Mid-19th Century – Chicago has more arcades than New Orleans and Pittsburgh combined.
The metropolis, whose brothels and arcades are larger and more revealing than elsewhere, was once considered the "craziest city in the US".

1871 – The Great Chicago Fire.
Many saloons and brothels are destroyed.
The Levee District's predecessor, the Customs House District, is being built between Harrison Street, Polk Street and Dearborn Station.

1893 – The brothels and gambling saloons of the Levee attracted a crowd of visitors from the World's Columbian Exposition.

1895 – Jim Colosimo moves to the Levee District, which already includes 2,000 brothels, saloons and gambling salons.

1897 – Prohibition of street prostitution in a designated zone.

February 1, 1900 – The luxury Everleigh Club opens its doors.

May 15, 1900 – The Chicago Vice Commission seeks to close brothels for the first time.

1903–1909 – Van Beven and Colosimo engage in trafficking of young prostitutes who are scheduled to so-called "cadets" (pimps) on a five-year rotation between brothels.
From there, the girls descend to working at hour hotels and then street prostitution.
Colosimo and Van Beven lead a "White Slave Ring", where their victims are often young girls from rural areas, lured to Chicago by the promise of marriage.
They were then raped ("broken in") by the cadets.
The girls suffered a martyrdom of drug abuse, beatings and rape.
Only a few manage to free themselves from it.
Many die prematurely from alcohol and drug abuse, as well as venereal diseases.
Van Beven's and Colosimo's system gives the cadets a continuous supply of "fresh meat".
Colosimo and Van Beven stretch their thriving businesses nationwide to New York, St. Louis and Milwaukee.

1905 – Colosimo opens his first saloons and single-hour hotels.

October 18, 1909 – Rodney "Gipsy" Smith leads a march of 200 Christians through the Levee District.

January 9, 1910 – Nathaniel Ford Moore (born January 31, 1884), a well-known American golfer and son of the President of the Rock Island Railway Company, dies in the brothel of Vic Shaw of a narcotic overdose.
In an attempt to cover this up, Shaw accuses her rivals, the owners of the Everleigh Club.
The death causes a social scandal.

1910 – Colosimo opens the cabaret "Colosimos Café" in the heart of the Levee at 2126 South Wabash.
The well-kept restaurant with a sophisticated ambience plays both jazz and Italian opera arias.
It quickly becomes the center of Chicago's nightlife, attracting politicians, artists and actors.

1910 – The estimated gross proceeds from prostitution are $60 million and the net gain is $15 million.
In the same year, brothel owners found the protective association, "Friendly Girlfriends".

1910 – Passing of the Mann Act against the "White Slavery".
The wording prohibits the "transport of a woman across national borders for immoral purposes"
October 25, 1911 – The Everleigh Club closes.

December 10, 1911 – Inspector P.D. O'Brien implements measures against alcohol consumption and music performance, also banning unaccompanied women remaining in bars.

October 3, 1911 – Charges are brought against a total of 135 people associated with the Levee.
These include "Big Jim" Colosimo, Ed Weiss, Roy Jones and Vic Shaw.

1912 – Due to public pressure, prostitution in the Levee is targeted.
The City of Chicago's "Moral Division" embarks on a mass arrest of prostitutes, pimps, drug dealers, contract killers, bar owners and gamblers.

October 22, 1913 – The Mayor of Chicago obtains the closure of Ed Weiss's Capitol.

July 18, 1914 – The closure of brothels in the Levee causes violence, during which a police officer dies.

August 24, 1914 – Closure of Freiberg's Dance Hall as one of the Levee's last long-standing clubs.

1920s – Under the influence of Kenna and Coughlin, gambling in the Levee continues to grow.
The Chicago Outfit increasingly shifts prostitution to other districts like Cicero or the suburbs.
Mid-19th Century – Chicago has more arcades than New Orleans and Pittsburgh combined. The metropolis, whose brothels and arcades are larger and more revealing than elsewhere, was once considered the "craziest city in the US".
1871 – The Great Chicago Fire. Many saloons and brothels are destroyed. The Levee District's predecessor, the Customs House District, is being built between Harrison Street, Polk Street and Dearborn Station.
1893 – The brothels and gambling saloons of the Levee attracted a crowd of visitors from the World's Columbian Exposition.
1895 – Jim Colosimo moves to the Levee District, which already includes 2,000 brothels, saloons and gambling salons.
1897 – Prohibition of street prostitution in a designated zone.
February 1, 1900 – The luxury Everleigh Club opens its doors.
May 15, 1900 – The Chicago Vice Commission seeks to close brothels for the first time.
1903–1909 – Van Beven and Colosimo engage in trafficking of young prostitutes who are scheduled to so-called "cadets" (pimps) on a five-year rotation between brothels. From there, the girls descend to working at hour hotels and then street prostitution. Colosimo and Van Beven lead a "White Slave Ring", where their victims are often young girls from rural areas, lured to Chicago by the promise of marriage. They were then raped ("broken in") by the cadets. The girls suffered a martyrdom of drug abuse, beatings and rape. Only a few manage to free themselves from it. Many die prematurely from alcohol and drug abuse, as well as venereal diseases. Van Beven's and Colosimo's system gives the cadets a continuous supply of "fresh meat". Colosimo and Van Beven stretch their thriving businesses nationwide to New York, St. Louis and Milwaukee.
1905 – Colosimo opens his first saloons and single-hour hotels.
October 18, 1909 – Rodney "Gipsy" Smith leads a march of 200 Christians through the Levee District.
January 9, 1910 – Nathaniel Ford Moore (born January 31, 1884), a well-known American golfer and son of the President of the Rock Island Railway Company, dies in the brothel of Vic Shaw of a narcotic overdose. In an attempt to cover this up, Shaw accuses her rivals, the owners of the Everleigh Club. The death causes a social scandal.
1910 – Colosimo opens the cabaret "Colosimos Café" in the heart of the Levee at 2126 South Wabash. The well-kept restaurant with a sophisticated ambience plays both jazz and Italian opera arias. It quickly becomes the center of Chicago's nightlife, attracting politicians, artists and actors.
1910 – The estimated gross proceeds from prostitution are $60 million and the net gain is $15 million. In the same year, brothel owners found the protective association, "Friendly Girlfriends".
1910 – Passing of the Mann Act against the "White Slavery". The wording prohibits the "transport of a woman across national borders for immoral purposes"
October 25, 1911 – The Everleigh Club closes.
December 10, 1911 – Inspector P.D. O'Brien implements measures against alcohol consumption and music performance, also banning unaccompanied women remaining in bars.
October 3, 1911 – Charges are brought against a total of 135 people associated with the Levee. These include "Big Jim" Colosimo, Ed Weiss, Roy Jones and Vic Shaw.
1912 – Due to public pressure, prostitution in the Levee is targeted. The City of Chicago's "Moral Division" embarks on a mass arrest of prostitutes, pimps, drug dealers, contract killers, bar owners and gamblers.
October 22, 1913 – The Mayor of Chicago obtains the closure of Ed Weiss's Capitol.
July 18, 1914 – The closure of brothels in the Levee causes violence, during which a police officer dies.
August 24, 1914 – Closure of Freiberg's Dance Hall as one of the Levee's last long-standing clubs.
1920s – Under the influence of Kenna and Coughlin, gambling in the Levee continues to grow. The Chicago Outfit increasingly shifts prostitution to other districts like Cicero or the suburbs.
The Levee, Chicago