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What did Chicago look like before the Great Fire?
From Smithsonian.com, you can explore an interactive historical map of Chicago before the Great Chicago Fire. This detailed map, accessible through a virtual spyglass, is part of the David Rumsey Map Collection — one of the most extensive private collections of maps in the United States. Rumsey, a passionate map collector since the 1980s, has amassed over 150,000 maps, offering a unique glimpse into the past.
The map in question was created by Rufus Blanchard, a prominent Chicago map publisher during the late 18th century. It was included in a guidebook titled *The Citizen’s Guide for the City of Chicago*, published in 1868. Made from lightweight but durable paper, it was designed to be carried easily by residents or visitors navigating the rapidly growing city. "Chicago was a very busy place at that time — it was expanding quickly," Rumsey explains. He highlights the network of railroads on the map as a key indicator of the city's growth, noting that seven major rail lines connected to the city, many of which no longer exist today.
Looking westward on the map, you can see how neighborhoods developed in distinct and self-contained ways. To the east, near Lake Michigan, the city expanded by filling in the shoreline, creating new land. "One of the exciting things about this map is seeing how much land was added along the lake," Rumsey says. You can spot the "Lake Tunnel" and "Tunnel crib" in the upper-right corner, which were used to bring fresh water from the lake into the city.
However, this period of rapid expansion came to a tragic end just a few years later with the Great Chicago Fire. The map shows the areas that were destroyed, with large sections shaded in pink, green, yellow, and blue, revealing the devastating impact of the fire on the city's layout.
Thanks, Jeff.