Chicago

Chicago, founded by Jean Baptiste Point du Sable in 1833, initially as a town and then as a city in 1837, became known for a surge in gang-related crime in the late 1960s. However, its most devastating period began with the Collapse in the early 2010s, which left the city in absolute devastation, soon compounded by a catastrophic bio-plague.   This bio-plague, initially misidentified as an Ebola derivative, was actually a creation of the Federal Government. Its development stemmed from research at various universities, with the most lethal aspects originating from Heartland. Heartland was a clandestine complex built beneath the University of Chicago during World War II for the Manhattan Project. After its initial research progressed faster than expected, it lay disused until the early 1960s. Prior to the Vietnam War, Heartland was repurposed into a large-scale bio-agent and chemical research facility, receiving billions in funding from the NSC/DIA and becoming the source of most of America's bio-arsenal. Despite its success in biological warfare, Heartland eventually closed due to its cramped and outdated infrastructure, which could not be renovated without disrupting the University, saving the institution millions.   Years after its closure, much of Heartland's work and materials, including samples of deadly diseases, remained on site, untouched. When the worst of the Collapse hit, the government was unable to intervene. Eventually, the NSA sealed the entry corridors with cement and posted bio-hazard warnings before departing to join the Gang of Four's conflict against the government and military. In late 2011, reconstruction efforts at the University of Chicago led to the discovery of the Heartland complex during the demolition of old buildings. Despite bio-hazard warnings, reconstruction companies proceeded with demolition, inadvertently releasing the contained diseases, triggering widespread chaos. Within six months, Chicago was devastated, with a death toll nearing 200,000. While some areas remained habitable, most residents relocated. In the aftermath, the U.S. Military constructed Chicago Port, recognizing the severe impact Chicago's absence had on Great Lakes shipping. Afterward, Chicago remained largely a wasteland, primarily occupied by nomads.   Following the Collapse, Chicago remained mostly in ruins, with an estimated 90% of the city abandoned, reduced to an algae-choked, overgrown landscape of rusted buildings. Its restoration seemed impossible until Storm Technologies Incorporated (StormTech) arrived. Founded by Dr. Richard Storm in the late 1990s, StormTech embarked on the ambitious and lucrative project of reclaiming Chicago. Once the city's toxicity levels became manageable, StormTech secured a lucrative deal with four of the seven Nations to commence reconstruction. Since 2017, StormTech has been sending teams into Chicago to salvage critical resources, slowly reclaiming and rebuilding areas like The Loop and New Town, though other parts of the city remain unfortunatereconstructed. Today, Nomad groups and gangs primarily traverse Chicago seeking livelihoods.   By 2020, Chicago had undergone significant reconstruction and experienced substantial population growth, reaching 8,000,000 residents. It transformed from an abandoned state to become the founding location of Cytech, a company that subsequently expanded globally, providing services in cybernetic implants, manufacturing, holograms, infrastructure, military, and weapons. However, the efforts to reconstruct Chicago were abruptly halted during the Fourth Corporate War when Arasaka detonated virus bombs in the city to prevent it from becoming a Militech stronghold.   By 2077, there's an implication that Chicago had undergone some further reconstruction, as it is mentioned in the context of connecting to Night City via the transcontinental Maglev Network.