Hundreds of residents gathered Sunday for an historic event, as the first Chicago River swim in nearly a century hit the water.

The swim, dedicated to raising money for Northwestern University’s groundbreaking ALS research, is the first open swim to take place in the river since 1927, and is an illustration of how far groups have come in cleaning up the iconic waterway.

Swimmers were able to choose either a one or a two-mile swim route, with kayakers and volunteers helping ensure safety along the river route on Sunday morning.

Becca Mann, who swims for the U.S. national team, marveled at the experience of jumping into the river and completing an open water swim.

“It was the perfect temperature for a race. It was incredible,” she said. “The water was quite clear. Every time I breathed I

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