Loading map...

1953 Map of Chicago

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Chicago
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1984
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1984

About this map

Lake Michigan anchors the northern reaches of this mid-century landscape, where the heavy industry of Gary and Hammond meets the distinct glacial geography of the Indiana Dunes and the Valparaiso Moraine. The map illustrates the intense rail and road infrastructure radiating from Chicago, including the Indiana Toll Road and numerous major lines like the Pennsylvania RR and New York Central RR.

Further south and east, the industrial density gives way to a sprawling river-and-lake network defined by the Kankakee River and Tippecanoe River. Local history is preserved through the naming of numerous recreational and inland water bodies such as Lake Wawasee, Lake Maxinkuckee, and the Kankakee Marsh. The regional connectivity between hubs like South Bend, Joliet, and Kankakee is clearly traced through the post-war transportation grid.