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From Smithsonian.com, there's an intriguing interactive historical map of Chicago before the Great Chicago Fire. This fascinating map, visible through a virtual spyglass, originates from the renowned David Rumsey Map Collection. David Rumsey, a distinguished map expert who began collecting maps in the 1980s, provides insight into the nature of this particular map. With over 150,000 maps in his personal collection, Rumsey's holdings stand as one of the most extensive private collections in the U.S.
Rufus Blanchard, a prominent Chicago map publisher during the late 18th century, created this 1868 map of Chicago for a guidebook titled "The Citizen's Guide for the City of Chicago." Printed on thin yet surprisingly durable paper, the map was designed to fit neatly into the pocket of residents or visitors navigating the rapidly expanding city. As Rumsey highlights, "Chicago was a very lively place, growing exponentially at that time," with the dense network of railroads serving as a key indicator of the city's rapid expansion.
Take a closer look at the map and you'll notice the numerous railroads converging on Chicago—around seven in total. Today, almost all of these rail lines have disappeared. To appreciate the city's growth, shift your focus to the western part of the map, where you'll see subdivisions forming around street patterns, illustrating how neighborhoods developed in distinct, self-contained clusters. However, don't overlook the eastern side of the map, near Lake Michigan. "Chicago extended eastward by reclaiming land from the lake," Rumsey explains. When you zoom in on the shoreline, you'll see just how much land was added compared to earlier maps. The city utilized Lake Michigan creatively, not only to expand its landmass but also through structures like the "Lake Tunnel" and "Tunnel crib" in the upper-right corner, which channeled fresh water from the lake back into the city to support its burgeoning population.
This map captures Chicago in its glory days, but tragedy loomed just around the corner. Less than five years later, the Great Chicago Fire would devastate large portions of the city. Rumsey points out the extensive areas that would be consumed by the flames—blocks shaded pink, green, and pink to the north, and yellow and blue to the south.
Thanks, Jeff!