The City of Chicago covers an area of nearly 150,000 acres (approx. 234 square miles) and sits 578 feet above sea level on the shore of Lake Michigan, in northeastern Illinois. Lake Michigan is second largest of the Great Lakes (after Superior) and the 5th largest fresh water lake in the world, at 118 miles across and over 300 miles long.

Chicago is famous as a culturally diverse city, with the largest Polish-speaking population outside Poland, and vibrant African American, Hispanic, Asian, and many other ethnic communities woven into its 77 distinct neighborhoods.

A very passionate sports town, Chicago is one of only one of four U.S. cities to field teams in all five professional team sports (baseball, football, basketball, hockey, soccer). With The Cubs, White Sox, Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks, Chicago is the Only U.S. city with five professional sports venues within city limits. The Chicago Cubs are the oldest baseball team still playing in their original city (and at this writing, have not won a world series in over 100 years.)

The Chicago Water Tower and its associated pumping station across Michigan Avenue to the east were built in 1869 of limestone blocks quarried at Joliet Illinois. The tower is 154 feet tall, built to hide a 138-foot standpipe used to equalize water pressure. The standpipe quickly became obsolete and was removed in 1911. These two buildings were among the few to survive the great Chicago Fire of 1879.