Chicago River

The banks of the 156-mile-long Chicago River were the chosen location for most Illini and Miami Indian Tribes who settled in America’s Midwest. When colonization began, others chose the area near the river as their desired location as well.

In 1803, Fort Dearborn was built on its southern banks. Constructed by order of the War Department on land that is now the present day Chicago, the fort was a peaceful military installation until the War of 1812 broke out. Subsequently, it was destroyed, rebuilt in 1816, and the new fort was occupied by U.S. troops until 1837. It was demolished in 1856.

In 1900, engineers accomplished what was considered one of the most remarkable feats of the early 20th century. They reversed the direction of the Chicago River. The river originally flowed into Lake Michigan. That was bad news for those who desired clean drinking water, as the direction of the flow allowed sewage and other debris to be carried into the city’s water source. Diseases, caused by unsanitary water, were rampant in the city. To improve the situation, those in charge constructed a series of canal locks that allowed the river to flow into the newly built Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, providing cleaner drinking water and causing residents to abandon the nickname “stinking river.”

The city of Chicago staged another mass clean-up of the river in the 1990s, making it cleaner than ever.

Throughout the city and its nearby suburbs, 45 movable bridges span the river, many of them well-known and quite picturesque. Several were also considered engineering marvels of their time, like the one at Michigan Avenue, one of the first fixed trunnion bascule bridges in the country, built in 1920.

Many of Chicago's greatest buildings border the Chicago river, making the river ideal for architectural boat tours. There are several popular river cruises you can choose from. Most either start at the Michigan Avenue Bridge or Navy Pier.

Here are some links to tour boat operators:
- Wendella Architecture Tour
- First Lady Architecture Cruises
- Shoreline Architecture Cruises