What was Chicago like in the first decade or so of the twentieth century? More importantly, how was it mapped? This rather engaging map collection from the University of Chicago Library offers up almost two dozen maps documenting the railroads, parks, and rapid transit system of the Windy City as it existed during that frenetic time. Visitors can zoom in and out around these maps looking for details such as boulevards, El stations, and other bits and pieces of the built environment. For the casual user, the "School Map of Chicago" from 1914 is well worth a look, as is the "map of the business center of the city of Chicago" from 1905. This marvelous resource is not only a lens into the history of Chicago, but into the world of urban studies, geography, sociology, and transit history.
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