When I think of the Chicago River, my mind tends to lean toward images of the river being dyed green for Saint Patrick’s Day, not for a refreshing dip. So, I was more than a little surprised to learn that a movement is afoot to make the Chicago River “swim-able.”

The man in the photo above, S.S. Nichol, is pictured here in 1909, as he prepares to take part in a marathon swim of the Chicago River. Not only were there marathon swims of the river at that time, the competition drew a large group of spectators. Visit 1440 Wrok and see great photos of Chicago River swimmers from the early 1990’s.