago Distinctives

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Several factors combine to make Chicago a unique real estate market. For one thing, there is more owner-occupied housing in Chicago than in any other metropolitan area in the United States. Gentrification and beautification of urban neighborhoods have spread like wildfire since the '90s, and the North Side and West Loop especially have seen a huge trend of converting rental properties into condominiums. New buildings also add to the fun: downtown Chicago as a whole saw the creation of 36,999 new residential units between 1990 and 2003. Dozens of neighborhoods experienced 8-12% appreciation annually in the late '90s and early 2000s. Projections are good for continued growth within the city limits, as well as in "Chicagoland”’s ever-burgeoning suburbs.

Chicago's well-developed public transportation network is another distinctive feature of the city, which may contribute to your real estate decision. If you want to live in the suburbs and work in the city, but hate driving in traffic, Chicago has exactly what you need. Few cities can rival it for convenience, accessibility and extensity of the transportation network.

In addition to the huge condominium market in urban Chicago, there is also a market in housing cooperatives. New York City and Chicago are the two main places in the United States were such a market exists. With a housing co-op, residents of the building hold membership shares in a corporation that owns the building. Rather than owning your own individual unit, as you would with a condominium, you own a share in the value of the building. There are various advantages of this system, which you can investigate at www.coop-housing.org .

How to Approach the Chicago Real Estate Market

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In a real estate market as vast as that of "Chicagoland," take steps against insanity early on in your search, by narrowing in on a few neighborhoods. The writers of The Newcomer's Handbook for Moving to and Living in Chicago recommend that to begin your search, you should "walk or drive around the neighborhood you're interested in and look for ' For Sale ' signs." To narrow in on neighborhoods, consider such factors as: urban/suburban, proximity to public transportation, proximity to workplace, schools in the area, sense of community in the neighborhood, activities nearby, type and age of housing available, yard/parks/other places for children to play, crime statistics, and median housing prices. One way to find out these last two, which are a little less obvious to the naked eye than some of the others, is to call up each neighborhood's city profile on www.moving.com/find_a_place/cityprofile/ .On this site you can enter a zip code and quickly retrieve such statistics as population, population change since 1990, crime risk compared to national levels, average home sale price, median years in residence of your potential future neighbors (an area with lower turnover may be a better place to raise a family), and air pollution index. The median dwelling age will tell you how old most of the homes in the area are. You can even find out some other interesting things about your potential neighbors, such as their median age, their average household income and average household expenditure (useful if you'd rather not move someplace where you'll be surrounded by big spenders), and even what percentage of them ride their bikes to work!

In addition to driving around particular neighborhoods to see what's available, you can check the classified pages of the Chicago Tribune and the Sun Times. The Tribune also lists properties in an online database. Of course, if you really want to make this easy for yourself, find a realtor. According to the Newcomer's Handbook, "most real estate agencies claim to serve the entire Chicago area, and indeed, most agencies can offer some assistance with any home on the market. However, an agency is best qualified to show you homes in the neighborhood where it is located -- where their geographic expertise is greatest." That way, you can learn as much as possible about your future neighborhood, from your helpful realtor, before you commit to it.

The real estate transfer tax in Chicago is $3.75 for every $500 of the home’s purchase price. Together with the title insurance, inspection, land survey, recording tax, and mortgage origination fee, this means you will probably pay between 5% and 8% more than the purchase price when you close on a house.

Chicago Counties

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The city of Chicago is in Cook County. Cook County also includes some of the north, northwest, west, and south suburbs. It is the largest of the six counties that compose "Chicagoland."

DuPage County and Lake County are the two suburban counties that have been considered part of the Chicago metropolitan area the longest. DuPage is highly developed and is very popular with people who commute to the city. It is located due west of downtown Chicago, west of Highway 294. Schaumburg, Wheaton, Bensenville, Elmhurst, Lombard, Carol Stream, and West Chicago are all in DuPage County. Lake County is the area above Cook County, bordered on the east by Lake Michigan. It extends to the Wisconsin border, and includes Barrington, Antioch, Grayslake, Round Beach Lake, Zion, Waukegan, Winthrop Harbor, and North Chicago. Real estate and especially construction in this area are booming.

Kane County, which encompasses the communities of Aurora, St. Charles, and Geneva, is west of DuPage County. McHenry County is north of Kane County and borders the western edge of Lake County, which means that it is (very far) northwest of the city of Chicago. To the southwest of the city is Will County. This is a relatively undeveloped county with a lot of available land. Communities in Will County include Joliet and Bolingbrook.

A Selection of City Neighborhoods

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Lincoln Park: North of downtown Chicago, with beautiful Lincoln Park and Lake Michigan just across the street, Lincoln Park is one of the neighborhoods that Chicagoans find most desirable. Finding a home you'd love to live in will probably be easier than finding a parking spot. But on the positive side, if you do move to Lincoln Park you may be able to ditch your car and rely on public transportation, since this area is very well connected by the El. The average home sale price is $463,147. The median age of Lincoln Park inhabitants is 31, with 1.7 people in the average household.

Wicker Park and Bucktown: These two neighborhoods a little west of the central downtown area have a lot to commend themselves. Fun restaurants and a vital arts community contribute to its distinctive atmosphere; Wicker Park claims to be the largest community of working artists in the United States. A lot of people in this area are renting, but there are also many beautiful homes to be had. The average home sale price is around $320,000, but much less expensive homes can be found by going to the outskirts of the fashionable area.

Hyde Park: South of downtown are Pilsen, Bridgeport, Bronzeville, Kenwood, Hyde Park, Woodlawn, and South Shore. The Hyde Park area is on Lake Michigan and is home to the University of Chicago. It prides itself on being one of the few racially integrated neighborhoods in Chicago, a city which tends to segregate itself into small ethnic enclaves. Single-family homes in Hyde Park are almost as expensive as those in Gold Coast and Lincoln Park, but townhouses and condominiums here can be a surprising value. The average home sale price overall is $246,954.

A Selection of Suburban Neighborhoods

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Oak Park: if you want to live as close to the city as possible without actually being in it, look into Oak Park. It is directly west of the city, and the median travel time to work of Oak Park residents is 29 minutes, which is not bad for the Chicago area. The average home sale price is $368,500.

Wheaton: Wheaton is an exemplary DuPage County suburb, with 20 public schools, acres and acres of parks and golf courses, 40 churches and a recently refurbished historic walking district. The average household size in this family-friendly community is 2.61, above the national average; and the crime risk is minuscule compared to the city as well as to national averages. The average home sale price is $314,031. Wheaton is about 23 miles west of downtown Chicago.

Evanston: Evanston, 14 miles north of downtown Chicago, is a lively and economically thriving suburb. It has a lakeshore area, 65 parks, and a wonderful network of biking paths and running trails. It is also home to Northwestern University, which certainly adds to the liveliness of the area. Public schools have a good reputation. The average home sale prices in various Evanston zip codes range from $150,665 to $297,255 to $498,064.

Resources:

Newcomer's Handbook from Moving to and Living in Chicago. Fourth Edition. Portland OR: First Books, 2004.

www.moving.com/find_a_place/cityprofile/ .

Chicago: Real Estate

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Hotels and Accommodations in Chicago

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Chicago Overview and History

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Beginner's Guide to Chicago

North and south of the Loop

Not bad for a city named after an onion...

Chicago in the 20th century and today

Chicago: One Week Itineraries Overview

Greatest Hits

Summer in the City

Chicago: Real Estate Overview

Chicago Distinctives

How to Approach the Chicago Real Estate Market

Chicago Counties

A Selection of City Neighborhoods

A Selection of Suburban Neighborhoods

Chicago: Real Estate

Chicago: Real Estate Overview

Chicago Distinctives

How to Approach the Chicago Real Estate Market

Chicago Counties

Hotels and Accommodations in Chicago

Hotels and Accommodations in Chicago Overview

The Loop and Grant Park

Near North and Navy Pier

Gold Coast

Chicago Overview and History

Chicago Overview and History

Getting your bearings

North and south of the Loop

Not bad for a city named after an onion...