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Ariel shot of the Navy Pier by Moses8910 – .

Top 10 Amazing Facts about the Navy Pier, Chicago

Chicago’s Navy Pier is one of the largest attractions in Chicago. It is 3,300 foot-long pier that is located along the shores of Lake Michigan on Streeterville neighborhood. It is a public space that is free and open all through the year.

Not only does it have a very rich history but it also offers many uses today. It hosts many events and activities throughout the year. On top of this, Navy Pier offers a space to shop, relax, wine, and dine. The pier draws over one million visitors annually. Let us now look at 10 amazing facts about the Navy Pier in Chicago.

1. The Navy Pier was built on top of 20,000 logs

Navy Pier was built on top of 20,000 logs that were imported from Oregon. This was the largest construction that took place at the time. It cost 4.5 million dollars. The construction was completed in 1916 overseen by architect Charles Sumner Frost. The 292 feet wide Navy Pier was then and remains the largest pier in the world.

2. It was designed by D Burnham

D. H. Burnham (b. 1846), Chicago photo by Halliday Witherspoon. .

Burnham was one of the most famous architects during the 20^th century. He single-handedly designed a great plan for Chicago called the ‘Master Plan of Chicago’ that included five piers. Navy Pier happened to be one of the Piers which he referred to as the People’s Pier in his plans. The plan was later revised to one pier instead of five. Construction began in 1914 and ended in 1916 having cost a whopping 4.5 million dollars.

3. It hosted the largest passenger ship on the Great Lake

Photo of the S.S. Aquarama cruise ship (AKA the Marine Star) docked in Buffalo NY. Photo by Michaelalanbielat..

The SS Aquarama which was 520 feet long and weighed 12,000 tons was the largest passenger ship in 1955. It was previously a U.S. Navy troop transport ship that was converted to a passenger ship. The ship could carry 2,500 passengers and 160 automobiles. It cruised at speeds as high as 2 miles per hour. It spent a summer at Navy Pier offering a floating entertainment palace.

4. Previously, Navy Pier was a Navy training base

Navy Pier was closed to the public in August 1941. This was done to provide space to the Navy for technical training.  It was fully converted into a Navy training centre in 5 months accommodating up to 10,000 service personnel. The training included classes for aviation machinist mates, metalsmiths, and diesel mechanics.  Also, in 1917 and 1918 the Pier housed hundreds of Navy and Army personnel, the Red Cross team, and Home Defense units.

5.  Navy Pier was initially called Municipal Pier

The name was changed to Navy Pier in 1927. This was in honour of the Navy personnel housed on the pier during the Great War (World War 1). The Municipal Pier as it was then was meant to space for public recreation and serve as a shipping hub for passenger and cargo ships.

6. Navy Pier was home to the first-ever Ferris Wheel

Municipal Pier, 200 N. Streeter Drive Near North Side by NoTalentHack –.

The Ferris Wheel was designed and constructed by Ferris G in 1893. It was erected as a form of promotion and publication of the World Columbian Exposition that was being held in Chicago that year. The original Ferris wheel was removed in 2015 and replaced by DW60 on the 27^th of May 2016. The new Ferris wheel can withstand winds of 185km/h. It also has strong safety glasses that weather through intense storms.

7. Navy Pier made it to the World Record Book

The longest Ferris wheel ride in May 2013 was entered into the Guinness Book of World Records. The ride was by the Pier Park operations manager Clinton Shepherd.  It took 48 hours, 8 minutes, and 25 seconds. This record was later broken in Belgium.

8. It is not owned by Chicago City

The Navy Pier is owned by the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority. The operations on Navy Pier, however, are run by Navy Pier Incorporation. This is a non-profit organization.

9. Many famous films have been shot in Navy Pier

Divergent logo by Lkaliba. .

Popular films like Divergent, Atlantic City, New Jersey, and The Color of Money have scenes shot on the Navy Pier. In Divergent, the pier and the Ferris wheel were displayed as abandoned and decayed. The flag is captured by the Dauntless team in the park as Tris and Four climb the Ferris wheel to spot the opposing team. While in The Color of Money the halls were used to represent the 9-Ball championship. Navy Pier has also featured in video games like NASCAR 09 where the pier is a fictional race track.

10. Over 200 World War 2 planes rest below the pier in Lake Michigan

In 1942, Navy Pier was an orientation training ground for pilots.  Thousands of servicemen were in this training and many of them qualified to join the military after the training. One of them was George H.W. Bush the former United States president. Many planes found at the bottom of Lake Michigan are the results of accidents that occurred during the training.