Have you heard of the Chicago municipal device? Chances are, if you haven't, you'll soon spot it all over the city.
The symbol saw a resurgence in awareness after the Chicago Bulls unveiled their city edition jerseys last month, featuring it prominently.
The symbol has also been the topic of social media chatter as people spot it around Chicago.
But what exactly is it and what does it mean?
The symbol is intended to represent the Chicago River and its two branches, which come together at Wolf Point.
According to the city's website, the municipal device was first introduced in 1892 as part of a Chicago Tribune contest and then was "enshrined" in the city's municipal code in 1917. But it was ultimately overshadowed when the Chicago flag's induction came in the same year.
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"The Municipal Device was intended for public re-use, to show our pride. During the next century, though, the flag stole our hearts," the website reads.
Some versions of it show the symbol inverted with a vertical stripe on top, which some say is intended to represent the reversal of the flow of the Chicago River.
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Where can you find it?
The symbol can be found all across the city on building, bridges and more. Once you know to look for it, chances are you'll see it often.
According to the Bulls, it "serves as a signal of what unites – not divides – us."
For the team, the symbol can be found in a subtle "Y"-shaped pattern on the jerseys, but also rust-colored "Y" symbols on either side of the uniforms. The rust color is intended "to reflect the color of bridges in downtown Chicago that stretch across the Chicago River."
