Why Is Chicago Called the Windy City?

Many cities have nicknames. New Orleans is the Big Easy because everyone has a slow easy pace. Las Vegas is sin city because it has a reputation for gambling and less than pure pursuits. Chicago is the Windy City, which might seem obvious to anyone who has ever been there in the winter, but the origins behind this nickname are not as obvious as might be thought.

Geography

There are two geographic sources of wind in Chicago. The first is a natural weather phenomena caused by the city's location Lake Michigan. Prevailing winds come across the lake and blow through Chicago. In the summer these often serve to help cool the city, and were at one point used to try and lure summer tourists to the region. In the winter they can lead to harsh wind chills and blowing storms, for which modern Chicago has earned a reputation. It was these winds that led to the adoption of the nickname of "Windy City," which marked a shift from the city's initial nickname of the "Garden City" which was taken from the city's motto. However, the winds are only part of the story.

History

The use of the name "Windy City" dates back to the late 1800's, generally the early 1880's. Newspaper accounts from other cities around the nation in the 1890's indicate that by that time the nickname had entered the common vernacular. It was used in an editorial in New York City, for example, when the two cities were competing to host the World's Fair. It also appeared in other city's papers, such as in Cleveland, and was used as an interchangeable term with the city of Chicago itself much as New York is referred to as the Big Apple. The first local usage of the term in the Chicago area appears to have occurred in the early 1880's as a promotional effort by the local newspaper, the Chicago Tribune.

Function

The paper appears to have used the term to try and promote tourism in the city, specifically during the summer. Chicago, while a major city, was not yet the major metropolis it is today. Because of the cooling breezes which came off of Lake Michigan, there was an effort to promote the city as a summer resort location, someplace to go to escape the heat of summer in the Midwest. The editorial staff at the Tribune endorsed this idea, and promoted the use of the new nickname as a way to encourage the idea of Chicago as a summer destination.

Features

The nickname stuck, even if the idea of turning the town into a summer resort mecca did not. Of course, the nickname likely gained traction in the popular usage not because of the summer breezes but the winter winds. As the city grew, Chicago's weather patterns were augmented by the artificial canyons created by the city's skyscrapers and grid-like system of streets. The famous architecture that dots the skyline also creates obstacles for the wind to go around. It is channeled along streets that are a straight path both north to south and east to west acquiring speed as it does so (much like water will increase in pressure if forced through a smaller hole).

Misconceptions

There is a persistent rumor that the origin for Chicago's nickname has to do with the boisterous politics practiced there. Specifically, that the wind of the Windy City is generated by all the blustery hot air from local officials. There is no evidence that there is truth to this rumor. Likewise, any claims that the term originated outside Chicago goes against the historical record. Nor is the Chicago he windiest city in America. That honor belongs to either Dodge City, KA, or Blue Hills, MA, depending on the figures used to compile weather statistics.

Resources

• City of Chicago Tourism
• Current Wind Speed Map for the Chicago