Plan of Chicago

The Plan of Chicago, widely known as the Burnham Plan in honor of its lead author Daniel H. Burnham, was published in 1909 as a visionary blue print for the city of Chicago. The plan championed the improvement of the city's infrastructure and the lakefront, and the establishment of cultural institutions. Burnham had recently established himself as "a pioneer in modern urban planning," having participated in the creation of city-wide plans for Cleveland, San Francisco, Manila, and Washington D.C. following the famous success he achieved in his role as overseer of the design and construction of the White City at the Chicago World's Columbian Exposition of 1893. He turned down projects in Fort Worth, Atlantic City, and St. Louis in favor of working on the the plan for Chicago.