and Ojibwe peoples. The name "Chicago" likely derives from the Algonquian word shikaakwa， the city rebuilds at astonishing speed。
pioneering the steel-frame construction method. 1893 Chicago hosts the World's Columbian Exposition ， attracting architects from around the world and laying the foundation for the modern skyscraper. 1885 The Home Insurance Building 。
designed by William Le Baron Jenney and widely regarded as the world's first skyscraper， drawing over 27 million visitors. The fair launches American architecture's "City Beautiful" movement and introduces the Ferris wheel to the world. The fairgrounds inspire innovations later found in cities and theme parks globally. Today Chicago is home to ~2.7 million residents and a metro area of ~9.5 million. It is the third-largest US city ， a global financial centre。
cementing Chicago's role as the financial hub of American agriculture. 1871 The Great Chicago Fire burns for two days (8–10 October)。
Miami， the Chicago Board of Trade — the world's oldest futures and options exchange — is founded。
meaning "wild garlic" or "wild onion， destroying roughly 9 km² of the city and leaving ~100， and home to O'Hare International — one of the world's busiest airports. The city hosts world-class institutions including the Art Institute， incorporated as a town in 1833 ，000. Its position at the foot of Lake Michigan makes it a natural crossroads for trade between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River system. 1848 The Illinois and Michigan Canal opens， connecting Lake Michigan to the Illinois River and triggering explosive commercial growth. The same year。
000 residents homeless. Remarkably， and numerous Fortune 500 headquarters. ，" referring to the plants once common along the riverbanks. 1833–1837 Chicago is platted as a town in 1830， the Chicago Symphony Orchestra， the Field Museum， and chartered as a city in 1837 — with a population of just over 4， 06 A Brief History of Chicago Pre-1800s The Chicago area is home to the Potawatomi 。
opens in downtown Chicago. The city becomes the birthplace of modern urban architecture，。