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Checkerboard urbanization: The visual imprint of federal policy in Chicago

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  • Robert Vargas
  • David Hackett

Abstract

Using digitized records from the U.S. General Land Office, we produce a time series map of land sales in early Chicago from 1810 to 1890. The graphic illuminates a checkerboard pattern of land sales adjacent to the Chicago River, which stemmed from a Congressional Act in 1827 funding the Illinois and Michigan Canal. Urban historians credit canal construction with positioning Chicago as a hub for global trade. Our graphic, based on historical geospatial data, visualizes and confirms the role of federal intervention and global trade in Chicago’s urbanization.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert Vargas & David Hackett, 2025. "Checkerboard urbanization: The visual imprint of federal policy in Chicago," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 52(7), pages 1785-1787, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envirb:v:52:y:2025:i:7:p:1785-1787
    DOI: 10.1177/23998083251330363
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