Chicago Map Gallery

Our favorite selection of Historical cARTography.

These incredibly beautiful maps are also a great reference for visually locating various aspects of living history within the city and beyond. 

French Regional Map Historical Map of Midwest - Les Checagou

1718: French Regional Map including
"Les Checagou"

Le cours du Missipi ou de St Louis | Fameuse Riviere del'Amerique
Source: University of Illinois

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1785 Chicago History Map Italian Map showing the portage to Lago Michigan

1785: Italian Map showing the portage to "Lago Michigan" 

Source: University of Illinois

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1820 Chicago History Map Early Settlement on the river and lakefront

1820: Early Chicago Settlement

(Illustrated in 1867) by the Chicago Lithographic Co.
Source: Library of Congress

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1833 Chicago Early History Map - The Town of Chicago

1833: The Town of Chicago

(Printed in 1933) by Walter Conley & O.E. Stelzer
Source: Leventhal Map Center | Boston Public Library

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Old Chicago Map and Historical Illustration 1940

1830s: Old Chicago

(Printed in 1940)
Source: American Geographical Society | University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

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1853 Chicago History Map Braunhold & Sonne's Birds Eye View

1853: Birds Eye View

Kurz & Allison: Chicago in Early Days
Source: American Geographical Society | University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

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1857 Chicago History Map Braunhold & Sonne's Birds Eye View

1857: Braunhold & Sonne's Birds Eye View 

Source: Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons

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1863 Chicago History Map Davie's Real Estate Atlas

1863: Davie's Real Estate Atlas

Source: University of Chicago

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1868 Chicago History Map Birds Eye View from Schiller to 12th Street

1868: Birds Eye View from Schiller to 12th Street

A. Ruger | Chicago Lithographic Co.
Source: Library of Congress

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Chicago History Map 1870 Map of Hyde Park

1870: Hyde Park

Source: New York Public Library

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Chicago History Map - Richard's Illustrated and Statistical Map of The Great Conflagration

1871: Richard's Illustrated and Statistical Map of The Great Conflagration

R.P. Studley Company
Source: The Newberry Library

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1872 Chicago Map Frederick Law Olmsted

1871: Chicago South Park Commission & Frederick Law Olmsted's Plan 

Olmsted, Vaux & Co. Landscape Architects
Source: University of Chicago

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1872 Chicago Map The City as it was before The Great Conflagration

1872: The City as it was before The Great Conflagration

Source: Library of Congress

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1872 Chicago City Map and Sea Chart

1872: City Map and Sea Chart

Survey of the Northern and North Western Lakes
Source: Chicago Transit Authority

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1874 Chicago Birds Eye View from the West

1874: Chicago Transfer Railway / Bird's Eye View from the West

Cover from The Land Owner Newspaper
Source: The Newberry Library

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1874 Birds Eye View of Post-Fire Growth Chicago Map Cartography

1874: Birds Eye View of Post-Fire Growth

Parsons & Atwater | Currier & Ives
Source: Library of Congress

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Chicago Boulevards and Park System Rand McNally Map Engravers

1878: Boulevards and Park System

Rand McNally & Co Map Engravers
Source: David Rumsey Collection

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Wittemann Brothers Birds Eye View - Chicago Maps and Cartography

1883: Wittemann Brothers Birds Eye View

Source: The Newberry Library

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1880s Plan of Lincoln Park Chicago Map

1880s: Plan of Lincoln Park

Designed by O. Benson
Source: University of Chicago

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1889 New Chicago and Suburbs

1888: Map of The Environs of Chicago

The Map Graphic
Source: American Geographical Society | University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

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1889 New Chicago and Suburbs

1889: New Chicago and Suburbs

Published by Stine & Clark
Source: Leventhal Map Center | Boston Public Library

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1890 Packing Houses and Union Stock Yards Bird Eye View

1890: Packing Houses & Union Stock Yards

Rascher's Birds Eye View
Source: University of Chicago

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1892 Worlds Exposition Chicago Circular Design Map

1892: Worlds Exposition Chicago

Source: Library of Congress

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1893 Rand McNally Birds Eye Map of the World's Columbian Exposition

1893: Rand McNally Birds Eye Map of the World's Columbian Exposition

Rand McNally & Co.Printers, Publishers, and Engravers
Source: Library of Congress

A good compliment to this Bird's Eye view is our  Interactive Image Map of the World's Fair.

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1893 souvenir map of the world's columbian exposition

1893: Souvenir Map of the World's Columbian Exposition

Herman Heinze | A. Zeese & Co. Engravers
Source: Library of Congress

This map is the background used in our Interactive Image Map of the World's Fair.

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Grand View of Chicago including the Worlds Fair of 1893

1893: Grand View of Chicago (including the World's Fair)

Reynerston & Beckerman
Source: Library of Congress

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Chicago Map of Jackson Park by Frederick Law Olmsted

1895: Revised General Plan for Jackson Park

Olmsted and Eliot Landscape Architects
Source: New York Public Library

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Chicago Map of Water Works System, Parks, and Boulevards

1896: Water Works System, Parks, Boulevards, & Railroads.

Compiled and drawn in the City Map Dept. | Carqueville Litho Co.
Source: New York Public Library

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Birds Eye View of the Business District of Chicago

1898: Birds Eye View of the Business District of Chicago

Poole Bros.
Source: Library of Congress

This is one of our favorite maps ever produced, and it's a great snapshot of Chicago at the turn of the 20th Century.
Note the incredible details of individual buildings, streetcars, and city life as you zoom in on this map.

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Railroads in the Business Center of Chicago

1898: Railroads in the Business Center of Chicago

Chicago Terminal Transfer Railroad Co.| Bradley & Poates
Source: Leventhal Map Center | Boston Public Library

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New Bicylce Map of Chicago 1898

1898: New Bicycle Map

A.M. Askevold
Source: University of Chicago

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Street Number Guide - Map of The Principal Part of Chicago - Rand McNally

1902: Street Number Guide | Map of The Principal Part of Chicago

Rand, McNally & Co.
Source: University of Chicago

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Surface Street Railroads of Chicago

1902: Surface Street Railroads of Chicago

Source: University of Chicago

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Terminals of the Chicago and North-Western Railway Map

1902: Terminals of the Chicago and North-Western Railway

Geo. H. Walker & Co.
Source: Library of Congress

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McKinley Park Map by the Chicago South Park Commision

1906: McKinley Park Plan

South Park Commissioners
Source: University of Chicago

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Yamane Akisato - City of Chicago Map from 1906

1906: Yamane Akisato | City of Chicago

Source: David Rumsey Collection

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Chicago Map Infomap street renumbering plan


1908: Plan for Re-numbering Streets in the City of Chicago

Source: University of Chicago

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1908 Chicago Map Elevated Railroads Parks Boulevards Willis Champion

1908: Elevated Railroads and the Parks and Boulevards

Willis J. Champion
Source: Library of Congress

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Daniel Burnham Proposed Lakefront Harbor Lake Shore Lagoon System Chicago History Map

1908: Burnham's Proposed Harbor, Lake Shore, & Lagoon System

Source: The Newberry Library

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Chicago Map Growth by Annexation 1911 InfoMap

1911: Growth of the City by Annexations

Source: University of Chicago

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Chicagos Elevated Railroads Map 1911 Rand McNally

1911: Chicago Elevated Railroads

Rand, McNally & Co.
Source: University of Chicago

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Chicago Map Birds Eye View Central Business District 1916 Arno Reincke Black and White

1916: Central Business Section (B&W)

Arno B. Reincke
Source: Library of Congress

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Chicago Map Birds Eye View Central Business District 1916 Arno Reincke Color Colour version

1916: Central Business Section (Color)

Arno B. Reincke
Source: Library of Congress

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Chicagos Gangland Map 1923 Frederic Thrasher

1923: Chicago's Gangland

Frederic M. Thrasher
Source: Library of Congress

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1889 New Chicago and Suburbs

1926: Rapid Transit Lines

Guide to the Rapid Transit Lines of Chicago
Source: American Geographical Society | University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

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South Chicago Map Proposed Harbor Development

1928: South Chicago: Proposed Harbor Development

Source: David Rumsey Collection

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1889 New Chicago and Suburbs

1928: Clason's Double Indexed Map of Chicago

Source: American Geographical Society | University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

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Charles Turzak Chicago USA Panoramic Illustration

1931: Chicago USA | Panoramic Illustration

Charles Turzak & Henry T. Chapman
Source: David Rumsey Collection

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Chicago Gangland Map Bruce Robers Inc

1931: A map of Chicago's Gangland

Bruce-Roberts, Inc.
Source: University of Illinois

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1889 New Chicago and Suburbs

1934: Pure Oil Pathfinder

For A Century of Progress Exposition
Source: American Geographical Society | University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

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1889 New Chicago and Suburbs

1935: A Chart of Chicago

Source: American Geographical Society | University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

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1930s Chicago Rapid Transit Map Circle Design Speed above traffic comfort out of the weather

1937: Map of Chicago Rapid Transit Lines

Unknown Publisher
Source: The Newberry Library

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Chicago Map The Greatest Inland City in the World

1938: The Greatest Inland City in the World

Colortext Publications Inc.
Source: University of Illinois

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Glacial Geology of Chicago and Vicinity

1939: Glacial Geology of Chicago

Source: American Geographical Society | University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

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United Airlines Midwest Chicago Pictorial Map

1939: United Airlines Illustrated Map

Source: David Rumsey Collection

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Chicago Pictoral Map promotional for Chicago Motor Coaches

1940: Chicago Motor Coaches Pictorial Map

Source: Chicagology.com

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Brookfield Zoo - Chicago Zoological Park

1940: Chicago Zoological Park at Brookfield

Source: David Rumsey Collection

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1889 New Chicago and Suburbs

1943: Principal Railways Facilities in Central Chicago

Source: American Geographical Society | University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

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1889 New Chicago and Suburbs

1943: Erie Railroad Map / Illustration

Source: American Geographical Society | University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

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1889 New Chicago and Suburbs

1946: Chicago Rapid Transit Lines

Source: American Geographical Society | University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

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1889 New Chicago and Suburbs

1950: Chicago Terminal District

Published by the Chicago Switching Committee & Illinois Freight Association
Source: American Geographical Society | University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

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1889 New Chicago and Suburbs

1950: Chicago Population by Square Mile

Source: American Geographical Society | University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

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1889 New Chicago and Suburbs

1951: Chicago Motor Club Street Map

Source: American Geographical Society | University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

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1889 New Chicago and Suburbs

1953: Chicago Population Change 1900-1950

Infographic of Population Change by Square Mile for Each Decade
Source: American Geographical Society | University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

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1889 New Chicago and Suburbs

1958: Chicagoland Panorama

by Homer Grooman | Published by Association of Commerce & Industry
Source: American Geographical Society | University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

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1889 New Chicago and Suburbs

1979: Chicago People and Neighborhoods

by Ron Grossman | published by Chicago Magazine
Source: American Geographical Society | University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

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Chicago City Character Map

1981: Chicago City Character Print

Archer Inc. (Toronto)
Source: David Rumsey Collection

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1889 New Chicago and Suburbs

1982: Chicago (Downtown Overhead Illustration)

by David A. Fox Studios 
Source: American Geographical Society | University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

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1889 New Chicago and Suburbs

1993: Archdiocese of Chicago Parishes

by Rosalind Lyons / C. Devane
Source: American Geographical Society | University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

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1889 New Chicago and Suburbs

1995: Downtown Chicago

An Axonometric View of the Windy City | published by Ludington Ltd Posters
Source: American Geographical Society | University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

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