Navy Pier, Chicago, Illinois

A waterfront chameleon. Navy Pier, Chicago, Illinois

Some places are built for a single purpose; others keep reinventing themselves. Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois, falls into the second category. The structure stretches more than 3,000 feet into the lake and was designed as part of Edward H. Bennett's and Daniel Burnham's 1909 Plan of Chicago. Opened in 1916, the pier was built for shipping, recreation, and passenger travel on Lake Michigan. It was renamed Navy Pier in honor of World War I naval veterans.

Step outside today and the surroundings feel very different. The skyline fills the view, while Lake Michigan stretches far beyond the pier. On clear days, the contrast between glass towers and open water is hard to miss.

The pier is now home to parks, performance spaces, restaurants, family attractions, a museum, and waterfront activities. Many visitors know the Centennial Wheel, but fewer know that the pier once housed university students attending classes after World War II. One structure, many lives. That's an unusual resume for a Chicago landmark.