The Plan of Chicago was created in order to establish a pathway for
the future of Chicago. “In ways that transcend any individual example,
the planning idea is deeply ingrained in the nature and character of
Chicago. The city's lack of a long history, at least from the point of
view of those not of Native American ancestry, both invited and
demanded planning.” (Marcus, Sarah.) The Plan that was needed for the
city went under production after the Chicago Fire, World's Columbus
Fair and other plans went into place from other cities. “At the turn
of the twentieth century, numerous observers criticized the apparent
governing spirit of Chicago and other cities for thinking of planning,
if at all, as mainly a matter of expanding the urban infrastructure to
attract and support yet more private commercial investment” (Marcus,
Sarah.). “In 1909, Daniel H. Burnham (1846 – 1912) and Edward Bennett
published the Plan of Chicago, a seminal work that had a major impact,
not only on the city of Chicago’s future development, but also to the
burgeoning field of urban planning.” (Bachrach, Julia S. ) “The six
categories, as laid out by Burnham and Bennett in the final chapter of
the Plan of Chicago, are as follows:
- The improvement of the lake front.
- The creation of a system of highways outside the city.
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The improvement of railway terminals, and the development of a
complete traction system for both freight and passengers.
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The acquisition of an outer park system, and of parkway circuits.
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The systematic arrangement of the streets and avenues within the
city, in order to facilitate the movement to and from the business
district.
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The development of centers of intellectual life and of civic
administration, so related as to give coherence and unity to the
city.
The plan was presented to the City Council of Chicago in July 1909.
The council created a planning commission by November of that year
with Mayor Fred A. Busse appointing Charles H. Wacker as permanent
chair of the commission. (1909 Plan of Chicago.)."
