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1963 Map of Chicago Loop

Name: 1963 Topographic Map of Chicago Loop
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

Lake Michigan defines the eastern boundary of this mid-century urban landscape, where the dense grid of Chicago meets the waterfront. This era shows the city's complex medical and educational infrastructure at its peak, featuring landmarks like the Northwestern University Medical School and De Paul University. The map documents the heavy industrial and logistical importance of the waterways, from the Turning Basin to the Ogden Slip near the mouth of the Chicago River.

Transit networks are in a state of evolution, with the Kennedy Expressway and Eisenhower Expressway cutting through established neighborhoods. Massive green spaces and historical burial grounds such as Rosehill Cemetery and Graceland Cemetery provide significant landmarks for genealogists and local historians. From the cultural anchor of the Art Institute to the massive Merchandise Mart, the map reveals the concentrated economic and civic power of the Loop during the early 1970s revision.