Chicago is America's third-largest city, located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan in Illinois. With nearly three million people, it's a major hub for transportation, business, and culture in the heart of the country.

Chicago earned the nickname “the Windy City,” though this likely came from its boastful politicians rather than its weather. The city rebuilt itself after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 destroyed much of downtown, and that rebuilding made Chicago a pioneer in modern architecture. Some of the world's first skyscrapers rose here, and architects still study Chicago's innovative buildings.

The city sits at a crucial crossroads: railroads from across America meet here, and ships from the Great Lakes can reach the ocean through a series of waterways. This geography made Chicago a natural center for trade and industry. Enormous stockyards once processed cattle and pigs from western ranches, sending meat east by rail. Today, Chicago remains a center for business, education, and medicine.

Chicago has given America deep-dish pizza, jazz and blues music traditions, and beloved institutions like Wrigley Field. The city's museums, including the Field Museum and the Museum of Science and Industry, rank among the country's finest. When people talk about the American Midwest, Chicago represents its energy, diversity, and can-do spirit.