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

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

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

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

Old Chicago Map and Historical Illustration 1940

1830s: Old Chicago

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

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

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

1857: Braunhold & Sonne's Birds Eye View 

Source: Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons

1863 Chicago History Map Davie's Real Estate Atlas

1863: Davie's Real Estate Atlas

Source: University of Chicago

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

Chicago History Map 1870 Map of Hyde Park

1870: Hyde Park

Source: New York Public Library

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chicago Boulevards and Park System Rand McNally Map Engravers

1878: Boulevards and Park System

Rand McNally & Co Map Engravers
Source: David Rumsey Collection

Wittemann Brothers Birds Eye View - Chicago Maps and Cartography

1883: Wittemann Brothers Birds Eye View

Source: The Newberry Library

1880s Plan of Lincoln Park Chicago Map

1880s: Plan of Lincoln Park

Designed by O. Benson
Source: University of Chicago

1889 New Chicago and Suburbs

1888: Map of The Environs of Chicago

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

1889 New Chicago and Suburbs

1889: New Chicago and Suburbs

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

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

1892 Worlds Exposition Chicago Circular Design Map

1892: Worlds Exposition Chicago

Source: Library of Congress

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

New Bicylce Map of Chicago 1898

1898: New Bicycle Map

A.M. Askevold
Source: University of Chicago

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

Surface Street Railroads of Chicago

1902: Surface Street Railroads of Chicago

Source: University of Chicago

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

McKinley Park Map by the Chicago South Park Commision

1906: McKinley Park Plan

South Park Commissioners
Source: University of Chicago

Yamane Akisato - City of Chicago Map from 1906

1906: Yamane Akisato | City of Chicago

Source: David Rumsey Collection

Chicago Map Infomap street renumbering plan


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

Source: University of Chicago

1908 Chicago Map Elevated Railroads Parks Boulevards Willis Champion

1908: Elevated Railroads and the Parks and Boulevards

Willis J. Champion
Source: Library of Congress

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

Chicago Map Growth by Annexation 1911 InfoMap

1911: Growth of the City by Annexations

Source: University of Chicago

Chicagos Elevated Railroads Map 1911 Rand McNally

1911: Chicago Elevated Railroads

Rand, McNally & Co.
Source: University of Chicago

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

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

Chicagos Gangland Map 1923 Frederic Thrasher

1923: Chicago's Gangland

Frederic M. Thrasher
Source: Library of Congress

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

South Chicago Map Proposed Harbor Development

1928: South Chicago: Proposed Harbor Development

Source: David Rumsey Collection

1889 New Chicago and Suburbs

1928: Clason's Double Indexed Map of Chicago

Source: American Geographical Society | University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

Charles Turzak Chicago USA Panoramic Illustration

1931: Chicago USA | Panoramic Illustration

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

Chicago Gangland Map Bruce Robers Inc

1931: A map of Chicago's Gangland

Bruce-Roberts, Inc.
Source: University of Illinois

1889 New Chicago and Suburbs

1934: Pure Oil Pathfinder

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

1889 New Chicago and Suburbs

1935: A Chart of Chicago

Source: American Geographical Society | University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

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

Chicago Map The Greatest Inland City in the World

1938: The Greatest Inland City in the World

Colortext Publications Inc.
Source: University of Illinois

Glacial Geology of Chicago and Vicinity

1939: Glacial Geology of Chicago

Source: American Geographical Society | University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

United Airlines Midwest Chicago Pictorial Map

1939: United Airlines Illustrated Map

Source: David Rumsey Collection

Chicago Pictoral Map promotional for Chicago Motor Coaches

1940: Chicago Motor Coaches Pictorial Map

Source: Chicagology.com

Brookfield Zoo - Chicago Zoological Park

1940: Chicago Zoological Park at Brookfield

Source: David Rumsey Collection

1889 New Chicago and Suburbs

1943: Principal Railways Facilities in Central Chicago

Source: American Geographical Society | University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

1889 New Chicago and Suburbs

1943: Erie Railroad Map / Illustration

Source: American Geographical Society | University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

1889 New Chicago and Suburbs

1946: Chicago Rapid Transit Lines

Source: American Geographical Society | University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

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

1889 New Chicago and Suburbs

1950: Chicago Population by Square Mile

Source: American Geographical Society | University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

1889 New Chicago and Suburbs

1951: Chicago Motor Club Street Map

Source: American Geographical Society | University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

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

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

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

Chicago City Character Map

1981: Chicago City Character Print

Archer Inc. (Toronto)
Source: David Rumsey Collection

1889 New Chicago and Suburbs

1982: Chicago (Downtown Overhead Illustration)

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

1889 New Chicago and Suburbs

1993: Archdiocese of Chicago Parishes

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

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