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	Historical painting by Lawrence C. Earle depicting the first bridge across the Chicago River, 1834. Postcard from the Karl J. Sup Collection..
	Grain elevators near the entrance to the Chicago River. Notice the sailing ship, or bark, entering the river, September 1, 1900. Glass negative LC-D4-50x. Videodisc frame 1A-28693. Detriot Publishing Co. #012626. Source: Library of Congress.
	A freighter leaves the Chicago River, circa 1900. Fruit from Michigan was a frequent commodity shipped daily from Holland, St. Joseph and Benton Harbor. From the Karl J. Sup Collection.
	A tugboat towing a freighter through the Dearborn Street bridge, circa 1903. Freighters scheduled to offload on the south bank of the river would be towed to the confluence of the North and South Branch of the Chicago River where they would be brought about and towed to their wharf.
	A close-up of the tugboat. Tugboats were an essential part of the daily activity on the Chicago River. The Dunham Towing & Wrecking Company ran its operations in Chicago through the decline of the shipping industry. Early on the morning of July 24th, 1915, the Kenosha was anchored near the Dunham Towing docks, before steaming to the bow of the Eastland at the Clark Street Bridge.
	Activity abounds on the wharfs along the river east of the Rush Street bridge circa 1905. Detriot Publishing Co. #018839. Source: Library of Congress.
	A view of ships passing the Rush Street Bridge, circa 1905. The river with its branches gives to the city a water frontage of 58 miles, to which Lake Michigan adds 29 more. It divides the city into three distinct part, known as the North, South and West Divisions. Communications between these divisions is afforded by half a hundred bridges which span the river at almost every street. These bridges are swung on a central pivot by electricity and can be moved very quickly. The electric and cable cars pass through tunnels underneath the river. From the Karl J. Sup Collection.
	South Water Street Market as it was in 1908. Chicago was an important trade port for the Great Lakes shipping industry, and the South Water Street Market primarily sold these fresh goods. Many chicken coops and other flotsam were thrown into the river by market merchants in an effort to save those drowning.
	Chicago River scene with steamship and industrial waterfront circa 1910. Detriot Publishing Co. #068295. Source: Library of Congress.
	Steamship passing through the State Street bascule bridge circa 1915. Negative D4-34721. Detriot Publishing Co. #031574. Source: Library of Congress.
	The Michigan City-Chicago Line steamer, The United States, passes through the State Street bridge circa 1915. Negative D4-500198. Detriot Publishing Co. #031577. Source: Library of Congress.
	A view of the new Wacker Drive, circa 1926. Wacker Drive, which skirts the Chicago River through the loop was built at a cost of $8,000,000. It consists of a lower level drive for heavy commercial traffic, and an upper level for automobiles and pedestrians. Michigan Avenue bridge is in the foreground.
	Wacker Drive, circa 1926. The Wacker Drive project replaced South Water Street. Its construction eliminated the Market and the shipping wharfs on the south bank of the river, including the Chicago & South Haven Steamship Company wharf, from which the Eastland was loaded.
	A view of the Chicago River overlooking the Rush Street and Michigan Avenue bridges, circa 1946. Prominent in the group of buildings are the Wrigley Building, Tribune Tower, London Guarantee and Accident Company, the Mather Building and Pure Oil Building. From the Karl J. Sup Collection.
	A view of Wacker Drive overlooking the river from the Merchandise Mart, circa 1946. The Eastland capsized on the far side of the river between the first two bridges in the foreground. From the Karl J. Sup Collection.
	The Old Water Tower and the Palmolive Building, circa 1946. The Chicago Water Tower was the only municipal structure to survive the Great Chicago Fire, October 8-9th, 1871. In its time, it was an important structure in Chicago's water system. For more information on the Great Chicago Fire, visit The Great Chicago Fire and the Web of Memory. From the Karl J. Sup Collection.