1900 Map of Highwood

About this map

The Lake Michigan shoreline and the upper reaches of the Desplaines River define the layout of Lake and Cook counties at the close of the 19th century. A dense network of competing rail lines, including the Chicago and Northwestern R.R. and the Wisconsin Central R.R., dictates the development of early North Shore and northwestern suburbs. While Fort Sheridan occupies a prominent military position on the coastal bluffs, the interior is a mix of established village grids like Arlington Heights and rural hamlets such as Aptakisic and Half Day. The map reveals the transitional nature of the landscape, where towns like Shermerville and Niles Center appear as small clusters before the massive suburban expansion of the 20th century. Genealogists can trace early homesteads and rail stops along the Chicago Milwaukee and St. Paul R.R. and the Elgin Joliet & Eastern R.R.