The Plan of Chicago

Arguably the most influential document in the history of urban planning, Daniel Burnhams 1909 Plan of Chicago, coauthored by Edward Bennett and produced in collaboration with the Commercial Club of Chicago, proposed many of the citys most distinctive features, including its lakefront parks and roadways, the Magnificent Mile, and Navy Pier. Carl Smiths fascinating history reveals the Plans central role in shaping the ways people envision the cityscape and urban life itself. Smiths concise and accessible narrative begins with a survey of Chicagos stunning rise from a tiny frontier settlement to the nations second-largest city. He then offers an illuminating exploration of the Plans creation and reveals how it embodies the renowned architects belief that cities can and must be remade for the better. The Plan defined the City Beautiful movement and was the first comprehensive attempt to reimagine a major American city. Smith points out the ways the Plan continues to influence debates, even a century after its publication, about how to create a vibrant and habitable urban environment. Richly illustrated and incisively written, his insightful book will be indispensable to our understanding of Chicago, Daniel Burnham, and the emergence of the modern city.