1. In 1892, The Chicago World's Fair officially closed. The fair had attracted over 27 million visitors during its six-month run, and featured the first ever "Ferris Wheel" - a large, rotating wheel with passenger cars that provided a unique view of the fair.

2. On October 29, 1929, the stock market crash occurred, signaling the beginning of the Great Depression. Many businesses and individuals were ruined by the financial fallout, and it took several years for the economy to recover.

3. In 1940, the Chicago Bears football team played their first game at Wrigley Field, defeating the Washington Redskins 73-0 - the largest margin of victory in NFL history.

4. On this day in 1954, a severe earthquake struck the southern Illinois region, measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale. The quake caused extensive damage to buildings and infrastructure, but thankfully, no fatalities were reported.

5. Finally, in 2008, Barack Obama, an Illinois senator, held a massive rally at Grant Park in Chicago to celebrate his victory in the presidential election. The event drew an estimated 240,000 people, and marked the first time an African-American had been elected president of the United States.