Rare Old Map of Chicago, Illinois by USGS, 1901: Lake Michigan & Chicago River
Restored in our London workshop from the original map and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Full description
The Collector’s Offer
Choose two eligible works and receive 20% off both. Choose three and the lowest-priced one is complimentary, a maximum saving of 33%.
Mix and match eligible standard maps and fine-art prints. No code is required; the offer is applied automatically at checkout.
Standard made-to-order configurations are included. Bespoke sizes, personalised designs and commissioned work are excluded.
Need delivery to different addresses? Contact us before ordering.The Collector’s Offer
Choose two eligible works and receive 20% off both. Choose three and the lowest-priced one is complimentary, a maximum saving of 33%.
Mix and match eligible standard maps and fine-art prints. No code is required; the offer is applied automatically at checkout.
Standard made-to-order configurations are included. Bespoke sizes, personalised designs and commissioned work are excluded.
Need delivery to different addresses? Contact us before ordering.
Restored in London • Printed and framed in Australia
My maps are rare, museum-grade, restored old maps sourced from libraries, auction houses and private collections across the globe. Full description
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Gift message & custom finish
If you want to add a gift message, or a finish (jigsaw, aluminium board, etc.) that is not available here, please request it in the "order note" when you check out.
Every order is custom made, so if you need the size adjusted slightly, or printed on an unusual material, just let us know. We've done thousands of custom orders over the years, so there's (almost) nothing we can't manage.
You can also contact us before you order, if you prefer!
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Titled simply “Chicago,” this 1901 U.S. Geological Survey topographical map presents the city and its Cook County surroundings at a pivotal moment...
Continue readingTitled simply “Chicago,” this 1901 U.S. Geological Survey topographical map presents the city and its Cook County surroundings at a pivotal moment in its transformation into one of America’s great modern metropolises. Published from survey data gathered in 1901, it captures Chicago just after the exuberant era of the World’s Columbian Exposition and amid the continued acceleration of industry, immigration, rail transport, and urban expansion. At a scale of 1:62,500, the map balances metropolitan detail with regional perspective, showing the city not merely as a street grid beside Lake Michigan, but as a complex landscape shaped by water, elevation, infrastructure, and human ambition.
The U.S. Geological Survey brought to this map the scientific precision for which it became renowned. Founded in 1879, the USGS was charged with systematically examining the nation’s terrain, geology, water resources, and natural features, producing maps that became indispensable to engineers, planners, landowners, and government agencies. Here, its disciplined cartographic style is evident in the careful use of contour lines, gridded reference systems, waterways, rail corridors, and urban markings. Rather than offering a decorative city view, the map conveys Chicago as measurable ground: a dynamic physical environment where subtle elevation changes, shorelines, river branches, and engineered routes all mattered profoundly.
Lake Michigan dominates the eastern edge of the composition, its shoreline traced with the attention of a surveyor and the significance of a civic boundary. Along this lakefront, contour lines and mapped development reveal the intimate relationship between Chicago’s natural setting and its urban growth. The North Branch and South Branch of the Chicago River wind through the city’s fabric, recalling the waterways that shaped commerce, drainage, stockyards, industry, and settlement patterns. In 1901, Chicago’s relationship with water was especially consequential, following major engineering works such as the reversal of the Chicago River system, a feat that redefined the city’s sanitation and regional hydrology.
The map also records the infrastructure that made Chicago the transportation capital of the American interior. Railways thread through and around the city, connecting lake shipping, factories, neighborhoods, and outlying communities across Cook County. Streets and roadways articulate the expanding urban grid, while parks and open spaces interrupt the density with planned civic relief. Numerous neighborhoods, many still in the process of assuming their modern identities, appear within a metropolitan form that was spreading rapidly outward. The result is a portrait of Chicago as both city and system: an interlocking web of movement, labor, settlement, and geography.
As a historical document, this map is especially compelling because it fixes Chicago at the threshold of the twentieth century, before later waves of expressways, skyscraper districts, shoreline alterations, and suburban growth dramatically reshaped the region. Its topographic character makes visible the land beneath the metropolis, reminding us that even a famously gridded and industrial city was governed by gradients, waterways, lake margins, and engineered adaptations to nature. For collectors, historians, and admirers of urban cartography, “Chicago” offers a rare union of scientific mapping and civic history: the measured anatomy of a city in full ascent.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Chicago
- Lake Michigan
- North Branch Chicago River
- South Branch Chicago River
- Numerous neighborhoods
- Streets and roadways
- Parks and open spaces
- Railways
- Water bodies and reservoirs
- Surrounding areas of Cook County
Historical context & cartographic details
- Historical 1:62,500 topographical map of Chicago, Illinois and the surrounding area
- Produced by the U.S. Geological Survey using survey data from 1901
- The USGS is a scientific agency of the U.S. government known for reliable information about the Earth, natural resources, and natural hazards
- Uses a grid system and contour lines to show elevation and terrain features
- Shows significant elevation changes and waterways in a densely populated urban area
- Captures Chicago at the turn of the 20th century, during a period of rapid growth and urbanization
- Features contour lines along the shoreline of Lake Michigan, reflecting geographical and urban development as understood in 1901
Looking for a particular place? Review the detailed images to confirm that the town, landmark or feature you have in mind appears on the map. If you are unsure, ask our workshop to check before you order.
Detailed maps are especially rewarding at larger sizes, where names, boundaries and decorative features have more room to be appreciated. Use the close-up preview and size guide to choose the right scale for your wall.
This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.
The model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.
Where personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. See personalised map examples.
Every piece is printed to museum-grade archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte paper. Choose an unframed map print, framed map or canvas using the finish options above. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.
With its rich detail and strong sense of place, this map makes a considered gift for a new home, anniversary, retirement or anyone with a personal connection to the area shown. Still deciding? Explore our collection of rare old and vintage maps to discover another place, period or style.
This map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.
For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.
Titled simply “Chicago,” this 1901 U.S. Geological Survey topographical map presents the city and its Cook County surroundings at a pivotal moment in its transformation into one of America’s great modern metropolises. Published from survey data gathered in 1901, it captures Chicago just after the exuberant era of the World’s Columbian Exposition and amid the continued acceleration of industry, immigration, rail transport, and urban expansion. At a scale of 1:62,500, the map balances metropolitan detail with regional perspective, showing the city not merely as a street grid beside Lake Michigan, but as a complex landscape shaped by water, elevation, infrastructure, and human ambition.
The U.S. Geological Survey brought to this map the scientific precision for which it became renowned. Founded in 1879, the USGS was charged with systematically examining the nation’s terrain, geology, water resources, and natural features, producing maps that became indispensable to engineers, planners, landowners, and government agencies. Here, its disciplined cartographic style is evident in the careful use of contour lines, gridded reference systems, waterways, rail corridors, and urban markings. Rather than offering a decorative city view, the map conveys Chicago as measurable ground: a dynamic physical environment where subtle elevation changes, shorelines, river branches, and engineered routes all mattered profoundly.
Lake Michigan dominates the eastern edge of the composition, its shoreline traced with the attention of a surveyor and the significance of a civic boundary. Along this lakefront, contour lines and mapped development reveal the intimate relationship between Chicago’s natural setting and its urban growth. The North Branch and South Branch of the Chicago River wind through the city’s fabric, recalling the waterways that shaped commerce, drainage, stockyards, industry, and settlement patterns. In 1901, Chicago’s relationship with water was especially consequential, following major engineering works such as the reversal of the Chicago River system, a feat that redefined the city’s sanitation and regional hydrology.
The map also records the infrastructure that made Chicago the transportation capital of the American interior. Railways thread through and around the city, connecting lake shipping, factories, neighborhoods, and outlying communities across Cook County. Streets and roadways articulate the expanding urban grid, while parks and open spaces interrupt the density with planned civic relief. Numerous neighborhoods, many still in the process of assuming their modern identities, appear within a metropolitan form that was spreading rapidly outward. The result is a portrait of Chicago as both city and system: an interlocking web of movement, labor, settlement, and geography.
As a historical document, this map is especially compelling because it fixes Chicago at the threshold of the twentieth century, before later waves of expressways, skyscraper districts, shoreline alterations, and suburban growth dramatically reshaped the region. Its topographic character makes visible the land beneath the metropolis, reminding us that even a famously gridded and industrial city was governed by gradients, waterways, lake margins, and engineered adaptations to nature. For collectors, historians, and admirers of urban cartography, “Chicago” offers a rare union of scientific mapping and civic history: the measured anatomy of a city in full ascent.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Chicago
- Lake Michigan
- North Branch Chicago River
- South Branch Chicago River
- Numerous neighborhoods
- Streets and roadways
- Parks and open spaces
- Railways
- Water bodies and reservoirs
- Surrounding areas of Cook County
Historical context & cartographic details
- Historical 1:62,500 topographical map of Chicago, Illinois and the surrounding area
- Produced by the U.S. Geological Survey using survey data from 1901
- The USGS is a scientific agency of the U.S. government known for reliable information about the Earth, natural resources, and natural hazards
- Uses a grid system and contour lines to show elevation and terrain features
- Shows significant elevation changes and waterways in a densely populated urban area
- Captures Chicago at the turn of the 20th century, during a period of rapid growth and urbanization
- Features contour lines along the shoreline of Lake Michigan, reflecting geographical and urban development as understood in 1901
Looking for a particular place? Review the detailed images to confirm that the town, landmark or feature you have in mind appears on the map. If you are unsure, ask our workshop to check before you order.
Detailed maps are especially rewarding at larger sizes, where names, boundaries and decorative features have more room to be appreciated. Use the close-up preview and size guide to choose the right scale for your wall.
This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.
The model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.
Where personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. See personalised map examples.
Every piece is printed to museum-grade archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte paper. Choose an unframed map print, framed map or canvas using the finish options above. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.
With its rich detail and strong sense of place, this map makes a considered gift for a new home, anniversary, retirement or anyone with a personal connection to the area shown. Still deciding? Explore our collection of rare old and vintage maps to discover another place, period or style.
This map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.
For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.
Many of our maps and art prints are chosen as thoughtful gifts for homes, offices, studies and meaningful places.
Choose a framed option for the easiest ready-to-hang gift, or choose an unframed print if the recipient may prefer to select their own frame.
We make orders locally in 23 countries around the world, so gifts can often be produced close to the recipient. This helps them arrive faster, travel more safely, and avoid customs or import duty surprises.
- We can deliver directly to the recipient
- Framed pieces arrive ready to hang
- Unframed prints are carefully packed in a strong protective tube
- Almost every order is made locally, for faster, safer gifting
- 90-day returns give the recipient time to decide
If you are not sure what to choose, please contact us. We can help you pick the right map, size, finish or delivery option.
Most orders are made locally and delivered in around 2–3 working days, depending on the product, size and destination.
We print and frame maps and artwork in 23 countries around the world, so your order is usually made close to you or your recipient. That means faster delivery, less time in transit, and no customs or import duty surprises.
Personalised and customised pieces usually take an extra 1–2 working days, because we prepare your design and send it to you for approval before printing.
Very large framed orders can take a little longer, as they need extra care in production and delivery.
Every order is carefully packaged: unframed prints are sent in a strong protective tube, while framed pieces are securely packed with protective materials around the frame.
If you need your order by a particular date, please contact us before ordering. We’ll check the best production route and delivery option for your location.
Express delivery is available at checkout for most countries. Next-day delivery is available in the UK, US, Singapore and the UAE.
Your order is covered by our 90-day returns policy and 10-year guarantee.
Our standard frame is a gallery-style black ash hardwood frame, with a simple, modern look. It is approximately 20mm (0.8in) wide. You can also view some lovely customer photos of framed maps and art.
We use super-clear acrylic glazing, also known as Perspex or Acrylite, instead of traditional glass. It is lighter, safer, and has lower reflectivity, giving the artwork a clearer, cleaner appearance.
Six standard frame colours are available at no extra cost: black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white, and antique gold. Custom framing and mounting/matting is also available for customers looking for something more specific.
Most maps, art prints, and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced wooden box frame, and then float the piece within a wooden outer frame. The finished result is beautifully presented, with no glazing between you and the artwork.
All frames are supplied ready to hang, with either string or brackets fitted to the back. Very large frames will include heavy-duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.
We can also supply old maps and artwork on canvas, foam board, cotton rag, and other materials.
If you would prefer to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read our size guide before ordering.
Every Unique Maps piece begins with an authentic cartographic source or an original design from our London studio.
For our historic maps, we source rare originals from libraries, archives, auction houses and private collections around the world. We carefully restore each map for print—repairing age-related damage, balancing colour and improving clarity while preserving its original detail, texture and character.
Once restored, the map is prepared for your chosen size and finish. Your piece is then printed and, where selected, framed close to its delivery destination.
Our map prints use acid-free 200gsm archival matte paper and fade-resistant pigment inks, creating a rich, non-glossy finish designed to last. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.
Canvas, cotton-rag and other specialist presentations are also available. Learn more about our materials and finishes.
Personalising your map
You can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. For personalised designs, we send a proof before printing and you can request changes before approval.
For more complex bespoke commissions, contact our design team.
Original or Aged
Choose Original for true-to-source colour, or Aged for a warmer, richer antique character created with our specialist ageing process. See examples of our Aged maps.
We’ve been restoring and producing maps and art prints since 1984, and we stand behind every piece.
Every order is covered by our 10-year guarantee and damage-free delivery guarantee. If your piece arrives damaged, we’ll replace or remake it free of charge. If anything else isn’t right, contact our workshop team and we’ll put it right promptly.
See our returns and refund policy for full details.
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