The Incredible, Explosive Growth of Chicago, As Seen Through Its Maps

  1. Mark Byrnes

See the first-ever map of the city, and how it evolved over a century.

In 1829, the State of Illinois appointed a commission to lay out what is current-day Chicago. The final map (for what was then a town of less than 100 people), was submitted by James Thompson on August 4, 1830.

The town grew quickly, as East Coast settlers moved for the area's rich farmlands and potential as a transportation hub. Chicago was officially incorporated in 1833 as a town, and granted a city charter four years later. By the end of its first decade, it had exploded to 4,470 inhabitants. Despite the devastating Great Chicago Fire of 1871 (which killed 300 residents, displaced 100,000 more and destroyed 18,000 buildings) the city kept growing, eclipsing the one million mark by 1890.

Below, a look back at the city's first century, from Thompson's original plat map to the post-Great Fire version of itself, through its maps:

Original plat map of Chicago by James Thompson, 1830. Courtesy Wikimedia Commons (see larger).
"Chicago," 1857. Courtesy Library of Commons (see larger).
"Map showing the burnt district in Chicago," 1871. Courtesy Library of Congress (see larger).

"The City of Chicago, showing the burnt district," 1874 . Courtesy Library of Congress (see larger).

"Rascher's birds eye view of the Chicago packing houses & union stock yards," 1890. Courtesy Library of Congress (see larger).

"All elevated trains in Chicago stop at the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific Railway Station, only one on the Loop," 1897. Courtesy Library of Congress (see larger).

"Bird's-eye-view of the business district of Chicago," 1898. Courtesy Library of Congress (see larger).

"Terminals of the Chicago and North-Western Railway at Chicago," 1902. Courtesy Library of Congress (see larger).

Birds-eye view of the elevated railroads and the parks and boulevards of Chicago.1908. Courtesy Library of Congress (see larger).

"Chicago, central business section," 1916. Courtesy Library of Congress (see larger).

"Chicago, central business section," 1916. Courtesy Library of Congress (see larger).

About the Author

Most Popular

  1. Transportation

    With Trains Like Schwebebahn, No Wonder Germans Love Public Transit

    Infrastructure like this makes it clear why Germany continues to produce enthusiasm for public transit, generation after generation.

    1. Benjamin Schneider
  2. Transportation

    You Can’t Design Bike-Friendly Cities Without Considering Race and Class

    Bike equity is a powerful tool for reducing inequality. Too often, cycling infrastructure is tailored only to wealthy white cyclists.

    1. Anne Lusk
  3. a photo of high-speed rail tracks under construction in Fresno, California.
    Transportation

    Think of California High-Speed Rail as an $11 Billion Streetcar

    California Governor Gavin Newsom’s plan to complete only a Central Valley segment of the rail link risks turning the transportation project into an economic development tool.

    1. Laura Bliss
  4. Amazon HQ2

    Amazon’s HQ2 Fiasco Will Cost the Company More Than It Costs New York

    The mega-company has bucked dealing reasonably with New York City, Seattle, and any community that asks them to pay for its freight.

    1. Richard Florida
  5. Amazon HQ2

    New York’s Ejection of Amazon Is the Start of a Movement

    NYC lawmakers who led a resistance campaign against HQ2 are declaring victory. And already, they have plans to escalate their opposition to tax incentives.

    1. Sarah Holder
Maps
Click Here
Newsletters
Click Here
Facebook
Click Here
Skip to content
Next Story in Design »