Architecture Photo: Chicago River Skyline

Chicago River

The Chicago River is a river that runs 156 miles (251 km) and flows through Chicago, including Downtown Chicago, also known as the Chicago Loop. Though not especially long, the river is notable for being the reason why Chicago became an important location, as the link between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi Valley waterways. In the 19th century through civil engineering the flow of the river was reversed to head toward the Mississippi River basin, away from Lake Michigan, into which it previously emptied. This was done for reasons of sanitation. The river is also noted for the local custom of dyeing it green on St. Patrick's Day.

The river serves as inspiration for one of Chicago's ubiquitous symbols: a three-branched, Y-shaped symbol (called, the municipal device) is found on many buildings and other structures throughout Chicago; it represents the three branches of the Chicago River.

(Source: Wikipedia.org)

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