Welcome to Chicago's second most popular tourist attraction: "NAVY PIER"
There is no admission fee to enter Navy Pier. Attractions within Navy Pier may have admission prices and those prices can be obtained from each individual attraction’s box office. Paid parking is available on the pier itself and at other nearby locations. Please check the operating hours before visiting.
You've probably heard of Navy Pier but do you know the history behind it or how it got its name?
History of Navy Pier
Navy Pier was designed by architect Charles Sumner Frost and was opened to the public in 1916. The 3,300ft (1,010m) pier was originally called "Municipal Pier." Its original purpose was to create an outdoor recreational area for city residents, as well as to serve as a dock for freight and passenger ships.
Throughout its existence, Navy Pier has been utilized for several purposes including being a dock for freight and passenger ships, a jail for World War I draft-dodgers, indoor and outdoor recreation, temporary home to the Universtiy of Illinois Chicago, and training grounds for the U.S. Navy during both World War I and World War II.
In 1927, Municipal Pier was renamed "Navy Pier" in honor of the U.S. Navy sailors and Merchant Marines who served at the pier during the wars.
Present day Navy Pier
Today, Navy Pier encompasses over 50 acres of shops, restaurants, live theaters, attractions, parks, gardens, and exhibition facilities. The ferris wheel is definitely hard to miss, as it stands nearly 200ft tall! With an abundance of activities, Navy Pier has earned the #2 spot of the most visited attractions in Chicago, (The #1 most visited attraction in Chicago is Millenium Park's "Cloud Gate" aka "The Bean".)
USS Chicago Anchor
At the East end of the pier stands a very large, 8-ton anchor that came from a decommissioned Naval ship called the "USS Chicago." In fact, the name USS Chicago has been recycled three different times in the U.S. Navy.
This anchor came from the third ship that was named USS Chicago. The ship was a 671-foot-long with a 71 foot beam weighing 17,700 tons. Over the ship's lifespan, it conducted a number of operations ranging from WWI to the end of the Vietnam War when the ship was decommissioned. Serving in the Pacific Fleet, the cruiser earned a number of accommodations to included the Meritorious Unit Commendation and the Navy Unit Commendation.
The anchor stands today as a memorial to all U.S. Navy sailors. It makes for a great photo op with Lake Michigan in the background!
Logging Requirements
In order to claim this Virtual cache as Found, please visit the 8-ton anchor (at the posted coordinates) and take a photo of yourself standing beside or in front of it. Include the photo in your "Found It" log. You may also opt to email or message me the photo.
If you choose to not include your face in the photo, then your photo needs to include a sign/piece of paper/your hand/etc with your Geocaching name clearly written on it.
Logs without photo requirements may be deleted!
Thank you for visiting Navy Pier! I hope you enjoyed this Virtual cache!
CLICK THE LINK TO LISTEN TO THE U.S. NAVY THEME SONG "ANCHORS AWEIGH"
https://youtu.be/uUwN8ajDVEI?si=XJDfgTQXYKHf9Xmv
Side note: The word "aweigh" means "to lift." The term "Anchors aweigh!" is a phrase that indicates that a ship's anchors are raised and the ship is ready to sail. It is oftentimes incorrectly spelled as "Anchors away!"
Congratulations to TarkenCZE-Maso for being the First-To-Find on this Virtual!
Virtual Rewards 4.0 - 2024-2025
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between January 17, 2024 and January 17, 2025. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 4.0 on the Geocaching Blog