1886 Map of the Entrance to the Chicago River from Lake Michigan
By: Elisha Robinson
Date: 1886 (dated) New York
Dimensions: 20.25 x 29.75 inches (51.5 x 75.5 cm)
A large scale map of part of the entrance to the Chicago River from Lake Michigan, showing the ongoing development of the Chicago Dock and Canal Company and the main railway depots of the Illinois Central, Michigan Central, and Baltimore & Ohio Railways.
The map is color-coded by the most common type of building material such as brick (pink), wood (yellow), Iron (blue), and stone (brown). Since this map was published after the great Chicago Fire of 1871, most the other buildings had been rebuilt with brick and limestone as opposed to wood.
The map shows the land managed by the Chicago Dock and Canal Company which had previously received government funding to develop the entrance to the Chicago River from Lake Michigan for a well positioned hub of industry, shipping, and manufacturing. This are included several railway depots, canal slips, and factories such as Cyrus McCormick's Reaper Factory that supplied settlers on the expanding western frontier with top-of-the-line farming equipment of the era.
The map notes a variety of company buildings and sites such as the "Kelly Rathbone & Co." Lumber Yard, "Western Refrigerating," "Marble Works," and the "Lills Chicago Brewing Co" subdivision. Much of what is shown in the map has been developed further and is now home to many of Chicago's premier high rise condominiums. The Michigan Canal has been renamed the Ogden Slip and the end of the canal is now the beginning of Navy Pier, which is visited by approximately 9 million people a year.
Condition: This map is in A condition with some faint damp staining along the lower portion of the map that is not at all distracting to the eye. Margins are full on all sides and the map presents bright colors on clean paper.
Inventory #11981
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