Chapter 4 - Megalopolis

Although not in an officially defined Megalopolis, Chicago and the surrounding areas have been expanding into one themselves. This area is made up from Chicago and the Great Lakes to Pittsburgh and the Ohio River (Referred to by Jean Gottmannas asChiPitts).  Chicago is the largest city in the Midwest region and has access to the second largest labor pool in the U.S. with 4.25 million people to pull from.  The city generates the third largest metropolitan product in the U.S. and has become a world finacial center.  The city is home to 12 of the Fortune Global 500 Companies.

Interms of the componets of urban landscapes for a megalopolis, chicago has them all.  It has an interaction with other regions throught its creation of canals to the Mississippi River Valley and the Great Lakes Region. It has functional complexity of having residential, industrial and commercial uses seperatly developed along its modes of transportation.  Public services and accessibility have been creatively developed with in the city limits to provide a wide range of public spaces, transportation, health facilities and many other neccessary needs meet.  The CTA  (Chicago Transit Authority) is one of the best run public transportation services I have ever seen and was always running on time with efficiency.  The city has also been a leader in change. Redeveloping and changing the city to provide for the future.

CTA map of the city subway stations

Chapter 3 - Human Activity

Settled in the early 18th century by the Potawatomi Indians, the area of Chicago has always been an area of human activity.

The first Europeans arrived in the area around 1780 and right off the bat realized the stratigic location of this area. Perfectly situated on the lake and rivers, with plenty of good harborage Chicago was destined its now glory. 

With the removal of the native inhabitants by 1833, Chicago was set for expansion and development.  With its location along the waterfront, shipping and trading was able to support the city and drew people to the area, along with the fur trading and farming.  To improve the location and manage there most valuable resource, Lake Michigan, the city reversed the flow of the Chicago River to drain into the Mississippi river instead of the lake.  This protected the water resources from pollution, but also provided a direct shipping route from the heart of the nation to the great lake area and beyond.

In its time, Chicago has become a world recognized city.  Its history contains major events like the Great Chicago Fire, the gangster era and the first controlled nuclear reaction.  It is also the birth place of such invention as the zipper, the crackerjack, the steel skyscraper, roller skated and elevated railways.

Chapter 2 - Geographic Patterns and The Physical Environment

Located in the Midwest, Chicago expereinces four distinct seasons.  It recieves about an average of 34'' of rain a year and about 43'' of snow fall a year.  Being located on Lake Michigan, not only has served economically well for the city, but also has provided a humid continetal climate that defines the city of Chicago with warm summers and cold winters.



To the north of Chicago the city is surrounded by a steep bluffs and ravines, but strikingly different the south is comprised of flat land, limes stone and sand dunes.  To the west is a an area of flat land and then changes to deep river valleys.  This area has been carved out during the glaciation period which carved out the basin for Lake Michigan.

This proximity to the southern end of Lake Michigan has provided the city with navagable water ways such as the Chicago river and access to the Mississippi river valley for movement and trade of people and goods.

Chapter 1 - Regions and Themes

Over the summer I was able to visit the wonderful city of Chicago and fell in love with it so I chose this amazing city.

The city of Chicago was incorporated in 1837.  It is the third largest city currently in the United States behind New York and Los Angeles respectively.  It has a current population of just about three million people. 

The city is located in the region of the Midwest on the southwest shore of Lake Michigan. Currently the city comprises 60,000 hectares and sits at an average of 587 feet above sea level.  The city is comprised of 77 different neighborhoods and attracts and estimated 86 million visitors a year, the number guessed by the city of Chicago itself.  Located in and run by the city itself, are two airports.  One of these, O'Hare International Airport, is the second busiest in the world.

Located in the Midwest and along the 5th largest lake in the world, Chicago is also built around two rivers, the Chicago and Calumet rivers, and has become a world city globally known and travelled to.