1893 Rand McNally Map of Chicago, World's Columbian Exposition

A delightful map of Chicago published in 1893 by Rand McNally to coincide with the Chicago World's Fair, also known as the World's Columbian Exposition. It demonstrates the growth and modernization of the city as it recovered from the devastating 1871 Great Fire. The map has added significance as Rand McNally was (and remains) based in Chicago.

A Closer Look

Coverage includes the entirety of the city of Chicago along with nearby suburbs to the west and southeast, just beyond city limits (outlined in red). Primacy of place is given to the grounds of the World's Columbian Expo, shaded red, which were built in Jackson Park on the shores of Lake Michigan. Parks, cemeteries, and greenbelts, or tree-lined boulevards running through the city, are prominently shaded green. The city's park and greenbelt system was designed by Frederick Law Olmstead prodigy William Le Baron Jenny in 1871.

Within the city, streets are named in great detail and the city is divided into numbered blocks grouped 36 at a time. An alphanumeric grid surrounds the map, allowing for the easy location of sites by coordinates. Railroad lines, depots, transfer points (including the Union Stock Yards and Chicago Union Transfer Railway), streetcar (cable car) lines, elevated lines, and stations are all indicated. A list of railroad lines and depots appears under the title, which corresponds with the maps on the verso.

The verso includes two maps: a 'Street Number Map of the Business Portion of Chicago,' that is, Downtown Chicago, along with 'Rand McNally and Co.'s Handy Map of Chicago and the World's Fair' listing railroads, hotels, and theaters downtown and connections with the fairgrounds further south. The title on the verso suggests that this two-sided sheet was included in a special guide published by Rand McNally for visitors to the World's Fair.

1893 Columbian Exposition

The 1893 Chicago World's Fair or Columbian Exposition, so-named because it coincided with the 400th anniversary of Columbus' first transatlantic voyage, was a pivotal moment in the history of the United States. Chicago, keen to parade to the world its remarkable recovery from the disastrous 1871 Great Fire, won the right to host the World's Fair over New York, Washington D.C., and St. Louis. During its six-month run, nearly 27,000,000 people attended the Columbian Exposition, correlating to roughly half the 1893 population of the United States. Its numerous displays and exhibits established conventions for architecture, design, and decorative arts, in addition to initiating a new era of American industrial optimism.

Publication History and Census

This map was published in 1893 by Rand McNally and Co. A note at bottom-left on the recto indicates that the map was based on the same company's 1890 'Map of Chicago and Suburbs' with updates and annotations (similar notes on the verso reveal that those two maps are copyrighted 1893). The map is noted among the holdings of Northwestern University, Harvard University, the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, the Library of Michigan, and the New York Public Library. However, some catalog listings indicate that different maps appear on the verso than those present here, suggesting multiple printings or variations of the two-sided sheet.