Monday, December 23, 2019

A Plan to Make Chicago the Capital of the United States from 1917.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) was founded in New York City in 1857 by a group of 13 architects to "promote the scientific and practical perfection of its members" and "elevate the standing of the profession."

The utopian scheme of the American Institute of Architects is to make Chicago the capital of the United States. The site of the National Government's plan has Deerfield, Illinois, near the center.
The 1917 sketch (overlay by Neil Gale) extends from Everett (Lake Forest) on the north, Highland Park on the east, Wheeling on the west, and Shermerville (Northbrook) on the south. The plan was made by Thomas E. Talmadge. The vacant Hotel Deerfield (later the Anderson Hotel) on the corner of Deerfield Road and Lincoln Avenue may have been the scene of the White House.

Compiled by Neil Gale, Ph.D.


NOTE: If you have or know of this 'plan' and can provide more information, please leave a comment below (with a link if you have one).

3 comments:

  1. That is pretty neat looking. It would be a traffic nightmare today. I try a lot of city planning in "City Skylines" and it is not as easy as it looks.

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  2. This drawing with a little more detail and some text info about it is on page 10 of Marie Ward Reichelt's History of Deerfield. a PDF of this book is online at the Deerfield Public Libray's website. the book credits The Chicago Daily News for the drawing.

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  3. This drawing with a little more detail and some text info about it is on page 10 of Marie Ward Reichelt's History of Deerfield. a PDF of this book is online at the Deerfield Public Libray's website. the book credits The Chicago Daily News for the drawing.

    ReplyDelete

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