Sears Tower
The one piece that keeps the huge and varied land of Chicago unified is the massive 1,451-foot Sears Tower, or should I say Willis Tower? The Sears Tower’s construction was completed in 1973; it beat out the World Trade Center in New York to become the tallest building in the world (currently it is still the second-tallest building in the United States and the 13th-tallest in the world). Its groundbreaking construction cost about 150 million dollars. The height of the building ultimately made it a major tourist destination as it has an observation deck for its visitors. In 2009 the Sears Tower had its name changed to the Willis Tower but most Chicagoans and tourists still refer to it as The Sears Tower. A Chicago native probably wouldn’t even respond to you if you referred to it as the Willis Tower. Why do they choose to ignore the name change? Because it has became such a strong part of their culture.
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LocationSears Tower
Chicago, IL |
Gallery
Here is some history. The Sears Tower’s construction was completed in 1973; it beat out the World Trade Center in New York to become the tallest building in the world (currently it is still the second-tallest building in the United States and the 13th-tallest in the world). Its groundbreaking construction cost about 150 million dollars. The height of the building ultimately made it a major tourist destination as it has an observation deck for its visitors. In 2009 the Sears Tower had its name changed to the Willis Tower but most Chicagoans and tourists still refer to it as The Sears Tower. A Chicago native probably wouldn’t even respond to you if you referred to it as the Willis Tower. Why do they choose to ignore the name change? Because it has became such a strong part of their culture.