Most people know Chicago as the Windy City, but a lot of people don’t know how that nickname came to be and that Chicago has several other lesser know nicknames as well. Many theories have come about regarding the naming of Chicago including references to the weather, the city’s rivalry with Cincinnati and the bidding for the World’s Exposition in the late 1800’s.
Although most people think that weather has a lot to do with the nicknaming of Chicago (as well as those of us who live here and experience the crazy wind bursts), the nickname has been blamed on boosters who used to go up and down the East Coast bragging about the wonders of Chicago. News articles started using the phrase “Windy City” in the late 1800’s, just about the same time that Chicago and New York both were vying for the World’s Exposition.
Modeled in a grid pattern, Chicago streets seem to form a wind tunnel that cools the summer visitor and freezes the winter commuter. Even so, Chicago winds are no stronger than those in New York City, just barely stronger than LA and not even as strong as Boston!!
Other nicknames include The Second City from a derogatory article in a 1950’s New Yorker article which is now the name of one of the most famous comedy troups in the US. Chi-town or Chitown is a shortened version of Chicago Town. The poet Carl Sandburg in a 1916 poem referred to Chicago as the “City of Big Shoulders”.
Some lesser known nicknames include:
City in a Garden, the translation of the motto on the city seal
Paris on the Prairie, given by famous architect Daniel Burnham in his plan of Chicago
Chi-city, Kayne West’s version of Chi-town
The Miami of Canada, referred to by Mr. Burns on the Simpson’s
My Kind of Town, song made famous by Mr. Frank Sinatra
Whatever you call it, Chicago is a city with a lot of passion: passionate for sports, music food and the arts.
Enjoy!
Jeff
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