Prairie stream, bustling port, city sewer, living treasure: the Chicago River

The Michigan Avenue Bridgehouse represents a grand vision for a river and its city.

If you stood at the site of the McCromick Tribune Bridgehouse 350 years ago, you would be knee-deep in mud, almost on the lakeshore. To the west you could see miles of prairie; to the east, the sand dunes of Lake Michigan; and across the river, wetlands teeming with life.

From the beginning, the river was vital for trade and
travel, providing a connection between the Atlantic
Ocean, Great Lakes, and the Mississippi. This strategic
link laid the foundation for a booming metropolis—
and meant great changes for the Chicago River.