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1953 Map of Chicago

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Chicago
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

The industrial and natural arc of the southern Lake Michigan shoreline comes into sharp focus during this mid-century period. Heavy urban centers like Chicago, Gary, and South Bend anchor a network of infrastructure including the Chicago South Shore & South Bend RR and the Elgin Joliet & Eastern Ry. Beyond the steel mills and rail yards, the landscape transitions into the distinctive Indiana Dunes and the remnants of the Kankakee Marsh.

Inland, the geography is defined by the Valparaiso Moraine and a series of glacial lakes including Lake Wawasee and Lake Maxinkuckee. The map traces the winding paths of the Kankakee River and Tippecanoe River, marking the intersection of agriculture and emerging recreation areas like Warren Dunes State Park. This survey captures the region just as the interstate system, including Interstate 80, was beginning to reshape the Midwest corridor.