The History of Chicago St. Vincent de Paul Academy/DePaul High School
Chicago (population 2.8 million) is located in far northeastern Illinois
in the center of Cook County. It is currently the third largest cities in the United States of America and is one of
the most famous cities in the world. Lake Michigan provides Chicago's eastern most border. Several roadways and railroads,
as well as O'Hare and Midway airports, will take you to the city of Chicago.
The area in which Chicago is located was first settled in the very early 1800's. The mouth of the Chicago
River at Lake Michigan served as an important waterway from the east to the west. The town was organized in 1832 and chartered
as a city in 1837. Chicago's population that year was 4,180. By the late 1800's, Chicago was a boom town, the population increasing
at a rapid rate.
Along with this boom came the need for education. Residents saw to it that their children were given many
opportunities. As the public school system grew, there also came the establishment of several private and parochial
schools.
