How was the Chicago lakefront built?
The process of building out the land along the Lake Michigan shoreline involved driving an outer line of bulkheads away from the original shoreline and then filling behind it with material dredged from the Lake Michigan bottom, sand from the Indiana shoreline, general construction debris, alley waste and even debris …
Why is Chicago located on the side of Lake Michigan and not the bottom?
Chicago’s present natural geography is a result of the large glaciers of the Ice Age, namely the Wisconsinan Glaciation that carved out the modern basin of Lake Michigan (which formed from the glacier’s meltwater).
Is the lake in Chicago man made?
Chicago’s entire 28-mile Lake Michigan shoreline is man-made. The original sand dune and swale topography has been dramatically altered. Before American settlement, storms changed the shoreline, either by building up or eroding sand.
Why is the lake in Chicago so blue?
Over the last two decades, their research found Lake Michigan has actually transformed in color from green to blue as invasive mussel species have caused a massive decrease in the amount of algae in its waters. Since there’s less algae, the water is less green.
What part of Chicago is landfill?
The Streeterville neighborhood is a dynamic lakeside community east of Michigan Avenue and north of the Chicago River, a once-derelict landfill that evolved into the one of the most exclusive, upscale parts of town.
Where does garbage go in Illinois?
landfill
Generally speaking, solid waste—that is, the refuse you throw in the trash—winds up in one of three places: a landfill; a MRF (pronounced “murph”), material recycling facility; or a waste energy plant. Chicago uses “single-stream” recycling.
How deep is Lake Michigan Chicago?
279 feet
But equally astounding is its depth: average of 279 feet, and a maximum of 923 feet -almost as deep as the John Hancock building is tall! A drop of water entering the Lake hangs out almost 100 years before making its way on into Lake Huron. Looking so much like the ocean, Lake Michigan can fool you!
What was the earliest form of Lake Chicago?
The earliest formation of Lake Chicago occurred when the Michigan Lobe of the glacier retreated northward into the basin of modern Lake Michigan, ca 13,000 years ago. The edge of the retreating glacier formed moraines, the Park Moraine in present-day Illinois and the Lake Borders Moraine in Indiana and Michigan.
What was the history of Lake Shore Drive?
The History of Chicago’s Famous Lake Shore Drive. Lake Shore Drive in 1889 taken from the top of the Chicago Water Tower. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago. The Potter Palmer “castle” which stood on north Lake Shore Drive for more than half a century and remains one of the most legendary houses ever built in Chicago, despite the fact it was razed in 1950.
When was the first lake of Lake Michigan formed?
The Kankakee Torrent poured through those valleys, eventually leaving behind the prehistoric Lake Chicago, the ancestor of Lake Michigan. The earliest formation of Lake Chicago occurred when the Michigan Lobe of the glacier retreated northward into the basin of modern Lake Michigan, ca 13,000 years ago.
Is the city of Chicago part of Lake Michigan?
It is not to be confused with the modern Lake Michigan, on whose shores the city of Chicago is located. Lake Chicago was a prehistoric proglacial lake that is the ancestor of what is now known as Lake Michigan, one of North America ‘s five Great Lakes. Fed by retreating glaciers, it drained south through the Chicago Outlet River.