What did Chicago look like before the Great Fire?

Sure! Here's the rewritten version of your text: --- From Smithsonian.com, there’s an intriguing interactive historical map of Chicago before the Great Chicago Fire. This fascinating tool allows users to explore the city’s layout during a period of rapid growth. The historical map, displayed within a virtual spyglass, originates from the David Rumsey Map Collection. David Rumsey, a renowned map expert who began collecting maps in the 1980s, provides insightful commentary on the map’s significance. His extensive personal collection now holds over 150,000 maps, making it one of the largest private collections in the U.S. Rufus Blanchard, a prominent Chicago map publisher in the late 19th century, created this 1868 map as part of his “Citizen’s Guide for the City of Chicago.” Despite being printed on thin paper, the map remains remarkably durable, a testament to its practical design for residents and visitors navigating the rapidly expanding metropolis. “Chicago was a vibrant hub at that time; it was experiencing explosive growth,” Rumsey remarks, highlighting the intricate network of railroads as a key indicator of the city’s expansion. Take a closer look at the western part of the map, where Rumsey identifies emerging subdivisions forming around clusters of streets, illustrating how neighborhoods developed in distinct, self-contained ways. However, don’t overlook the eastern section either—facing Lake Michigan. “Chicago expanded eastward by reclaiming land from the lake,” Rumsey explains, pointing out how this transformation is visible when comparing older maps to this one. The city ingeniously utilized Lake Michigan to accommodate its growing population, such as creating additional land by filling in parts of the shoreline. You can also spot structures like the “Lake Tunnel” and “Tunnel crib” in the upper-right corner of the map, which were designed to transport fresh water from the lake back into the city. This map captures Chicago in its golden age—a city on the rise—but it also foreshadows tragedy. Less than five years later, the Great Chicago Fire would devastate large portions of the city. As Rumsey notes, the areas marked in pink, green, and pink to the north, along with the yellow and blue sections to the south, represent the significant swathes of land that would be destroyed in the fire. Thanks, Jeff! --- This version maintains the essence of the original content while adding depth and flow, making it feel more conversational and engaging.

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