Founding and 19th century Chicago

on august 12, 1833, town of chicago organized population of 200. within 7 years grew more 4,000 people. on june 15, 1835, first public land sales began edmund dick taylor u.s. receiver of public monies. city of chicago incorporated on saturday, march 4, 1837 , several decades world s fastest growing city.

as site of chicago portage, city became important transportation hub between eastern , western united states. chicago s first railway, galena , chicago union railroad, , illinois , michigan canal opened in 1848. canal allowed steamboats , sailing ships on great lakes connect mississippi river.

a flourishing economy brought residents rural communities , immigrants abroad. manufacturing , retail , finance sectors became dominant, influencing american economy. chicago board of trade (established 1848) listed first ever standardized exchange traded forward contracts, called futures contracts.

an artist s rendering of great chicago fire of 1871

in 1850s, chicago gained national political prominence home of senator stephen douglas, champion of kansas–nebraska act , popular sovereignty approach issue of spread of slavery. these issues helped propel illinoisan, abraham lincoln, national stage. lincoln nominated in chicago president @ 1860 republican national convention. defeated douglas in general election, , set stage american civil war.

to accommodate rapid population growth , demand better sanitation, city improved infrastructure. in february 1856, chicago s common council approved chesbrough s plan build united states first comprehensive sewerage system. project raised of central chicago new grade. while elevating chicago, , @ first improving city s health, untreated sewage , industrial waste flowed chicago river, lake michigan, polluting city s primary freshwater source.

the city responded tunneling 2 miles (3 km) out lake michigan newly-built water cribs. in 1900, problem of sewage contamination largely resolved when city completed major engineering feat. reversed flow of chicago river water flowed away lake michigan rather it. project began construction , improvement of illinois , michigan canal, , completed chicago sanitary , ship canal connects illinois river, flows mississippi river.

in 1871, great chicago fire destroyed area of 4 miles long , 1 mile wide, large section of city @ time. of city, including railroads , stockyards, survived intact, , ruins of previous wooden structures arose more modern constructions of steel , stone. these set precedent worldwide construction. during rebuilding period, chicago constructed world s first skyscraper in 1885, using steel-skeleton construction.

the city grew in size , population incorporating many neighboring townships between 1851 , 1920, largest annexation happening in 1889, 5 townships joining city, including hyde park township, comprises of south side of chicago , far southeast of chicago, , jefferson township, makes of chicago s northwest side. desire join city driven municipal services city provide residents.

court of honor @ world s columbian exposition in 1893

chicago s flourishing economy attracted huge numbers of new immigrants europe , migrants eastern united states. of total population in 1900, more 77% either foreign-born or born in united states of foreign parentage. germans, irish, poles, swedes , czechs made two-thirds of foreign-born population (by 1900, whites 98.1% of city s population).

labor conflicts followed industrial boom , rapid expansion of labor pool, including haymarket affair on may 4, 1886. concern social problems among chicago s immigrant poor led jane addams , ellen gates starr found hull house in 1889. programs developed there became model new field of social work.

during 1870s , 1880s, chicago attained national stature leader in movement improve public health. city, , later state laws, upgraded standards medical profession , fought urban epidemics of cholera, smallpox, , yellow fever both passed , enforced. these laws became templates public health reform in other cities , states.

the city established many large, well-landscaped municipal parks, included public sanitation facilities. chief advocate improving public health in chicago dr. john h. rauch, m.d.. rauch established plan chicago s park system in 1866. created lincoln park closing cemetery filled shallow graves, , in 1867, in response outbreak of cholera helped establish new chicago board of health. ten years later, became secretary , president of first illinois state board of health, carried out of activities in chicago.

in 19th century, chicago became nation s railroad center, , 1910 on 20 railroads operated passenger service out of 6 different downtown terminals. in 1883, chicago s railway managers needed general time convention, developed standardized system of north american time zones. system telling time spread throughout continent.

in 1893, chicago hosted world s columbian exposition on former marshland @ present location of jackson park. exposition drew 27.5 million visitors, , considered influential world s fair in history. university of chicago, formerly @ location, moved same south side location in 1892. term midway fair or carnival referred midway plaisance, strip of park land still runs through university of chicago campus , connects washington , jackson parks.