The Breadth and Depth of the Burnham Plan

This Graham School Course celebrates the 100th anniversary of Daniel H. Burnham’s Plan of Chicago. His vision of “Paris on the Prairie” was so influential that it continues to shape Chicago today. We will delve into Burnham’s philosophy, which forms the foundation of the Plan, and will look at other incarnations of the City Beautiful movement.

We will chart what happened in Chicago after the publication of the Plan in 1909 (including a look at Planning the Region of Chicago, by Burnham’s son). In short, we will consider both the sunny and the dark sides of this vital piece of Chicago’s history.