Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago occupies a heavy, gray limestone block on LaSalle Street, defined by its massive, two-story Corinthian columns that look more like an ancient temple than a financial institution. Inside the vault, workers once maneuvered millions of dollars using small train tracks embedded in the floor. During the Great Depression, the bank famously held so much physical cash that armored trucks were constantly lining the alleyways, as depositors arrived in a panic to withdraw their life savings.