Organized in 1833, Chicago, also known as "the windy city," is the third largest city in the United States with a population well over 2.5 million people. Chicago is also the largest inland city in the United States. It is located in northeast Illinois, on the southwestern banks of Lake Michigan. The Chicago metropolitan area has a population in excess of nine million people. The area that was to become Chicago was first "discovered" in 1673 by Father Jacques Marquette, a Jesuit missionary, and Louis Jolliet, a Canadian explorer and map maker. In 1779, Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, an African American from Haiti, built the first permanent settlement near the present Michigan Avenue Bridge on the north bank. Chicago was incorporated in 1833 as the Township of Chicago. Chicago became a city in March of 1837. Chicago has a strong and vibrant arts community offering museums, performing arts, music festivals, and more. #wanderingnursewhitlock