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LaSalle Street is a major north-south street in Chicago named for Sieur de La Salle, an early explorer of Illinois. The portion that runs through the Loop is considered to be Chicago's financial district. For most of its length, the street has the address 140 West. See Streets and highways of Chicago.

LaSalle Street during the daytime

LaSalle Street in the early evening

[edit] South Side

South of the Financial District, LaSalle Street gets cut off for a while by the Amtrak/Metra Rail yard from Taylor St to 1600 South. It runs parallel to the Rock Island District Metra line. South of 26th Street, it serves as a frontage road for the Dan Ryan Expressway until 47th street where it merges with Wentworth Avenue. South of 47th, it starts and stops as a local street until it finally terminates just south of 125th Street.

[edit] In the Loop

LaSalle Street from the old Chicago Board of Trade Building (photograph taken May 15, 1916)

The south end of LaSalle Street terminates at the art-deco Chicago Board of Trade Building, a Chicago Landmark and National Historic Landmark. The LaSalle Street Station commuter terminal is located directly south of the Board of Trade. An art deco skyscraper at 135 S. LaSalle and a modern skycraper 190 S. LaSalle line the street. One North LaSalle, Chicago City Hall and the James R. Thompson Center are located within the Loop on LaSalle Street.

[edit] Architectural Features of the Canyon

The canyon is in the form of a box canyon and uses the Chicago Board of Trade Building to form an abrupt end. The buildings along the canyon have their faces inward to emphasize the feeling of a canyon. It is generally not permitted to put signs, banners or other infrastructure that hangs into the canyon.^{[clarification needed]}

[edit] North of the river

North LaSalle runs past the Rock N Roll McDonald's.

Moving north from the Loop, the street crosses the Chicago River using the LaSalle Street Bridge. In the Near North Side, 300 North LaSalle will be on the north banks of the Chicago River, one block east of the Merchandise Mart. North of Chicago Avenue, the street is adjacent to the Moody Bible Institute. The street terminates in Lincoln Park near the Chicago History Museum.

[edit] In popular culture

The street, Chicago Board of Trade Building, and 200 North LaSalle were used in the 2005 film' 'Batman Begins and its sequel The Dark Knight.^[1][2] The view facing south down the canyon has been used in the movies The Untouchables, Public Enemies, and Road to Perdition.

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[edit] References