CONTENTS
Reading edition
CHAPTER I
ORIGIN OF THE PLAN OF CHICAGO
The tendency towards city life 1
Problems of the great city 1
Necessity for city-planning 2
Economy and efficiency promoted by a city plan 2
Elements of a comprehensive plan 4
Influence of the World’s Columbian Exposition on city-planning in the United States 4
The success of the Exposition due to competent direction and loyalty to Chicago 4
Improvement of the Lake front proposed by the South Park Commissioners 6
Expansion of the South Parks system 7
The Commercial Club undertakes a plan of Chicago 7
Progress of the work 7
Scope of the undertaking 8
An ideal arrangement proposed 8
The Spirit of Chicago 8
CHAPTER II
CITY PLANNING IN ANCIENT AND MODERN TIMES
Commerce, the leading motive in the building of cities 9
Semiramis, the first city-builder 10
The building of Babylon 10
The pyramids and temples of Egypt 10
The work of Pericles at Athens 11
The development of Rome 12
City-building during the Middle Ages 13
Rise of the city during the Renaissance 13
Origin and growth of Paris 14
Paris built according to a definite plan 14
Louis XIV. and his city-builders 15
Napoleon Bonaparte begins the transformation of Paris 15
Haussmann completes the transformation of Paris 17
City-planning in Europe since 1872 19
The influence of European peace on city-building 19
City-planning in Germany 20
The creation of new thoroughfares in London 21
Town-planning in England 22
The L’Enfant plan of Washington 23
The United States Senate Park Commission plan for Washington 25
The Cleveland group-plan 27
The Boston park system 27
City-planning in Baltimore, St. Louis and San Francisco 28
Plans for Manila, and for a summer capital at Baguio 28
Improvements in various American cities 28
CHAPTER III
CHICAGO, THE METROPOLIS OF THE MIDDLE WEST
The Old North West Territory 31
Reasons for expecting continuous growth in the Middle West 31
Increase in the population of Chicago 32
Recovery after the great fire of 1871 32
Chicago’s population fifty years hence 33
Attractions of city life 33
The suburbs of Chicago 34
Real estate speculation subversive of good planning 35
The development of the suburb 36
Dependence of the suburb on the municipality 37
Highways along Lake Michigan 38
A system of highways for the territory within sixty miles of Chicago 39
Suburban transit facilities 39
The advantages of good roads 39
Four sets of encircling highways proposed 40
Highways parallel to railroads 41
Suburban travel needs more comfortable conditions 41
The influence of the electric-railway and the automobile on suburban life 42
CHAPTER IV
THE CHICAGO PARK SYSTEM
The motto of Chicago 43
Beginnings of the Chicago Park system 43
The Chicago boulevards 44
Park legislation 44
The small parks of Chicago 44
A metropolitan park system proposed 44
The Special Park Commission 44
London’s larger parks 48
The pleasures of Henley 48
The great parks of Paris and Vienna 49
Boston park reservations 49
The park system of the District of Columbia 49
The possibility of a comprehensive park system for Chicago 49
Treatment of the Chicago Lake front 50
A system of lagoons and lake parkways proposed 50
The acquisition and improvements of forest spaces 53
Physical characteristics of the country surrounding Chicago 55
An encircling system of forest parks 57
CHAPTER V
TRANSPORTATION
Chicago the creation of its railroads 61
Present problems in transportation 61
Congestion of railway traffic in 1906-07 62
The necessity for improved terminals 63
A freight center proposed for Chicago 63
Advantages of such an arrangement 63
Railroad and water traffic compared 64
A loop system for handling freight traffic 66
Harbor freight and passenger connections 68
The location of passenger stations on Twelfth and Canal streets 70
Terminal stations 70
The traction systems 73
Comfort an object in passenger transportation 74
A perfect passenger and freight handling machine 76
The handling of the mails 76
The suburban station 78
The necessity for, and advantages of, harmonious action among the Chicago railroads 78
CHAPTER VI
STREETS WITHIN THE CITY
The dominant natural features of Chicago 79
The need of new and enlarged channels of circulation 80
Causes of the growth of cities 81
Cleanliness the first consideration for city streets 82
Residence streets 83
The Avenue, or traffic street 84
The Boulevard 84
Street architecture 86
Traffic interruptions 88
The elliptical avenue 90
The planning of new subdivisions 91
The necessity for diagonal streets 93
Proposed new circuits 95
Improvement of the Chicago River 97
CHAPTER VII
THE HEART OF CHICAGO
Opportunity for creating a unified and convenient city 99
The problem of overcoming congestion in the business center 100
Solution of the problem simple and natural 100
Michigan Avenue: its importance in the city plan 100
The proposed improvement of Michigan Avenue 100
An elevated roadway 102
Bridges over the river 104
Improvement of Halsted Street 105
Slums of Chicago 106
The slum represents the failure of the city to protect its people 106
The Financial Quarter 107
Grant Park as a spacious and attractive public garden 108
Location of the Field Museum, the Crerar Library and the Art Institute 108
A Center of Letters 108
A yacht harbor 109
Art as a source of wealth 110
Public gifts by citizens 110
The opportunity offered for effective treatment of Chicago River banks 110
The need of a main axis for Chicago 113
Such an axis would give organic unity to the city 113
Congress Street as the grand axis 113
A Civic Center 115
Buildings to be comprised in the civic center 115
Architectural treatment of the proposed buildings 116
The landscape setting 116
Effectiveness depends on harmony and good order 117
The civic center gives coherence to the city plan 117
Great advantages which will result from the treatment proposed 118
CHAPTER VIII
PLAN OF CHICAGO
The Plan a result of systematic study 119
The cost involved in carrying out the work 119
Wealth created by the growth of population 119
The people are financially able to realize the Plan 120
Three great public works undertaken by Chicago 120
The public spirit of Chicago as shown in music, art and education 120
Gifts for the public good 121
Reasons for believing that the public will favor the Plan of Chicago 121
The Plan both practical and beautiful 121
The advantages to be derived from systematic development of Chicago 121
Elements of the Plan reviewed 121
Improvement of the Lake front an economic necessity 122
Ease of realizing the interurban highway system 122
The transportation problem to be worked out by the railroads 122
Additional parks necessary to the physical and mental well-being of the people 123
The attractive city a source of both wealth and satisfaction 124
APPENDIX
LEGAL ASPECTS OF THE PLAN OF CHICAGO
Introductory 127
Outer parks, boulevards, and circuits 130
City parks, squares, boulevards, and avenues 133
Lake shore development 137
Transportation problems 139
Control of lands adjacent to public improvements 139
Congested areas 151
Present borrowing and taxing powers 151
Conclusions 154
INDEX 157