1900 Map of Tolleston

About this map

The southern shoreline of Lake Michigan dominates this turn-of-the-century survey, revealing a Northwest Indiana landscape in the midst of rapid industrial and transit expansion. The complex hydrology of the Calumet region is visible through the parallel courses of the Grand Calumet River and Little Calumet River, which flank the early urban centers of Whiting and East Chicago. While much of the land remains marshy or divided into sectioned townships, the massive footprint of the American railroad era is unmistakable. Dozens of rail lines, including the Elgin Joliet and Eastern R. R. and the Chicago Terminal Transfer R. R., crisscross the terrain to serve growing hubs like Tolleston and Clarke Station. Further south, the map documents smaller interior settlements such as Highland, Griffith, and Hobart before the major suburban sprawl of the late 20th century, offering a look at the area's original township boundaries and drainage networks like Hart Ditch.