173 years of art, corruption, and commerce. I'm sitting in the original boundaries, which means next to nothing.
Gapers Block: Today in Chicago History: August 12, 1833
On August 12, 1833, Chicago was incorporated. The population of the town at the time was about 350 people. According to the Chicago timeline from the Chicago Public Library website, the original boundaries of the city were “Kinzie, Desplaines, Madison, and State streets, which included an area of about three-eighths of a square mile.” Happy 173rd Birthday, Chicago!