If you live in the Chicago area you are never very far away from the banks of the Chicago River. It's a dominant feature of the downtown landscape, where its three major branches slice through the business district like an urban canyon. Boats and barges use it as a city street, and busy river buses rush commuters to and from the train stations.

Elsewhere the river is more discreet. You’ll find it meandering through a quiet residential neighborhood or hiding behind the corner grocery.

Find out more about it in The Chicago River from Your Window: An Illustrated River Watcher’s Guide.