Chicago's Geography Advantage

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  • čas přidán 16. 08. 2018
  • To support City Beautiful and learn more about Brilliant, go to brilliant.org/CityBeautiful/ and sign up for free. The first 200 people that go to that link will get 20% off the annual Premium subscription.
    Here is Mr. Beat’s video: • Chicago and St. Louis ...
    Subscribe to Mr. Beat: / @iammrbeat
    This video is based on the book Nature’s Metropolis by William Cronon. Check out this amazing book: www.amazon.com/Natures-Metrop...
    Chicago is the greatest metropolis in the interior of North America. The region is home to almost 10 million people, 29 Fortune 500 companies, the Obamas, and the 2016 World Series Champion Chicago Cubs. There is no bigger or more influential city between Los Angeles and New York, but Chicago’s dominance was not a foregone conclusion. Why did Chicago grow biggest, bigger than competitors such as Detroit, St. Louis, Cincinnati, or Pittsburgh?
    Produced in sunny Sacramento, California.

Komentáře • 1,5K

  • @CityBeautiful
    @CityBeautiful  Před 6 lety +170

    This video's primary source is the wonderful book "Nature's Metropolis" by William Cronon. You can grab the book here (not an affiliate link): www.amazon.com/Natures-Metropolis-Chicago-Great-West/dp/0393308731/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1534132675&sr=8-1&keywords=nature%27s+metropolis

    • @rosswebster7877
      @rosswebster7877 Před 6 lety +5

      One of my favorite academic books of all time! Part of my reading list for my Urban History course ar CU Denver!

    • @Blacktolite
      @Blacktolite Před 6 lety +2

      I'm a mayor on cities skyline video game on the ps4 so I'm alwsy clicking on these kind of videos cheers

    • @LoganReigstad1
      @LoganReigstad1 Před 5 lety +1

      I took a class with Bill Cronon at UW-Madison. One of a few classes that students burst into applause for on the last day because it was so eye-opening!

    • @chrisjamel8461
      @chrisjamel8461 Před 5 lety +2

      Can you do a video on Dallas becoming the next Chicago...I do think with its huge airport, exstensivd highways, railways, and soon to be bullet train and hyperloop it could become the next center of us transportation , distribution and possibly production

    • @eduardocajias5626
      @eduardocajias5626 Před 5 lety +2

      @@chrisjamel8461 Oh, just another suggestion: As a geographer and journalist (although not from North America) I would like some comparisons between Dallas and Houston, if possible.

  • @dudeomfgstfux
    @dudeomfgstfux Před 6 lety +2726

    No one in Chicago looks at St. Louis as a competitor

    • @mostwanted973
      @mostwanted973 Před 5 lety +105

      Dudeomfgstfux exactly

    • @ranferiantonio5471
      @ranferiantonio5471 Před 5 lety +50

      Dudeomfgstfux true

    • @faranqamar8130
      @faranqamar8130 Před 5 lety +106

      Thats the first im even hearing about this. lol Been living here for 7 years

    • @ciahalicooo
      @ciahalicooo Před 5 lety +312

      Yeah, if anything the rival is New York

    • @CorderralLewis
      @CorderralLewis Před 5 lety +33

      Dudeomfgstfux exactly. I literally started laughing bc no

  • @iammrbeat
    @iammrbeat Před 6 lety +960

    Wendover Productions' got Geography problems. You've got Geography answers. Boom. Great to collaborate with you on this one!

  • @Sydebern
    @Sydebern Před 5 lety +413

    Unbelievable how young United States cities are, and yet so big.

    • @mrbojangles1391
      @mrbojangles1391 Před 5 lety +82

      That's because they ate their vegetables and drank their milk to grow up big and strong. And by that I mean that they had an appetite and a desire and a vision to expand and be progressive. Cities like St. Louis have always been stuck in the past, refusing to progress.

    • @nobrang5146
      @nobrang5146 Před 4 lety +17

      @@mrbojangles1391 St Louis was well into the 50s as the nation's 8th largest city with 853,000 people as its peak in that time, so your wrong on that part

    • @cee-lopreen6754
      @cee-lopreen6754 Před 4 lety +4

      MrBo Jangles if you mean progressive you mean land grabbing then you're right. A large part of why Chicago got so big is it kept increasing its footprint.

    • @carstarsarstenstesenn
      @carstarsarstenstesenn Před 3 lety +4

      @@mrbojangles1391 no city has "always" been stuck in the past. St Louis used to be a booming metropolis, as explained in this video, it was a worthy candidate to become the largest city in the West. but St Louis has been a dying city for decades now

    • @MyNameIsSteveYesitis
      @MyNameIsSteveYesitis Před 2 lety +2

      If you think that's crazy, look into these cities in China. That absolutely blows my mind

  • @lisadurant883
    @lisadurant883 Před 5 lety +1010

    Chicago and St Louis do NOT compete on pizza. That is Chicago and New York.

  • @relax132
    @relax132 Před 6 lety +385

    As a St. Louisan, I really appreciate you mentioning us in a non negative light.

    • @CityBeautiful
      @CityBeautiful  Před 6 lety +37

      I'm glad I didn't come across as negative toward St. Louis!

    • @robertmasina4610
      @robertmasina4610 Před 5 lety +9

      nothing to bad mouth st. Louis. there's touristy things there depending on the person's interest. it's just in the category of medium-sized city.

    • @adriankepler5254
      @adriankepler5254 Před 5 lety +19

      St.Louis is a lot scarier than Chicago and Detroit combined 😂

    • @jordanperry4546
      @jordanperry4546 Před 5 lety +9

      Yay, I'm not the only St. Louisan who's watched this video

    • @jordanperry4546
      @jordanperry4546 Před 5 lety +17

      @Harambe Was Framed #1, The north side is the most dangerous place, not all of St. Louis just so ya know.
      #2, Downtown and the south side doesn't have as much crimes.
      #3, Yeah, I'd say St. Louis is primarily black, and that's coming from a black person, but really, a chocolate city?
      #4, Forest Park, The hill, The Central West End, Soulard, and Tower Grove are not dirty at all. Fym?
      #5, You've probably never even been to STL, and only see what's on the news. What's on the news isn't an exact representation of the whole city.
      #6, I know I've been trying to defend St. Louis, but I'll still partly agree with you. It is dangerous, just mostly on the north side, so know your facts homieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

  • @Belboz99
    @Belboz99 Před 6 lety +311

    Chicago is a prime example of the American "can do" spirit. It was founded in 1845, by 1865 they'd actually jacked the entire downtown up by 8-20', finishing right before it all burned down and they rebuilt it again. Not to mention, they just turned the river around when they realized their sewage was making the lake stinky. How many cities have just said "oh, we'll just turn the river around?"
    One reason why the city burned down so bad was that when the jacked up all the big buildings they also raised the roads and sidewalks, which they made out of wood. Wooden streets, wooden sidewalks, wooden buildings... it was a tinderbox.
    The other thing to note about the railroads, you can't take a railroad across Lake Michigan. So any of the raw materials such as Lumber, Iron Ore, or Granite coming out of places like Wisconsin, Upper Michigan, or Minnesota, or even parts of Canada, would *have* to be routed around the tip of Lake Michigan, IE... Chicago. Speaking of Iron ore, right next door is a massive amount of sand dunes, the perfect kind of sand for both making glass and sand-casting iron. When you cast iron, you've gotta pour it into something, that's usually sand. That's why Gary was so huge, sitting on a sandpit right were all the Iron was being routed from Wisconsin and Upper Michigan.
    The lumber was grand while it lasted too... Most of Northern Illinois and Central / Southern Wisconsin wasn't prairie, but Oak Savannah. Millions of Oak trees, many of them over 200 years old were just covering the land when it was settled.

    • @timmyturner327
      @timmyturner327 Před 5 lety +4

      well said!

    • @Blaqjaqshellaq
      @Blaqjaqshellaq Před 5 lety +14

      And of course, rebuilding Chicago resulted in the first skyscraper city!

    • @catalannationalist9847
      @catalannationalist9847 Před 4 lety +7

      Chicago was founded in the 1780s, but it wasn't incorporated until 1833.

    • @0fficialdregs
      @0fficialdregs Před 4 lety +1

      @Laurell no one cares about the two idiotic parties. love the history and the city.

    • @FCVP71
      @FCVP71 Před 3 lety +1

      @Brandon Toad most successful cities are democratic? You gotta be kidding. Democratic cities are shitholes, masses of homeless people, lack of respect for any kind of authority, unrest, high crime rates. It's a joke :D

  • @IkeOkerekeNews
    @IkeOkerekeNews Před 6 lety +588

    Because they have the best flag out of all of them.

    • @CityBeautiful
      @CityBeautiful  Před 6 lety +95

      Yep, the flag is iconic.

    • @BMoney8600
      @BMoney8600 Před 6 lety +18

      I got a Chicago flag T-Shirt, a Chicago flag hat, and a Chicago flag glass.

    • @IkeOkerekeNews
      @IkeOkerekeNews Před 6 lety +4

      City Beautiful
      Really wish mine was.

    • @dipakkc9330
      @dipakkc9330 Před 5 lety +1

      Our also 🇳🇵🇳🇵

    • @marcdangerfield8956
      @marcdangerfield8956 Před 4 lety +1

      @@dipakkc9330 Have you seen St Louis' flag. It too is beautiful.

  • @robertpreston2220
    @robertpreston2220 Před 6 lety +400

    Chicago is so huge and has world class museums, shopping, theater, Finance and the worlds best and tallest architecture and parks, beaches, Public transit, best food, friendliest people and the city is so clean! And the world best downtown area and endless incredible neighborhoods, and the breathtaking River walk!

    • @lewizzrocks
      @lewizzrocks Před 6 lety +34

      Robert H and thousands of gun deaths per year ?

    • @robertpreston2220
      @robertpreston2220 Před 6 lety +57

      Funny in 48 years I have never seen this and I am alive and well

    • @PRHILL9696
      @PRHILL9696 Před 6 lety +30

      I know I seriously could never ever live anywhere else but Chicago. Too me living any where else is not living. My only issue are these long endless brutal summers!

    • @PRHILL9696
      @PRHILL9696 Před 6 lety +33

      bepis you have never been to Chicago and your ignorance proves that

    • @robertpreston2220
      @robertpreston2220 Před 6 lety +5

      Thanks bepis I do enjoy this city that is why we chose it over all others

  • @jlv3x
    @jlv3x Před 5 lety +511

    I've never heard of St. Louis pizza...

    • @K.B.Williams
      @K.B.Williams Před 4 lety +8

      I've never heard of St Louis BBq either.
      Sorry, Kansas City gets no recognition whatsoever. I tried.

    • @subotaiKhan
      @subotaiKhan Před 4 lety +4

      @@K.B.Williams Never heard of St. Louis-style barbecue?

    • @K.B.Williams
      @K.B.Williams Před 4 lety +2

      @@subotaiKhan Nope. Not outside of St. Louis.

    • @solomonlokshin1597
      @solomonlokshin1597 Před 4 lety +3

      I’ve heard of St. Louis murderers

    • @j317
      @j317 Před 4 lety +1

      imos is what they go crazy for it's alright it uses a different kind of cheese and is thin crust it taste kind of like cheddar cheese and crackers if u are not from there it is different and u have to get used to it but the people born and raised there love it and say it's the best pizza

  • @jasongotcello
    @jasongotcello Před rokem +9

    Chicago is a city with so much potential

  • @eddiemperor
    @eddiemperor Před 5 lety +14

    Birthplace of House Music, Best Deep Dish Pizza, 90's Smooth Jazz Stations, Cold Winters Hot Summers, Diverse City, Clean, Public Transportation, Lakes, Beaches, Best Architecture in the Northwest, The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, The Art Institute and it's Lions in the Entrance, The Sears Tower, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Bears, Great Nightclubs (Soundbar Best Sound system in North America) the list goes on and on.

  • @twofiveb
    @twofiveb Před 5 lety +61

    I spent most of my twenties and thirties in Chicago. I loved it. Of course I had a full head of hair to keep me warm then...

    • @boogitybear2283
      @boogitybear2283 Před 3 lety +1

      The only tall skyscraper I’ve visited is the John Hancock Tower. That’s my go to place for views.

  • @archypop
    @archypop Před 5 lety +315

    Chicago is the capital of the midwest ...like California rules the west and New york the East .

    • @DennisTheInternationalMenace
      @DennisTheInternationalMenace Před 3 lety +5

      Agreed!

    • @Its_M1zn
      @Its_M1zn Před 3 lety +25

      South is probably be Houston or Dallas

    • @RWRogers
      @RWRogers Před 3 lety +21

      @@Its_M1zn soon to be Austin. Give it a few decades - if that.
      But right now Houston for sure.
      LA the west. NYC the East. Chicago the mid section.

    • @fuckheinschitt239
      @fuckheinschitt239 Před 3 lety +19

      @@Its_M1zn Atlanta

    • @kushal4956
      @kushal4956 Před 3 lety +13

      @@RWRogers LA doesn't really rule the west. all the techy, revolutionize the world stuff happens in San Francisco

  • @IIceColld1
    @IIceColld1 Před 6 lety +44

    I always wonder why Chicago grew into a huge metro city. I searched the web for answers nothing help, but this video answered all my questions! Great vid

  • @carlmaster9690
    @carlmaster9690 Před 5 lety +60

    Chicago is a well equipped metropolis with great infrastructure.

  • @ds1848bp
    @ds1848bp Před 6 lety +67

    At the time of the civil war, both st Louis and Cincinnati were larger than Chicago. Because those cities were close to the front lines and relied on riverboat traffic, their local economies were disrupted while Chicago, situated far north of the front lines, continued to boom.
    The population of Chicago surpassed Cincinnati by 1870 and st Louis by 1880 leaving it as the largest city in the Midwest.

    • @Blaqjaqshellaq
      @Blaqjaqshellaq Před 5 lety +5

      In the first half of the war, until the fall of Vicksburg, northerners couldn't ship goods south through New Orleans as many were accustomed to doing. The two alternative routes, the Great Lakes and the railroads, both favored Chicago.

  • @DennisTheInternationalMenace

    Chicago is unique on every level. It may have its problems, But the food, The architect and the people are very genuine!

    • @luissantiago8446
      @luissantiago8446 Před 3 lety +4

      Live in New York, and what I miss about Chicago are indeed its people. They appreciate a keen sense of humor, are down to earth, and don't mind being someone they can call your friend. Miss Chicago dogs, Italian beef sandwiches. Concerts along the lakefront, and the fantastic neighborhood street festivals during the summer. New York can learn a thing or two on how to have street festivals. During the summer in New York, if they can afford to do so, folks leave the city for the coasts or mountains. In Chicago its the opposite. People head to the city for the many varied fun filled events and attractions that make summer so intensely experienced by the natives.

  • @Snowshowslow
    @Snowshowslow Před 4 lety +30

    That is an incredible act of kindness on the part of the neighbouring cities. I hope Chicago remembers that every once in a while.

    • @jasonreed7522
      @jasonreed7522 Před 2 lety +2

      I would like to think that this act of kindness is an inherent part of the "American Way". Where you help your countrymen through any disaster regardless of your rivalries.
      This is actually something many liked about the aftermath of 9/11, for a time national solidarity was incredibly strong. (I was too young to remember any of that though)
      Not to claim any sort of monopoly on being decent people, especially as sometime it feels like we are loosing our sense of compassion. (Exacerbated by social media and the news/media both highlighting loud and attention grabbing opinions and making a select few terrible people louder than they ever should be, on all sides)

  • @ozzyfromspace
    @ozzyfromspace Před 6 lety +33

    Lol I've never left O'hare International Airport on time. Greatest delay: 2 and a half days. Like you said, it's a tradition. Wonderful video, City Beautiful!

    • @siopao8137
      @siopao8137 Před 4 lety

      Float Circuit
      O’hare Air?

    • @danafoley9207
      @danafoley9207 Před 3 lety

      Wait is this true? I’m trying to go to Australian soon does Ohare always have late planes ::(((

    • @ChuckE.CheesesIllinois
      @ChuckE.CheesesIllinois Před 2 lety +1

      @@danafoley9207 eh not really, the dude had bad luck

  • @ginafriend1690
    @ginafriend1690 Před 5 lety +27

    Let's not forget the SOX and our other sport teams. It's simply a BEAUTIFUL city. My home ♥️

    • @tytrehalf5354
      @tytrehalf5354 Před 5 lety +2

      Sox Sux. Go Cubs!

    • @frond8951
      @frond8951 Před 4 lety

      "and our other sport teams"
      lmao you forgot them didn't you

    • @BMoney8600
      @BMoney8600 Před 2 lety

      @@tytrehalf5354 not this year.

  • @chuks051
    @chuks051 Před 4 lety +17

    Chicago is really a beautiful city.

  • @kiddykitsune8158
    @kiddykitsune8158 Před 5 lety +15

    I

  • @frigginjerk
    @frigginjerk Před 3 lety +7

    As a Buffalo resident, I kinda look up to Chicago as a big brother city. It's much more culturally similar to my town than that other city in this state.

    • @luissantiago8446
      @luissantiago8446 Před 3 lety +3

      I lived in Chicago for nearly 30 years, but now call NYC home. And sometimes, whenever I listen to folks who hail from Buffalo, their accents sound very mid-western.

    • @tornn8847
      @tornn8847 Před 2 lety

      Chicago culturally is nothing like the rest of the Midwest

  • @joshuaperkings5155
    @joshuaperkings5155 Před 6 lety +323

    Chicago is nice as a city and a lot of parts are especially clean if you compare it to other major cities but the winters are just brutal and cold. If you're young maybe its fine but as you get old that cold breaks your bones..

    • @SquidCena
      @SquidCena Před 5 lety +12

      In New York City here, cold winters do not bother us...

    • @chicago4life366
      @chicago4life366 Před 5 lety +2

      @@SquidCena YA DONT COME TO NYC ITS THE WORSE

    • @SquidCena
      @SquidCena Před 5 lety +5

      @@chicago4life366 I live in New York in mount Vernon which is next to the Bronx and in trying to move in...

    • @SquidCena
      @SquidCena Před 5 lety +5

      @@chicago4life366 and also it isn't... Detroit is the worst.. NYC is a nice normal city... especially for a city of 8 million people I go through it all the time... also Chicago which is also amazing has a crime rate that's kind if high and only has 3 million...

    • @chicago4life366
      @chicago4life366 Před 5 lety +25

      Crime is going down in Chicago

  • @ShaudaySmith
    @ShaudaySmith Před 6 lety +28

    I currently started playing Cities Skylines on Steam and am just REALLY into city planning now... this is friggin' interesting!

  • @boogitybear2283
    @boogitybear2283 Před 3 lety +2

    Every time I want to go to New York City I wind up going to Chicago. Best big city in America!! It’s so beautiful seeing that skyline on Lake Michigan!

  • @usfanlovesjiwoo1978
    @usfanlovesjiwoo1978 Před 4 lety +2

    Just came back after spending Christmas with our daughter and we were Bkessef with 61 degrees. 3 weeks prior it was 11 degrees. We had a great time, really love this city.

  • @larrydrozd2740
    @larrydrozd2740 Před 5 lety +27

    I've lived in Austin, Texas for the last 33 years......but I was born ans raised in Chicago. Back of the Yards and then my teen years in Oak Lawn. I will always be proud of my Chicago heritage. I live in Texas, I'm FROM Chicago. But....it's been so long I'm a tourist when I go there now.

    • @oatscurry
      @oatscurry Před 4 lety +1

      Ultimately, which do you prefer? Austin or Chicago?

    • @AJ-lh4fp
      @AJ-lh4fp Před 4 lety

      I feel the same way, I live in Austin Texas as well. I used to live in the Bay Area and the Golden Gate Bridge would feel like home sort of now whenever I go there I feel like a tourist it feels so weird

    • @matok5711
      @matok5711 Před 3 lety

      prove you're still chicagoan by answering this question: what toppings go on a hotdog

    • @larrydrozd2740
      @larrydrozd2740 Před 3 lety

      @@matok5711 I always drag it through the garden.

    • @larrydrozd2740
      @larrydrozd2740 Před 2 lety +2

      @@oatscurry I liked Austin because of the weather and music scene. Now, the music scene is long gone and the weather has become way too hot....never mind the cost to live here has just sky rocketed. I'll be retiring in 2 years....I want to live in 4 seasons again, not just hot as hell and not so hot and a week of sub zero with no electricity or water because nobody can run anything here in Texas. They brag about it.....but actually doing it? Nah.........

  • @HelloWorld-xf2ks
    @HelloWorld-xf2ks Před 6 lety +34

    All of my favorite CZcamsrs are collaborating

  • @KhAnubis
    @KhAnubis Před 6 lety +14

    Okay, that sponsorship transition was amazingly smooth!

  • @JustinSchroeder29
    @JustinSchroeder29 Před 6 lety +44

    "Ms. O'Leary's cow kicked that lantern over..." Allegedly!!!

    • @CityBeautiful
      @CityBeautiful  Před 6 lety +10

      True! There are definitely some theories that the O'Leary's had nothing to do with it and it was just anti-Irish sentiment.

    • @BradsDrones
      @BradsDrones Před 6 lety +1

      True, there were also many fires that happened the weeks prior, which meant that the fire fighters were exhausted. on an additional note about the origin of the fire... there is a possibility it was a meteor shower. There were 3 or 4 other fires around Lake Michigan pretty much on the same day. A more intense fire was actually in Wisconsin. All of those were allegedly from meteors. The Chicago Tribune even redacted their original article that is was Mrs. O'Leary's cow. A lot of political movements happened to pin it on her, just to get her out of the city. But, that delves deeper into conspiracy theories.

    • @brianarbenz7206
      @brianarbenz7206 Před 6 lety

      Metaphor.

    • @E4439Qv5
      @E4439Qv5 Před 3 lety

      Put the blame on Mame, boys...

  • @rickygonzalez8429
    @rickygonzalez8429 Před 5 lety +24

    GORGEOUS CITY OF CHICAGO WOW!!! BEST SKYLINE EVER

  • @SagaciousSilence
    @SagaciousSilence Před 6 lety +4

    I absolutely love this video, and would greatly appreciate more geographic explanations for city growth.

  • @joaorocha1793
    @joaorocha1793 Před 6 lety +2

    Hello my friend, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!
    I have never thanked you yet, but tla thousand thanks for your illustrative, creative and informative videos !
    Keep up the good work!
    Regards from Portugal!

  • @mikeflair6800
    @mikeflair6800 Před 3 lety +2

    Chicago, my home town for 30 years, and the San Francisco Bay Area, my career town for 10 years, are the BEST, most interesting, people, food, sight seeing, museums, cultural events, sports, restaurants, etc. in all USA Cities. Very unique neighborhoods. I have been very lucky where I lived my life.

  • @eidrag
    @eidrag Před 6 lety +5

    whoa new video, keep interesting topics to discuss!

  • @dreisaum9916
    @dreisaum9916 Před 6 lety +5

    Thanks for the quality content man. You deserve more attention...

  • @ftanklyles4
    @ftanklyles4 Před 5 lety +5

    Let's not forget that Jean Baptise Point DuSable first settler in Chicago Haitian descent

  • @tyqwanpettty6843
    @tyqwanpettty6843 Před 6 lety +3

    Love your videos it has sparked my interest even more into cities

  • @mysteryman7877
    @mysteryman7877 Před 6 lety +57

    What about when Chicago lifted itself on stilts? The roads that have some lanes travel underneath others?

    • @jordanmcdonald5978
      @jordanmcdonald5978 Před 6 lety +2

      Mystery Man I believe to are referring to the L. It's an elevated (where the name the "L" came from) transit line that runs across large parts of the city. Only trains run on it though, no cars.

    • @keyonhugginstv9544
      @keyonhugginstv9544 Před 6 lety +9

      from what Ive learned, the river used to rise and the streets became very muddy at certain times of the year so they built different levels. Now and days the lower levels are for deliveries, big trucks etc. most people do not drive down there because you lose GPS signal. you have to know where you are going

    • @ShadowLimited310
      @ShadowLimited310 Před 5 lety +20

      @@jordanmcdonald5978 no I think he referring to Wacker drive

    • @jewzor8137
      @jewzor8137 Před 5 lety

      @@ShadowLimited310 You are correct! He is talking about Lower Wacker.

    • @timothykeith1367
      @timothykeith1367 Před 2 lety

      In the 1850s Chicago buildings were not very tall. They just jacked them up. One of the contractors was George Pullman who later developed the railroad sleeping car. The original purpose of raising the buildings was so that sewers could be constructed that drained into the lake, initially there wasn't enough grade change to support sewers. Wind could blow waves into downtown streets.

  • @narata1541
    @narata1541 Před 6 lety +75

    I remember reading about the "White City" and I couldn't believe such a magnificent area was built then mostly torn down (sadly). I still look at the Museum of Science and Industry, the Art Institute, and the smaller golden statue and smile just thinking of what it was. Anyways, great video as usual and I look forward to a video on the city beautiful movement you make it!

    • @tomindenver1331
      @tomindenver1331 Před 6 lety +4

      Yep, all those World's Fair projects were more or less intended to be temporary. Here in Denver, we had the National Mining and Industrial Exposition (lincolnparkhistory.com/2015/03/12/the-denver-circle-railroad-1882-1898/national-mining-and-industrial-exposition-building/) between 1882 and 1884 just south of downtown. It was built of soft brick and was the largest individual brick building west of the Mississippi for many years, although it stood for only three. It was knocked down on site and buried. Then developers bought lots there and built homes out of the soft brick they dug up, including my 1890 Victorian, just off Exposition street. I tell people Buffalo Bill probably performed where my house is now.

    • @76JStucki
      @76JStucki Před 5 lety +1

      The Museum of Science and Industry is the only building remaining from the White City. The Art Institute is nowhere near. But the gardens behind the MSI are still there and they're quite lovely in the spring (which in Chicago only lasts for about 2 weeks in early June).

    • @wyattcorbin1629
      @wyattcorbin1629 Před 5 lety +3

      That’s because most of the buildings were made of plaster.

  • @BMoney8600
    @BMoney8600 Před 6 lety +2

    This was a beautiful video my grandfather on my mom's side grew up in Englewood in the 1920s, and my other grandfather was a homicide detective for the Chicago Police Department. I love Chicago with all my heart.

  • @Kevin-qn6iv
    @Kevin-qn6iv Před 3 lety +1

    This has to be one of the most fascinating CZcams channels out there! Keep up the great work

  • @412StepUp
    @412StepUp Před 6 lety +6

    I live in Pittsburgh. It is a great city, at the confluence of the three rivers. You can go from Pittsburgh to Minneapolis to New Orleans on the rivers. But you are right it is not far west enough. Plus the geography is very hilly. It is extra tough to build roads and things in Pittsburgh than it is in other cities that are flat.

    • @BMoney8600
      @BMoney8600 Před 2 lety +1

      I went out to Pittsburgh once. It is a beautiful city and I love how all sport teams have the same colors. I know if I didn’t live in Chicago I’d probably move to Pittsburgh.

  • @thorskjelver8564
    @thorskjelver8564 Před 6 lety +7

    I love your videos, man. Well produced and well researched. Love it. Could you do something on Seattle, Spokane, or Missoula at some point in the future?

  • @carolinaeric8500
    @carolinaeric8500 Před 6 lety

    Good video...always have found Chicago an interesting place. I like how you integrated the sponsor into the end of the video, it felt natural and didn’t seem to take away from anything

  • @TheJIMIJAM27
    @TheJIMIJAM27 Před 6 lety +2

    I really enjoy all of your videos. You inspire me to learn more.

  • @wavegod5797
    @wavegod5797 Před 6 lety +33

    Love seeing videos about my home

  • @ARTiculations
    @ARTiculations Před 6 lety +50

    My favourite city!!! In a way - the rebuilding of Chicago after the fire kind of created opportunities for innovation in new building technology, as well as open canvases for new aesthetic styles. So, maybe that's also a contributing factor to Chicago's rise to prominence in the late 19th/early 20th century.

  • @Fedzza
    @Fedzza Před 6 lety +1

    this videos are really fun, keep them coming!

  • @thomaskey1993
    @thomaskey1993 Před 6 lety +13

    FYI, Chicago actually used the port of NY via the Erie canal as it's primary shipping route to the ocean until the rise of the shipping container. Then the canal became obsolete for most large freight ships, and Midwestern industry slowed to a grinding hault. Projects to widen the canal, as well as partnering with Canada to widen the St. Lawrence seaway (having the same effect) were shot down by legislators from West coast/Gulf coast. Have you done a video on the Erie Canal? It produced a ton of interesting, planned industrial cities in upstate New York that are full of stunning architecture.
    Edit: Your video depicted Chicago using the St. Lawrence seaway, which is neat, because that's how the French initially reached Chicago. But after the French and Indian war (please forgive my lack of knowledge of a better name for this conflict) the Great Lakeshore was divided, giving French Canada total control of the ocean access. New York built the Erie canal to reach the Great Lakes at Buffalo to edge Boston and Baltimore out for top port on the East coast. Baltimore actually responded by building the Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) railroad, first in the United States.
    Sorry this is so rambling, it's late. I hope you get a chance to read it all!
    Source:History Major with a concentration in the America's (I focused on the industrial Great Lakeshore)

    • @notsure6187
      @notsure6187 Před 5 lety +1

      Thomas Key wow! it's hard to believe the government would let Midwestern industry grind to a halt back then.

    • @EgnachHelton
      @EgnachHelton Před 5 lety

      It would benefit the Midwest and its agriculture greatly if canals are built to allow container ships to get to Chicago and St. Louis.

    • @JamesPhieffer
      @JamesPhieffer Před 5 lety

      The Erie Canal was rendered obsolete by the railways, so it wasn't a significant factor in the trade of Chicago, Toronto, or the other big Great Lakes metropolises. Bulk trade with the east coast went by train, with shipping on the lakes being confined to goods moving between their ports.
      But Canada proposed building the St Lawrence Seaway in the early '50s, with the US eventually joining the project. This resulted in ships being able to move between the lakes and the ocean by the late 50s.
      This has resulted in the growth of bulk shipping in and out of the ports along the lakes. Thunder Bay, Ontario became a major shipping port for western Canadian grain, etc.
      But the canals and locks that are part of the seaway are too small for big container vessels, which means non-bulk goods generally move by rail to the coastal container ports.
      And there is currently no push for enlarging the seaway to handle the big container ships. The cost would be too high, in funds and impact on the environment and communities along the St Lawrence, to be worthwhile.

  • @tjerkwietse3561
    @tjerkwietse3561 Před 6 lety +5

    Very great video! As for someone from europe I dont know much about american cities. This really helped me understand about chicago. I really liked the part where you went outside and film a bit on the airport, so do more of that! Cheers from holland.

    • @BMoney8600
      @BMoney8600 Před 6 lety +1

      tjerkwietse You should come visit, there's a variety of neighborhoods and the museums here are incredible! I know the media keeps making it look like a bad place but that isn't the case it is a beautiful city.

  • @citiesskyscrapers4561
    @citiesskyscrapers4561 Před 6 lety +21

    Your channel is awesome!

  • @julioalvarez9650
    @julioalvarez9650 Před 6 lety

    Love this channel. Keep up the great work!

  • @ender3960
    @ender3960 Před 4 lety +14

    I'm from Chicago and it's an awesome city with lots of history! I feel lucky to live there. The cow kicking over the lantern is a legend by the way, it is unknown to this day what exactly happened in the O'leary's barn.

  • @NeonPorpoiseUnicorn
    @NeonPorpoiseUnicorn Před 6 lety +91

    I noticed that you made a slight mistake with regards to the rivers around Chicago. The mouth of the Chicago river used to flow into Lake Michigan, and during the wet season, one could make portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi river basin via the wetland without having to exit his boat. The Illinois river's head isn't for another 60 miles to the southwest in Channahon, IL. The Illinois river is formed via the confluence of the Des Plaines and Kankakee rivers. In 1900 the Chicago Sanitation and Shipping Canal opened, leading the Chicago river to flow not into Lake Michigan, but into the Des Plaines. The canal also allowed for year round water transport between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi basin (and it redirected thousands and thousands of gallons of raw sewage away from Chicago's drinking water supply). Your statements regarding Chicago's rivers would be more correct if you replaced "Illinois river" with "Chicago river" and explained the canal. If you want to learn more about the fascinating history of Chicago and its hinterlands, I highly suggest reading William Cronon's "Nature's Metropolis: Chicago and the Great West."

    • @CityBeautiful
      @CityBeautiful  Před 6 lety +6

      The source of this video was indeed Nature's Metropolis! He uses "Illinois River" colloquially to reference the connection to Lake Michigan here and there, so I followed suit.

    • @lakefxdan
      @lakefxdan Před 6 lety +11

      Yes, that's factually wrong. The Illinois river is only artificially connected to the Great Lakes through the Sanitary and Ship Canal, and the Chicago River, while small by comparison, has a distinct identity. No Chicagoan would consider them the same river. Stuck out like a sore thumb, alas.

    • @boataxe4605
      @boataxe4605 Před 5 lety +2

      Chicago Aussie And them getting revenge by turning it into beer and shipping it back to us. By the way St Louis dumped their sewage into the Mississippi and sent it down to Memphis.

    • @tytrehalf5354
      @tytrehalf5354 Před 5 lety +2

      @@CityBeautiful You might want to use multiple sources for research.

    • @_dvarapala
      @_dvarapala Před 2 lety +1

      @@CityBeautiful I was born and raised in Chicago and I never once heard it referred to as "the Illinois river" - I imagine you're going to have a lot of folks scratching their heads.

  • @SLACKLINEDUDE
    @SLACKLINEDUDE Před 6 lety +24

    Are you still in Chicago?
    Air and water show tommorow!
    woot woot

  • @CortexNewsService
    @CortexNewsService Před 4 lety +2

    One note: It wasn't the mouth of the Illinois River, it was the Chicago River. The Illinois is to the southwest of the city and the canal connected the Chicago River to the Illinois.

  • @christopherramos5690
    @christopherramos5690 Před 5 lety

    Love the video bro, please keep bringing such good content!

  • @orlandoT98
    @orlandoT98 Před 5 lety +5

    One the most beautiful cities! You should do more videos on it. PLEASE!!!! lol

  • @MrHawkS
    @MrHawkS Před 6 lety +3

    Love Chicago, and love this video

  • @user-vx8hn6vf3f
    @user-vx8hn6vf3f Před 6 lety +1

    The best video you've made so far!

  • @richardtfaring-joensen8463

    I will never tire of your geography vids. 😊

  • @gioleo4579
    @gioleo4579 Před 4 lety +4

    Home town..💚Sweet home Chicago!!!🖤

    • @carlsaganlives5112
      @carlsaganlives5112 Před 3 lety

      Right on, Leo. How come no one is mentioning the elephant in the room - CHICAGO BLUES?!?!

  • @BoldWittyName
    @BoldWittyName Před 5 lety +16

    St Louis lost the pizza competition generations ago

  • @nicolasdavies4129
    @nicolasdavies4129 Před 6 lety +2

    amazing content, thanks!

  • @blujitsu2180
    @blujitsu2180 Před 6 lety

    Great job, as always!

  • @peepthezoobazz
    @peepthezoobazz Před 4 lety +4

    Love the videos... but I must correct a big flaw. The primary water route from Chicago diverted from the great lakes into the Erie canal, which connected it to the Hudson river and subsequently to the Atlantic at NYC. The routes via Lake Ontario was not feasible until the Welland Canal and St Lawrence Seaway was built to bypass Niagara Falls and the Rapids west of Montreal. And the Rideau Canal (Lake Ontario-Ottawa River-St Lawrence River) was built as a military asset to protect from potential American aggression and was not freely open to American commerce at the time.

  • @tonytoledo6251
    @tonytoledo6251 Před 6 lety +68

    if you filmed this yesterday... man, i know you felt that humidity

    • @NikhilSharma-ug1rx
      @NikhilSharma-ug1rx Před 6 lety +2

      Chicago Aussie hey Jack didn't expect to see you here

    • @robertpreston2220
      @robertpreston2220 Před 6 lety +7

      Only thing I hate abut Chicago are the endless brutal summers!

    • @PRHILL9696
      @PRHILL9696 Před 6 lety +4

      Yeah I am dying for winter to get here. These summers are way too much

    • @ajsongs2098
      @ajsongs2098 Před 5 lety +1

      Chicago has a pretty nice summer compared to alot of places. My friend from nashville literally laughs whenever i think its humid here in chicago. She says all the timr that people from chicago dont know real humidity

    • @chicago4life366
      @chicago4life366 Před 5 lety

      @@ChicagoAussie omg same

  • @daaahjames6500
    @daaahjames6500 Před 6 lety +1

    Your videos are extremely entertaining and informative. Thanks

  • @jeffkranig4574
    @jeffkranig4574 Před 2 lety

    Good series of informative video clip presentations

  • @kairon156
    @kairon156 Před 5 lety +3

    As a world builder who struggles to design a deatled world map this was very helpful.

  • @pet3590
    @pet3590 Před 6 lety +3

    This is the best channel ever

  • @Sarnican
    @Sarnican Před 6 lety

    Love your videos!

  • @AK93cx
    @AK93cx Před 6 lety +1

    Great video, thanks!

  • @AnceOG
    @AnceOG Před 6 lety +138

    I live in Chicago :)

    • @Helljumper7200
      @Helljumper7200 Před 5 lety +3

      Wanna chill?

    • @neanam
      @neanam Před 5 lety +3

      Where you orginally from tho?

    • @efuentes2323
      @efuentes2323 Před 5 lety +4

      Best city to live in, love my SW side of the city

    • @Helljumper7200
      @Helljumper7200 Před 5 lety

      efuentes2323 east side has the better mexican community 😉

    • @mroceans8336
      @mroceans8336 Před 5 lety

      Helljumper Yeah. The kings and Dragons shoot each other more.

  • @littlebylitttle5866
    @littlebylitttle5866 Před 6 lety +7

    I always thought it have to do with the cattle drive, due to the meat market and the trains going through Chicago

  • @dontcopymystyle4469
    @dontcopymystyle4469 Před 4 lety +1

    I find it funny how no one mentions Jean Baptise Dusable. The founder of Chicago. There’s a museum here in Chicago named after the man.😩🤣

  • @spif8808
    @spif8808 Před 6 lety +1

    Nice episode I would personally recommend a video on my city of Grand Rapids Michigan it has quite the interesting history

  • @robertpreskop4425
    @robertpreskop4425 Před 6 lety +7

    I would love to see a Detroit vs. Toledo video because both major cities are only 55 miles apart yet both are important industrial and transportation hubs.

    • @elli003
      @elli003 Před 5 lety +1

      Still important, but not as dominant as pre 1960.

    • @notsure6187
      @notsure6187 Před 5 lety +2

      actually I think it's pretty simple. Detroit borders Canada. Toledo doesn't.

  • @yerusalemabreha4578
    @yerusalemabreha4578 Před 4 lety +3

    My favourite city ❤️

  • @louisbrizzolara7209
    @louisbrizzolara7209 Před 5 lety +1

    Chicago is where the Chicago River used to flow into Lake Michigan. The rivers flow was reversed by building a canal between the Chicago and Illinois Rivers and locks at the mouth of the Chicago River.

  • @estebantia2413
    @estebantia2413 Před 5 lety

    Super interesting, thank you!

  • @arc46789
    @arc46789 Před 6 lety +9

    Best city in the world imho. So glad to live here !

  • @herrsan
    @herrsan Před 6 lety +11

    if you are feeling hot, maybe you should drink some of that Gulp stuff that you were drinking in your previous video. it looked nicely cold and refreshing :)

    • @asrr62
      @asrr62 Před 6 lety +1

      he looks very sweltering !

    • @CityBeautiful
      @CityBeautiful  Před 6 lety +2

      I think it was the hottest day of the year in Chicago. And I had to walk from the Shedd Aquarium to Buckingham Fountain first, which was a longer walk than I had remembered...

  • @adape0884frank
    @adape0884frank Před 5 lety

    Great video

  • @chuckeggebrecht6113
    @chuckeggebrecht6113 Před 5 lety +2

    So proud of my city!

  • @j.s.7335
    @j.s.7335 Před 2 lety +3

    I never considered what an ideal location Toledo has. It's hard to imagine it being the dominant city in the central US.

  • @kostaskg
    @kostaskg Před 6 lety +5

    Great video! What is the city appearing on 04:27 ? Do you have any information about the photo? Thank you in advance.

  • @deveanwolford3396
    @deveanwolford3396 Před 6 lety

    Your segway into brilliant was brilliant.

  • @williamcosgrove3552
    @williamcosgrove3552 Před 4 lety

    Thank you for mentioning Cahokia!

  • @brianarbenz7206
    @brianarbenz7206 Před 3 lety +8

    Chicago's greatest advantage is its diversity. In literature, education, science, food and music, Chicago is great because of the multi-lingual and multi-national mix of its people.

  • @tristanmoller9498
    @tristanmoller9498 Před 6 lety +3

    I went to 8th Grade there. God I love that city!

    • @brianarbenz7206
      @brianarbenz7206 Před 6 lety +2

      The first great city I experienced was Chicago. I grew up in smaller metro areas, on the edge of Appalachian rural isolation. My family could not afford to travel to the New Yorks or Londons. So, thank goodness for Chicago! It's the urbane oasis of the hinterlands.

  • @ender3960
    @ender3960 Před 5 lety +2

    2:49 Illinois River? The river that goes in the lake is the Chicago. The Illinois connects a little west. I am a Chicagoan btw but I am in Portland right now

  • @repairdrive
    @repairdrive Před 6 lety +2

    Welcome to my neck of the woods!!! 😊😊😊

  • @atlerennan2013
    @atlerennan2013 Před 5 lety +3

    You never mentioned Duluth at the beginning... which did become the busiest port on the Great Lakes...

  • @MariusRenn
    @MariusRenn Před 6 lety +6

    Wow, Chicago looked gorgeous after the 1870s rebuild (no offense, modern day, Chicago, you're awesome too). I'd love to see those old city areas overlaid on what is there today. Does it still look similar?

    • @NA-ck6cz
      @NA-ck6cz Před 6 lety +3

      They call downtown "old Chicago" because tons of the old architecture still exist. I wish the first skyscraper was never torn down though/:

    • @K.B.Williams
      @K.B.Williams Před 4 lety

      You mean before?

  • @rayfridley6649
    @rayfridley6649 Před 3 lety +1

    At 3:06 on the video, there was another water advantage for Chicago as well. That is the Erie Canal. Having that ship traffic did not need to sail north up the St. Lawrence River.The cargo would be unloaded onto canal barges at the west end of the Erie, then transported east to Albany, where it would be loaded onto the Hudson River vessels, then south to NYC and the ocean.

  • @itsallgood5314
    @itsallgood5314 Před 6 lety +1

    Thinking about moving there to for a bit once I finish college.