Chicago has long been famed for its windy weather and deep dish pizzas, but there is a whole lot more to the city’s unique appeal than what meets the naked eye.
PHOTOS: Kanye West Gives Jay-Z A Hood Tour Of Chicago!
In the wake of NBC’s newest drama series “Chicago Fire,” we’ve decided to take a second look at one of the cities that is the home to famous hip-hop heads like Kanye West and Common. With over 40 million tourist visiting annually, there has to be a special charm about the Chi Town, so check out the list below for 10 little known facts about the Windy City.
1. Chicago is a driving force when it comes to post office innovation, and we mean that literally! The Chicago Post Office located at 433 W. Van Buren is the only postal facility in the entire world that you can drive a car through.
2. The first TV daytime soap opera ever to air in the United States was “These Are My Children.” The show was broadcast from Chicago’s NBC station, making Chicago the birthplace of TV soap operas. The show ran from January 21, 1949 to February 25, 1949 airing fifteen minutes a day, five days a week, at 5:00 p.m. EST. Cry over that drama!
3. It’s election season, so a bit of Chi Town political history is vital. The first Democratic National Convention televised coast-to-coast was held in 1952 at Chicago’s International Amphitheater.
4. Chicago is home to Lincoln Park Zoo. Sure, every city has its zoo, but this is one of the world’s last free zoos.
5. The Chi is a city of firsts! The first steel railroad in the United States was produced here in 1865. The first Blood Bank ever in the United States was also created in Chicago in 1937.
6. Chicago is a city of smarts with one of the world’s largest libraries. The Harold Washington Library (The Chicago Public Library) is the world’s largest public library with a collection of more than 2 million books!
7. The Art Institute of Chicago holds the largest collection of Impressionist paintings outside the Louvre in Paris. That is an impressive line-up!
8. Kanye West’s entire song “Homecoming” off of his hit album “Graduation” was about his hometown of Chicago. The video was also shot there and showcased some of Chi Town’s memorable landmarks.
9. Common also wrote a song dedicated to Chicago on his 2005 album “Be” titled “Chi-City.” Check out the video of him performing his hit live in Chicago.
10. Three words: Deep-Dish Pizza. New York and Chicago are constantly engaged in the age-old argument of who has the better pizza, and while we are neutral on the sauce debate, Chicago has made a name for itself when it comes to the deep-dish recipe.
Sponsored by Chicago Fire. Premieres Wednesday, October 10 at 10/9c on NBC.
CREDIT: City Of Chicago
