The Burnham Plan Centennial - Bold Plans, Big Dreams

Calendar & Projects

Tours

Previous Events

March, 2009

Monday, March 23, 2009 3:00pm to 4:30pm

Burnham’s Bold Plans and Rosenwald’s Unconventional Philanthropy: Improving the Quality of Life

Spertus Museum

Join Spertus Museum for free curator led tours of A Force For Change: African American Art and the Julius Rosenwald Fund, a changing exhibition featuring the works of Rosenwald fellows such as Elizabeth Catlett and Charles White. The tours will include a discussion of Rosenwald’s connections to Burnham, as well as the way the Museum’s LEED certified green building epitomizes the lessons learned from the Burnham’s 1909 Plan of Chicago. Following the tours there will be facilitated discussions on current greening initiatives in Chicago. [MORE]

April, 2009

Sunday, April 19, 2009 10:30am to 1:30pm

Bike the Lakefront

Chicago Architecture Foundation

The centennial year of the 1909 Plan of Chicago is the perfect time to celebrate Daniel Burnham's vision by bicycling from Millennium Park to a nature park on Northerly Island.  See how Burnham's ideas for protecting the lakefront as a cultural gathering point have been realized in many different ways. [MORE]

Thursday, April 30, 2009 noon to 1:30pm

Burnham’s Bold Plans and Rosenwald’s Unconventional Philanthropy: Improving the Quality of Life

Spertus Museum

Join Spertus Museum for free curator led tours of A Force For Change: African American Art and the Julius Rosenwald Fund, a changing exhibition featuring the works of Rosenwald fellows such as Elizabeth Catlett and Charles White. The tours will include a discussion of Rosenwald’s connections to Burnham, as well as the way the Museum’s LEED certified green building epitomizes the lessons learned from the Burnham’s 1909 Plan of Chicago. Following the tours there will be facilitated discussions on current greening initiatives in Chicago. [MORE]

May, 2009

Saturday, May 9, 2009 9:00am to 5:00pm

The South Side: Planning It, Making It, Mapping It

University of Chicago

What is the South Side of Chicago and how did it come to be? Please join us for a highly unusual daylong bus tour that will take us from Altgeld Gardens (made famous by Barack Obama) to Woodlawn, Hyde Park, Bronzeville, Bridgeport, Hull House, and other famous neighborhoods and institutions. [MORE]

Sunday, May 10, 2009 noon to 5:00pm

House Walk

Evanston History Center

The Evanston History Center's annual Mother's Day House Walk will be held in Daniel Burnham's Evanston neighborhood where he lived with his family from 1886 until his death in 1912.  Although the Burnham's home is no longer standing, the neighborhood surrounding the estate where they lived tells a fascinating story. [MORE]

Saturday, May 16, 2009 9:00am to noon

Chicago Lakefront Bus Tour

Illinois State Geological Survey

Coastal Geologist Dr. Michael Chrzastowski leads a tour of the Chicago lakeshore to discuss the history of lakefront park development. The bus tour makes several stops to highlight significant park features and landscapes. You will learn how Chicago’s lakefront park system, consisting now of 26 miles of public parks, was totally engineered over the last 140 years. Also discussed is the Last 4 Miles: A Plan to Complete Chicago’s Lakefront. [MORE]

Saturday, May 16, 2009 9:00am to 5:00pm

Great Chicago Places & Spaces Festival

City of Chicago

The City of Chicago opens its doors during 11th Annual Great Chicago Places and Spaces (GCPS) on May 16, 2009. For one day, the City of Chicago collaborates with architects, designers and community leaders on more than 100 free tours. The event, a program of the Mayor's Office of Special Events, was created to reflectChicago's great architectural heritage as well as showcase off limits places and spaces. Some are obscure and many are world famous with most tours programmed and led by some of the world's leading experts in architecture and design.

 

  [MORE]

Saturday, May 16, 2009 9:00am to 4:00pm

Great Chicago Places and Spaces Festival

City of Chicago

Chicago opens its doors during 11th annual Great Chicago Places and Spaces (GCPS) on May 16, 2009. For one day, the City of Chicago collaborates with architects, designers and community leaders on more than 100 free tours. The event, a program of the Mayor's Office of Special Events, was created to reflect Chicago's great architectural heritage as well as showcase "off limits" places and spaces. [MORE]

Sunday, May 17, 2009 10:30am to 1:30pm

Bike the Lakefront

Chicago Architecture Foundation

The centennial year of the 1909 Plan of Chicago is the perfect time to celebrate Daniel Burnham's vision by bicycling from Millennium Park to a nature park on Northerly Island.  See how Burnham's ideas for protecting the lakefront as a cultural gathering point have been realized in many different ways. [MORE]

Saturday, May 23, 2009 7:00am to 4:00pm

Spring on the Lakeshore

Morton Arboretum

Celebrate the Burnham Plan's open space vision with a visit to  two of the region's most significant natural areas -- Illinois Beach State Park (Zion, IL) and Chiwaukee Prairie Natural Area (Pleasant Prairie, WI) -- at a time when they are at their most beautiful and active with spring bird migration! At Illinois Beach State Park marsh, sedge meadow, three kinds of prairie, sand savanna, health and foredunes combine to create an incomparable landscape.

June, 2009

Saturday, June 6, 2009 9:00am to 7:00pm

Burnham Plan Century: Make No Little Rides

Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission

The Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission, along with the Calumet Citizens for Connecting Communities, are collaborating to host a 100-mile bicycle ride from Lake Forest, Illinois to Michigan City, Indiana. The event, dubbed the Burnham Plan Century: Make No Little Rides, is scheduled to take place on National Trails Day, Saturday, June 6th. [MORE]

Saturday, June 13, 2009 8:00am to Sunday, June 14, 2009 5:00pm

Burnham to Marquette Water Trail Expedition

Northwest Indiana Paddling Association

The Burnham to Marquette Water Trail Expedition is a bi-state sea kayaking event that will allow competent participants to be a part of a historic weekend long journey from Chicago to Michigan City.  The route will follow the new Southern Lake Michigan Water Trail that will be dedicated by this inaugural event. [MORE]

Saturday, June 13, 2009 10:00am to 2:30pm

Make Big Plans: Burnham Centennial- Chicago Neighborhood Tours

City of Chicago

Happy 100th, 1909 Plan of Chicago! Through a formal presentation at the Chicago Cultural Center, and Harold Washington Library's special exhibit, you'll grasp the genius that shaped city planning and Chicago history. Review Burnham and Bennett's pioneering ideas for local thoroughfares and railroad traffic. A rendezvous at Burnham's graveside makes a fitting epilogue. 

Tour highlights: [MORE]

Saturday, June 13, 2009 10:30am to 12:30pm

White City Revisited

Chicago Architecture Foundation

Explore Jackson Park, site of the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 of which Daniel Burnham served as Director of Works. The tour includes a pictorial recreation of the famous fair and examines how Frederick Law Olmsted transformed marshes and sand dunes into a beautifully landscaped park that is now on the National Register of Historic Places.  We will also visit the restored Osaka Garden. [MORE]

Sunday, June 14, 2009 10:30am to 1:30pm

Bike the Lakefront

Chicago Architecture Foundation

The centennial year of the 1909 Plan of Chicago is the perfect time to celebrate Daniel Burnham's vision by bicycling from Millennium Park to a nature park on Northerly Island.  See how Burnham's ideas for protecting the lakefront as a cultural gathering point have been realized in many different ways. [MORE]

Monday, June 15, 2009 6:30pm to 7:30pm

Burnham For Beginners

Geographic Society of Chicago

A short walking tour, “Burnham For Beginners” is an introduction to Burnham and Bennett’s 1909 Plan of Chicago. The tour is designed for the general public as a basic introduction to the ideas of the 1909 Plan and the context of its development. Information will be provided in an accessible and informal manner. [MORE]

Thursday, June 18, 2009 1:00pm to 2:00pm

Explore the White City: World's Fair Simulation

Museum of Science and Industry

Unless you’re a Chicago history buff, you may not know that the Columbian Exposition—also referred to as “The White City” or the World’s Fair of 1893—was a source of inspiration for Daniel Burnham’s audacious 1909 Plan of Chicago, which provided a vision of what a well-ordered and attractive city of the future could be. The Plan of Chicago has inspired generations of Chicagoans and city lovers worldwide. [MORE]

Saturday, June 20, 2009 9:00am to noon

Chicago Lakefront Bus Tour

Illinois State Geological Survey

Coastal Geologist Dr. Michael Chrzastowski leads a tour of the Chicago lakeshore to discuss the history of lakefront park development. The bus tour makes several stops to highlight significant park features and landscapes. You will learn how Chicago’s lakefront park system, consisting now of 26 miles of public parks, was totally engineered over the last 140 years. Also discussed is the Last 4 Miles: A Plan to Complete Chicago’s Lakefront. [MORE]

Saturday, June 20, 2009 10:00am to noon

Family Friendly “Chicago in Motion” Tours

DePaul University

Century in Motion Festival:  A special day for adults, adolescents and kids! Step aboard our charted mini-bus for an excursion guided by DePaul professors that will include visits to the famed Chicago lakefront and a brief look at two vibrant neighborhoods. Bus tours (approx. 2 hours) will depart from DePaul Loop campus at 10am and 12:30pm. Cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 5 and up.

Saturday, June 20, 2009 1:00pm to 2:00pm

Explore the White City: World's Fair Simulation

Museum of Science and Industry

Unless you’re a Chicago history buff, you may not know that the Columbian Exposition—also referred to as “The White City” or the World’s Fair of 1893—was a source of inspiration for Daniel Burnham’s audacious 1909 Plan of Chicago, which provided a vision of what a well-ordered and attractive city of the future could be. The Plan of Chicago has inspired generations of Chicagoans and city lovers worldwide. [MORE]

July, 2009

Saturday, July 11, 2009 10:00am to 2:30pm

Make Big Plans: Burnham Centennial- Chicago Neighborhood Tours

City of Chicago

Happy 100th, 1909 Plan of Chicago! Through a formal presentation at the Chicago Cultural Center, and Harold Washington Library's special exhibit, you'll grasp the genius that shaped city planning and Chicago history. Review Burnham and Bennett's pioneering ideas for local thoroughfares and railroad traffic. A rendezvous at Burnham's graveside makes a fitting epilogue. 

Tour highlights: [MORE]

Saturday, July 11, 2009 11:00am to 2:00pm

Behind the Scenes at The Field Museum and Jardine Water Purification Plant

Field Museum

See the inner workings of Chicago’s Jardine Water Purification Plant — the world’s largest water filtration plant. Following the tour, hop on a water taxi and go behind-the-scenes at The Field Museum to talk to scientists about all things related to water and fishes. [MORE]

Saturday, July 11, 2009 9:30pm to 1:00pm

Daniel Burnham and Chicago’s Great Railway Terminals Mini-bus Tour

DePaul University

Century in Motion Festival:  Join us for a mini-bus excursion to explore the legacy of the six great railroad stations that were once vibrant parts of downtown Chicago. We’ll look at some of the remarkable features of each terminal, discuss the efforts made to consolidate them before and after the Plan of Chicago, and the future possibilities for high-speed rail. Historians will greet our group at several historic station sites, including Daniel Burnham’s Union Station.

Sunday, July 12, 2009 10:30am to 1:30pm

Bike the Lakefront

Chicago Architecture Foundation

The centennial year of the 1909 Plan of Chicago is the perfect time to celebrate Daniel Burnham's vision by bicycling from Millennium Park to a nature park on Northerly Island.  See how Burnham's ideas for protecting the lakefront as a cultural gathering point have been realized in many different ways. [MORE]

Tuesday, July 14, 2009 8:45am to 4:00pm

Make Big Plans: Daniel Burnham’s Centennial

Schaumburg Township District Library

Happy 100th to the 1909 Plan of Chicago! Begin with a presentation at the Chicago Cultural Center and a visit to the Harold Washington Library’s special exhibit. Travel to Jackson Park, Burnham Park, Northerly Island and Lincoln Park as Chicago Cultural Center guides detail the genius of Daniel Burnham, who shaped the city and Chicago history. Fee: $51 includes lunch.

Saturday, July 18, 2009 9:00am to noon

Chicago Lakefront Bus Tour

Illinois State Geological Survey

Coastal Geologist Dr. Michael Chrzastowski leads a tour of the Chicago lakeshore to discuss the history of lakefront park development. The bus tour makes several stops to highlight significant park features and landscapes. You will learn how Chicago’s lakefront park system, consisting now of 26 miles of public parks, was totally engineered over the last 140 years. Also discussed is the Last 4 Miles: A Plan to Complete Chicago’s Lakefront. [MORE]

Saturday, July 18, 2009 10:30am to 12:30pm

White City Revisited

Chicago Architecture Foundation

Explore Jackson Park, site of the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 of which Daniel Burnham served as Director of Works. The tour includes a pictorial recreation of the famous fair and examines how Frederick Law Olmsted transformed marshes and sand dunes into a beautifully landscaped park that is now on the National Register of Historic Places.  We will also visit the restored Osaka Garden. [MORE]

Saturday, July 25, 2009 noon to 5:00pm

Parks & Boulevards by Bus: Grant & the South Parks

Chicago Architecture Foundation

Join us as we take a leisurely drive along the boulevards and through the parks designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the Olmsted Brothers, Edward Bennett, William LeBaron Jenney, and Jans Jensen.  The lakefront parks are part of Daniel Burnham's legacy from the 1909 Plan of Chicago.  The south parks tour includes Grant Park, the Museum Campus, as well as Burnham, Jackson, Washington, Sherman, Douglas, and Union Parks.  [MORE]

August, 2009

Saturday, August 1, 2009 10:00am to 3:00pm

Discovering Daniel Burnham in Chicago's Parks

Chicago Park District

Discover how Chicago’s parks influenced Daniel H. Burnham, and how Burnham influenced Chicago’s parks. Park historian Julia S. Bachrach guides this tour which reveals examples of Burnham’s works spanning a period of more than 30 years. You will learn about Burnham & Root’s work in Jackson and Washington Parks, the legacy of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition and subsequent redesign of Jackson Park along with Frederick Law Olmsted, the Burnham & Co.

Saturday, August 1, 2009 1:30pm

Burnham in Graceland: Friends, Family and Client Tour

Graceland Cemetery

This two-hour walk through Graceland Cemetery, including Burnham Island, features Daniel Burnham and his family as well as his work associates, prominent clients and personal friends. Burnham’s success and prominence is demonstrated by the large circle of people he influenced and with whom he associated. The tour features several sites not included in previous Graceland walking tours. This tour was developed as part of the Centennial Celebration for Burnham & Bennett's 1909 Plan of Chicago.
  [MORE]

Friday, August 7, 2009 11:00am to Sunday, August 9, 2009 10:00pm

The Legacy of Daniel Burnham, Architect and City Planner

Society of Architectural Historians

This three-day Study Tour will celebrate the 100-year anniversary of Daniel Burnham and Edward Bennett's Plan of Chicago through an array of lectures, tours, and special evening events.  The tour will highlight Burnham and the plan in a variety of different guises:  imagined and realized, proposed and enacted, seen and unseen.  [MORE]

Saturday, August 8, 2009 9:00am to 10:30am

Burnham By Boat

Wendella Boats

The Burnham Plan of 1909 launched Chicago into an era of unparalleled dreams fueled by the imagination of two great men, Daniel Burnham and Edward Bennett. Their vision for the city resulted in the creation of Wacker Drive, the Michigan Avenue bridge, Northerly Island, Grant Park and much more. In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Burnham Plan, Wendella Boats is offering an opportunity to learn about the life and legacy of these two men, with emphasis on Daniel Burnham. [MORE]

Saturday, August 8, 2009 10:00am to 2:30pm

Make Big Plans: Burnham Centennial- Chicago Neighborhood Tours

City of Chicago

Happy 100th, 1909 Plan of Chicago! Through a formal presentation at the Chicago Cultural Center, and Harold Washington Library's special exhibit, you'll grasp the genius that shaped city planning and Chicago history. Review Burnham and Bennett's pioneering ideas for local thoroughfares and railroad traffic. A rendezvous at Burnham's graveside makes a fitting epilogue. 

Tour highlights: [MORE]

Saturday, August 8, 2009 10:30am to 12:30pm

White City Revisited

Chicago Architecture Foundation

Explore Jackson Park, site of the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 of which Daniel Burnham served as Director of Works. The tour includes a pictorial recreation of the famous fair and examines how Frederick Law Olmsted transformed marshes and sand dunes into a beautifully landscaped park that is now on the National Register of Historic Places.  We will also visit the restored Osaka Garden. [MORE]

Wednesday, August 12, 2009 10:00am

Stickney Water Reclamation Plant Tour

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

Go behind the scenes of one of the largest wastewater treatment facilities in the world! You’ll get to see the first pumping station built in 1930 and also take a tour of the new state-of-the-art facility built in 2007. Find out how this plant serves 2.38 million people over a 260-square mile area each and every day! [MORE]

Sunday, August 16, 2009 10:30am to 1:30pm

Bike the Lakefront

Chicago Architecture Foundation

The centennial year of the 1909 Plan of Chicago is the perfect time to celebrate Daniel Burnham's vision by bicycling from Millennium Park to a nature park on Northerly Island.  See how Burnham's ideas for protecting the lakefront as a cultural gathering point have been realized in many different ways. [MORE]

Friday, August 21, 2009 noon to 12:30pm
Friday, August 21, 2009 12:30pm to 1:00pm

Buckingham Fountain Underground Tours

Chicago Park District

Have you ever wondered what it looks like beneath Chicago’s Clarence Buckingham Memorial Fountain?  This summer, Parkways Foundation and the Chicago Park District will offer a rare opportunity for the public to learn more about the city’s iconic monument through tours that include its underground pump works.  The half hour-long tours are offered every Friday at 12:00 p.m.

Sunday, August 23, 2009 noon

Bike & Break for History

Joliet Area Historical Museum

Back in "the day" there were imaginative plans for the city of Joliet. We'll start at the Joliet Area Historical Museum and ride through Joliet while learning about the background of historic buildings and a Burnham-esque dream known as "The Bennett Plan." Bring your bikes, helmets, water and dress for the weather! The tour is recommended for ages 12 and older. [MORE]

Monday, August 24, 2009 8:45am to 4:00pm

Make Big Plans: Burnham Centennial Bus Tour

Lansing Public Library

Happy 100th, 1909 Plan of Chicago! Through a formal presentation at the Chicago Cultural Center, and Harold Washington Library’s special exhibit, you’ll grasp the genius that shaped city planning and Chicago history. Visit Northerly Island and Jackson, Burnham and Lincoln parks. Review Burnham and Bennett’s pioneering ideas for local thoroughfares and railroad traffic. A rendezvous at Burnham’s graveside at Graceland Cemetery makes a fitting epilogue. Tour Highlights • Chicago Cultural Center Presentation/Discussion

Friday, August 28, 2009 noon to 12:30pm
Friday, August 28, 2009 12:30pm to 1:00pm

Buckingham Fountain Underground Tours

Chicago Park District

Have you ever wondered what it looks like beneath Chicago’s Clarence Buckingham Memorial Fountain?  This summer, Parkways Foundation and the Chicago Park District will offer a rare opportunity for the public to learn more about the city’s iconic monument through tours that include its underground pump works.  The half hour-long tours are offered every Friday at 12:00 p.m.

Sunday, August 30, 2009 2:00pm

Daniel Burnham Centennial Lakefront Vision Ride

Forever Free and Clear

Chicagoans can thank Burnham & Bennett’s Plan of Chicago for bequeathing the city a largely uncluttered lakefront. But unfortunately, today an 8-lane superhighway separates Chicago from a truly free and clear shoreline. A  movement is growing to restore Burnham's vision by eliminating the pollution, dangers and unsightliness of Lake Shore Drive. [MORE]

September, 2009

Friday, September 4, 2009 11:00am to 11:30am
Friday, September 4, 2009 noon to 12:30pm
Friday, September 4, 2009 12:30pm to 1:00pm

Buckingham Fountain Underground Tours

Chicago Park District

Have you ever wondered what it looks like beneath Chicago’s Clarence Buckingham Memorial Fountain?  This summer, Parkways Foundation and the Chicago Park District will offer a rare opportunity for the public to learn more about the city’s iconic monument through tours that include its underground pump works.  The half hour-long tours are offered every Friday at 12:00 p.m.

Saturday, September 12, 2009 9:00am to 10:30am

Burnham By Boat

Wendella Boats

The Burnham Plan of 1909 launched Chicago into an era of unparalleled dreams fueled by the imagination of two great men, Daniel Burnham and Edward Bennett. Their vision for the city resulted in the creation of Wacker Drive, the Michigan Avenue bridge, Northerly Island, Grant Park and much more. In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Burnham Plan, Wendella Boats is offering an opportunity to learn about the life and legacy of these two men, with emphasis on Daniel Burnham. [MORE]

Saturday, September 12, 2009 10:00am to 2:30pm

Make Big Plans: Burnham Centennial- Chicago Neighborhood Tours

City of Chicago

Happy 100th, 1909 Plan of Chicago! Through a formal presentation at the Chicago Cultural Center, and Harold Washington Library's special exhibit, you'll grasp the genius that shaped city planning and Chicago history. Review Burnham and Bennett's pioneering ideas for local thoroughfares and railroad traffic. A rendezvous at Burnham's graveside makes a fitting epilogue. 

Tour highlights: [MORE]

Saturday, September 12, 2009 1:30pm

Burnham in Graceland: Friends, Family and Client Tour

Graceland Cemetery

This two-hour walk through Graceland Cemetery, including Burnham Island, features Daniel Burnham and his family as well as his work associates, prominent clients and personal friends. Burnham’s success and prominence is demonstrated by the large circle of people he influenced and with whom he associated. The tour features several sites not included in previous Graceland walking tours. This tour was developed as part of the Centennial Celebration for Burnham & Bennett's 1909 Plan of Chicago.
  [MORE]

Sunday, September 13, 2009 7:00am to 5:00pm

Bike Burnham's Dream: Boulevard Lakefront Tour

Active Transportation Alliance

Participants can explore the treasures of Chicago's vivid history on bike in the 21st annual Boulevard Lakefront Tour on Sunday, Sept. 13. Ride along Chicago's grand boulevards, lush parks and historic neighborhoods. Choose from 15-, 27-, 35- or 62-mile routes that immerse you in Chicago’s stories and culture. Registration includes a T-shirt, rest and water stops, and a ride-guide detailing points of interest. Post-ride festivities include a picnic lunch on Goose Island and live music.

Sunday, September 13, 2009 10:30am to 1:30pm

Bike the Lakefront

Chicago Architecture Foundation

The centennial year of the 1909 Plan of Chicago is the perfect time to celebrate Daniel Burnham's vision by bicycling from Millennium Park to a nature park on Northerly Island.  See how Burnham's ideas for protecting the lakefront as a cultural gathering point have been realized in many different ways. [MORE]

Saturday, September 19, 2009 10:30am to 12:30pm

White City Revisited

Chicago Architecture Foundation

Explore Jackson Park, site of the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 of which Daniel Burnham served as Director of Works. The tour includes a pictorial recreation of the famous fair and examines how Frederick Law Olmsted transformed marshes and sand dunes into a beautifully landscaped park that is now on the National Register of Historic Places.  We will also visit the restored Osaka Garden. [MORE]

Saturday, September 19, 2009 noon to 5:00pm

Parks & Boulevards by Bus: Lincoln & the West Parks

Chicago Architecture Foundation

Between the 1860's and today, Chicago has continued to develop and expand its park system, which was a major feature of Burnham's 1909 Plan of Chicago.  Join us as we take a leisurely drive along the boulevards and through the parks designed by William LeBaron Jenney, Swain Nelson, O.C. Simonds, Jens Jensen, and Alfred Caldwell.  Learn how the visions of these landscape architects were realized.  The north and west parks tour includes Lincoln, Humboldt, Garfield, and Douglas Parks as we drive along the boulevard system, including Palmer and Logan Squares. [MORE]

Saturday, September 26, 2009 10:00am to 3:00pm

Discovering Daniel Burnham in Chicago's Parks

Chicago Park District

Discover how Chicago’s parks influenced Daniel H. Burnham, and how Burnham influenced Chicago’s parks. Park historian Julia S. Bachrach guides this tour which reveals examples of Burnham’s works spanning a period of more than 30 years. You will learn about Burnham & Root’s work in Jackson and Washington Parks, the legacy of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition and subsequent redesign of Jackson Park along with Frederick Law Olmsted, the Burnham & Co.

October, 2009

Saturday, October 3, 2009 10:30am to 12:30pm

White City Revisited

Chicago Architecture Foundation

Explore Jackson Park, site of the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 of which Daniel Burnham served as Director of Works. The tour includes a pictorial recreation of the famous fair and examines how Frederick Law Olmsted transformed marshes and sand dunes into a beautifully landscaped park that is now on the National Register of Historic Places.  We will also visit the restored Osaka Garden. [MORE]

Saturday, October 3, 2009 5:00pm to 8:00pm

Burnham and Bennett from the Boat: A Special River Cruise with Geoffrey Baer

Chicago Architecture Foundation

CAF docent and WTTW Channel 11 program host Geoffrey Baer leads a special river cruise that looks at infrastructure and planning as they relate to Burnham and Bennett’s 1909 Plan of Chicago. As we travel the South and Main Branches of the Chicago River, Baer discusses the 1929 straightening of the river, the creation of Congress Parkway and the Plan’s ingenious infrastructure recommendations including the double-decked Wacker Drive and the Michigan Avenue Bridge. [MORE]

Saturday, October 10, 2009 9:30am to 12:30pm
Saturday, October 10, 2009 1:30pm to 4:30pm

Community Showcase Tours

Burnham Plan Centennial Committee

As part of One Book One Chicago programming, explore the unique stories and bold plans of six diverse Chicago neighborhoods as told through the voices of community leaders and residents.

The tours will depart from and return to the Chicago Cultural Center and include:

MORNING TOURS:  9:30 am - 12:30 pm (choose one) [MORE]

Saturday, October 10, 2009 3:00pm to 4:00pm

Daniel Burnham's Evanston Walking Tour

Evanston History Center

A one-hour tour covering the neighborhood along the Evanston lakefront that Daniel Burnham called home. Please wear appropriate walking attire. [MORE]

Wednesday, October 21, 2009 8:30am to 5:00pm

Visit Burnham's Chicago

Fox Valley Reads

Spend a pleasant day seeing Daniel Burnham's contribution to Chicago's architecture and urban planning on this day trip to the city. Our tour will include stops at the Rookery and the Monadnock Building. Learn about the development of the Columbian Exposition of 1893 and the 1909 Plan of Chicago  and find examples of what has survived of these projects. Top the trip off with a great lunch at Riva Navy Pier.
 
Tour guide provided by Chicago Meetings & More, Inc.
  [MORE]

Tuesday, October 27, 2009 7:00pm

The Great Chicago Fire of 1871: A Presentation and Tour of the Aurora Regional Fire Museum

Fox Valley Reads

Did the cow do it? What was so "great" about the Chicago Fire? Did you know that Aurora sent firefighters to battle the big blaze? Join us for a lively discussion/multimedia presentation on the history of the Great Chicago Fire. Following the program, visitors have an opportunity to see real artifacts that survived the Great Chicago Fire and tour the Aurora Regional Fire Museum's interactive exhibit "Getting There, Getting Water, Getting Rescued."
  [MORE]

December, 2009

Saturday, December 5, 2009 2:00pm to 3:15pm

Explore the White City: World's Fair Simulation

Museum of Science and Industry

Unless you’re a Chicago history buff, you may not know that the Columbian Exposition—also referred to as “The White City” or the World’s Fair of 1893—was a source of inspiration for Daniel Burnham’s audacious 1909 Plan of Chicago, which provided a vision of what a well-ordered and attractive city of the future could be. The Plan of Chicago has inspired generations of Chicagoans and city lovers worldwide. [MORE]

The Burnham Plan Centennial
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