NPR's Scott Simon, a native son of the city, explains how "greed rather than good sense fuelled the rapid expansion of the city" in the 19th century.

NPR's Scott Simon, a native son of the city, explains how "greed rather than good sense fuelled the rapid expansion of the city" in the 19th century. After the great fire of 1871 consumed the city, the lakeshore border was saved as public space. This gave Chicago's heart a spectacular landscape, even as stockyards, industrialization and poorly planned low-income housing blighted other parts of the metropolitan area. Today Chicago has emerged as a leader in urban sustainability, with Mayor Daley as a powerful advocate for strategies like green architecture, and citizen activists mobilizing to protect and enhance wilderness areas and the city's waterways.