Chicago used to sit between two important places: The mide-west and the great lakes shipping channels (to NY and the Atlantic). The advent of the Interstate fre

Chicago used to sit between two important places: The mide-west and the great lakes shipping channels (to NY and the Atlantic). The advent of the Interstate freeway system in the 1950's strategically weakend chicago's leverage over the economic resources of the Midwest. They were no longer a funnel point / choke point. Ironically, this is what provided leverage to Detroit (building the moto-cars, to take advantage...etc). Its amazing that in 20 years, the '50's heyday (57 chevy, etc) to the '70s (AMC pacer) any industry could so lose the plot (er, quality). There is <innovation>, and then there is just not giving a fuck.