According to Wikipedia:
"The City of Chicago was incorporated on Saturday, March 4, 1837."
2012 - 1837 = 175 years old today!
So what will the next 25 years bring? When we celebrate the Bicentennial of Chicago on March 4th, 2037, what will we look back on this time and say? Hopefully we will have seen 2012 be a great year in our history, a year when our entrepreneurs launched some of the most successful companies of the 21st century, a year that began to redefine the economic landscape of not only Chicago but our place in this country and on the global stage. We have all of the elements in place from incredibly talented entrepreneurs (many serial) to top universities attracting talent from around the country & world to the support of many of our midwest-based Fortune 500 companies to support from our city, county, and state government leaders. Add to all of that a growing startup community that is passionate, committed, and energized by Chicago's recent success and it's clear that it is the best year to start a company here!
We recently announced a new co-working center for Chicago's digital entrepreneurs named 1871 and that's made me think a lot about important dates in our city's history. The story of 1871 was about the re-building of Chicago after the great fire,a remarkable moment when the most brilliant engineers, architects and inventors came together to build a new city. Their innovations – born of passion and practical ingenuity – shaped not just Chicago, but the modern world. We're looking forward to opening the doors of 1871 this spring!
And how should we celebrate Chicago's 175th birthday? The Mayor's Office has created "175 Days to Love Chicago" - check it out on ExploreChicago.org
