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Often associated with great deep-dish pizza, Wrigley Field, Soldier Field, the Chicago Bulls, or the notoriety of gangsters including the likes of Al Capone, Chicago, Illinois is a favorite destination for millions of tourists each year.

A lesser known fact about Chicago is that the founder or 'Father of Chicago' was the black pioneer Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable. Although he didn't receive due credit until August 8, 1963, du Sable built the first permanent settlement in region by the mouth of the Chicago River on the western shore of Lake Michigan in 1779. Son of slave and French pirate, du Sable moved to the area where he married a local Potawatomi Indian woman and established his fur trading business. However, it wasn't until August of 1833 that the town of Chicago was officially incorporated. At the time Chicago only had 350 residents. However, because of its ideal location for shipping goods to and from Canada as well as all over the U.S., Chicago grew rapidly boasting a population of over 1 million by 1890.

Today, Chicago is still a major transportation hub, its O'Hare International Airport is the second busiest airport in the world. Chicago is also an industrial and financial leader as well as a city of tremendous architectural significance, and a mecca of cultural diversity and entertainment. It has grown to be the largest city in the state of Illinois and the third most populous city in the United States with almost 3 million inhabitants.

Chicago has a plethora of interesting museums, theaters, shops, and historic landmarks . Some of the more popular activities include shopping along the upscale Magnificent Mile and State Street, watching a performance by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, or attending one of the many concerts held at the Millennium Park and Grant Park. Sports fans have an abundance of teams to cheer for, including two MLB teams - the Cubs and White Sox, the NFL Chicago Bears, the NBA Chicago Bulls, and the NHL Blackhawks.

We hope you enjoy your visit to Chicago!