The Navy Pier seen from the John Hancock Center

Navy Pier is a 3,000 foot long pier on the Chicago shoreline of Lake Michigan. Built in 1916, the pier was originally designated Municipal Pier #2 (Municipal Pier #1 was never built). The pier was constructed to accommodate package freight vessels, excursion steamers, warehouses and public entertainment, and had its own streetcar. Navy Pier from the John Hancock Center, Chicago, Illinois Source:Image taken by Dori License:Dual GFDL CC File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Navy Pier from the John Hancock Center, Chicago, Illinois Source:Image taken by Dori License:Dual GFDL CC File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... A pier in Lillebælt, Denmark A pier was originally a raised walkway over water that is supported by piles or pillars, as opposed to a quay or wharf. ... Chicago, colloquially known as the Second City and the Windy City, is the third-largest city in population in the United States and the largest inland city in the country. ... Sunset on Lake Michigan A different sunset on the lake. ... 1916 is a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar) // Events January-February January 1 -The first successful blood transfusion using blood that had been stored and cooled. ... a historic postcard showing electric trolley-powered streetcars in Richmond, Virginia, where Frank J. Sprague successfully demonstrated his new system on the hills in 1888 A streetcar is a railway vehicle designed to carry passengers on tracks, usually laid in city streets. ...

The rise of motor vehicles led to the pier's disuse in the 1930s, and during World War II, the U.S. Navy began using the pier for training. At this time, its name was changed to Navy Pier. When the war ended, the pier was sold to the University of Illinois, which used the facility from 1946 though 1955, when the pier again fell into disuse. World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons like the atom bomb World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a mid-20th-century conflict that engulfed much of the globe... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ... The University of Illinois is the set of three public universities in Illinois. ... 1946 was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... 1955 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Navy Pier Ferris Wheel

In 1976, Navy Pier began its third life as an area for public exhibits, when the East Buildings (furthest into Lake Michigan) were opened as exhibition halls. Special events including music and arts festivals began to draw crowds to the pier despite its aging infrastructure. Major renovation and construction followed in the 1990s, resulting in the pier's current layout with restaurants, shops, museums, ballrooms, concert and exhibition halls, auditoriums, and a 150-foot-tall Ferris wheel. The pier continues to be used as an embarkation point for tour and excursion boats. This is a picture of the Ferris Wheel at Chicagos Navy Pier. ... This is a picture of the Ferris Wheel at Chicagos Navy Pier. ... 1976 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... A Ferris wheel (or, more commonly in the UK, big wheel) is an amusement ride consisting of an upright wheel with passenger gondolas suspended from the rim. ...

Navy Pier also hosts an IMAX theater, the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, the Chicago Children's Museum and the Smith Museum of Stained Glass. An IMAX dome in Guayaquil, Ecuador IMAX (for Image Maximum) is a film projection system that has the capacity to display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film display systems. ... Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) is a non-profit, professional theater company located on Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois. ...

External Links

• Navy Pier official site
• Chicago Children's Museum on Navy Pier
• Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier
• IMAX Theater on Navy Pier