Grade 3 Virtual Museum Project 2005
Central Elementary School, Wilmette, IL

Chicago Nicknames
This is a picture of a golf hole that has a setting of the nickname "City of Big Shoulders." Can you see the golf hole?
Can you see the big legs instead of big shoulders? The legs are right behind the poles. Do you know how many nicknames there are? There are over 100 nicknames. Even if they are not popular they count as a nickname.
Here is the same golf hole but it is City Hall. Nicknames are VERY important to Chicago. Can you spot City Hall? It is in the top left corner. Read the history of nicknames in this article.

Research and photography by: Grace G.

Nicknames:

The City That Works Together
The Windy City
Chi-Town
City by the Lake
City of Big Shoulders
The Second City

A brief history of this trademark:

The nickname "The City That Works Together" was first used in the 1980s.
"The Windy City" was used by Charles Gibson Dana, the editor of the New York Sun. He was talking about all the talking that the politicians did.
"Chi-Town" is used by people who love Chicago.
"City by the Lake" was used in the Smashing Pumpkin Song
"City of Big Shoulders" was used in a wonderful poem about Chicago by Carl Sandburg.
"The Second City" means we were the second largest city after New York.
The importance of this trademark to Chicago is:

I think nicknames are important because people could mispronounce "Chicago" and then they can just say a nickname. They also tell us about the city.
I think people should learn the nicknames for Chicago because:  I think that a person should learn the nicknames for Chicago because for advertising and if they don't make-up good names no one would buy their objects and if no one buys anything we would re-live the great depression.
Bibliography::

ChicagoNicknames. http://www.chipublib.com
5/25/05

Chicago Nicknames. http://www.chicago-nicknames.biogaphy-ms
5/25/05

Nicknames for Chicago. http://en.wikipedia.org/. 5/25/05

Central Elementary School | Museum Lobby | Exhibit Entrance | last update: 6/15/05