The Floor

1848 was an eventful year for Chicago. The first telegraph lines reached the city, construction began on the city's first railroad, the Illinois and Michigan Canal was opened and the Chicago Board of Trade was founded in April of that year. The Board of Trade was created by a group of Chicago businessmen in order to combat what was considered an inefficient grain distribution system. First headquartered in rooms over a flour store near the Chicago River the Board has since occupied 12 different locations since its inception. Presently the Chicago Board of Trade resides at 141 West Jackson Street and is the world's largest and oldest futures and futures-option exchange.