Lighthouses of Chicago Harbor

It is difficult to imagine a time when the banks of the Chicago River were lined by scores of tall-masted schooners and steamships. Yet, for the last half of the 19th and into the early 20th century, this river, which trisects the City of Chicago, was home to port operations that made this Midwestern metropolis one of the most commercially important cities in North America. In fact, the historic port of Chicago with its weather-shortened, eight-month shipping season frequently had more arrivals and departures than the year-round ports of New York, Boston, and San Francisco. This period saw Chicago's harbor play a significant role in the maritime commerce of the United States as it became the center of trade for lumber and grain merchants, textile industries, newspaper plants, meat processing facilities, and many other businesses that served America.