The Chicago River is a system of rivers and canals with a combined length of 156 miles (251 km) that runs through the eponymous city, including its center (the Chicago Loop). Though not especially long, the river is notable for being the reason why Chicago became an important location, as the link between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi Valley waterways. In the 19th century through civil engineering, the flow of the river was reversed to head toward the Mississippi River basin, away from Lake Michigan, into which it previously emptied. This was done for reasons of sanitation. The river is also noted for the local custom of dyeing it green on St. Patrick's Day.
The river is memorialized, in part, by two horizontal blue stripes on the Municipal Flag of Chicago. The river also serves as inspiration for one of Chicago's ubiquitous symbols: a three-branched, Y-shaped symbol (called the municipal device) is found on many buildings and other structures throughout Chicago; it represents the three branches of the Chicago River.
Read more about Chicago River: Course, Pollution, St. Patrick's Day
Famous quotes containing the words chicago and/or river:
“You want to get Capone? Here’s how you get him: he pulls a knife, you pull a gun, he sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. It’s the Chicago way and that’s how you get Capone.”
—David Mamet, U.S. screenwriter, and Brian DePalma. Jimmy Malone (Sean Connery)
“Cole Thornton: Just a minute, son.
Mississippi: I am not your son. My name is Alan Bourdillon Traherne.
Cole: Lord almighty.
Mississippi: Yeah, well, that’s why most people call me Mississippi. I was born on the river in a flatboat.”
—Leigh Brackett (1915–1978)