, ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 9 . ▁The ▁Loop ▁community ▁area ▁is ▁bounded ▁on ▁the ▁north ▁and ▁west ▁by ▁the ▁Chicago ▁River , ▁on ▁the ▁east ▁by ▁Lake ▁Michigan , ▁and ▁on ▁the ▁south ▁by ▁Ro ose vel t ▁Road , ▁although ▁the ▁commercial ▁core ▁has ▁greatly ▁expanded ▁into ▁adjacent ▁community ▁areas . ▁ ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁Army ▁ere cted ▁Fort ▁D ear born ▁in ▁ 1 8 0 3 ▁in ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁the ▁Loop , ▁the ▁first ▁settlement ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁spons ored ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ' ▁federal ▁government . ▁When ▁Chicago ▁and ▁Cook ▁County ▁were ▁incorpor ated ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 3 0 s ▁the ▁area ▁was ▁selected ▁as ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁their ▁respective ▁seats . ▁Origin ally ▁mixed , ▁the ▁character ▁of ▁the ▁area ▁became ▁commercial ▁starting ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 7 0 s , ▁especially ▁after ▁it ▁was ▁mostly ▁destroyed ▁in ▁the ▁Great ▁Chicago ▁Fire ▁of ▁ 1 8 7 1 . ▁At ▁that ▁time ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁world ' s ▁earliest ▁sk ys c rap ers ▁were ▁constructed ▁in ▁the ▁area , ▁starting ▁a ▁legacy ▁of ▁architecture ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁that ▁continues ▁to ▁this ▁day . ▁In ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 th ▁century ▁cable ▁car ▁turn ar ounds ▁and ▁a ▁prominent ▁elev ated ▁railway ▁loop ▁enc irc led ▁the ▁area , ▁giving ▁the ▁Loop ▁its ▁name . ▁Starting ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s ▁many ▁high ways ▁were ▁constructed ▁in ▁the ▁Loop , ▁most ▁prom in ently ▁U .