CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY

One Book, One Chicago

Chicago Public Library

In celebration of Daniel Burnham and Edward Bennett’s bold vision for our city and region, the Chicago Public Library has selected Carl Smith’s The Plan of Chicago: Daniel Burnham and the Remaking of the American City for its award-winning program, One Book, One Chicago. One Book, One Chicago encourages all Chicagoans to read the same book at the same time, offering events, discussions, exhibits and more to enhance the experience. [MORE]

Exhibit : Monday, August 3, 2009 to Saturday, February 27, 2010

Inspiring Dreams: Promoting the Burnham Plan

Chicago Public Library

Daniel Burnham’s Plan of Chicago inspired the dreams of people living and working in Chicago in the early decades of the 20th century. Many strategies were employed to enable Burnham and the Commercial Club of Chicago, who supported his work, to “sell” the “Plan” to the City Planning Commission and eventually the public. [MORE]

Exhibit : Friday, June 19, 2009 to Saturday, October 31, 2009

Make Big Plans: Daniel Burnham's Dream of an American Metropolis

Chicago Public Library

The multi-format exhibition includes a photo-panel exhibit simultaneously displayed at 12 CPL libraries from June - October 2009 and an online exhibition and slide show.The exhibit emphasizes the Plan's relevance to metropolitan development through the 20th century and into the future. [MORE]

Saturday, October 10, 2009 1:00pm to 3:00pm

YOUmedia presents "Planning Our Urban Future"

Chicago Public Library

As a part of One Book, One Chicago, a group of 57 teens have been reading Carl Smith’s book, The Plan of Chicago: Daniel Burnham and the Remaking of the American City and working with YOUmedia mentors to create digital pieces which address issues in their neighborhood and present real workable solutions to these challenges.  [MORE]

Chicago Matters: Beyond Burnham

Chicago Public Library

The Chicago Public Library will bring special book and media collections to a number of branches; host community forums; present programs featuring authors, subject specialists and artists; and host book discussions throughout the summer. For a complete listing of CPL’s Beyond Burnham programs click here.
  [MORE]

Saturday, November 14, 2009 11:00am to 4:30pm

Think Big Youth Expo

Chicago Humanities Festival

One hundred years ago, Daniel Burnham and Edward Bennett issued the Plan of Chicago to give people great ideas about how to make the city and region a better place. [MORE]

Tuesday, August 4, 2009 6:00pm to 8:00pm

Chicago Visionaries: From Burnham to Today and Beyond

Chicago Public Library

Chicago today is as much on the brink of progress as the Chicago of 100 years ago. Join some of our city's most innovative thinkers in a discussion of how to keep Chicago vital and vibrant in the 21st Century. [MORE]

Saturday, November 14, 2009 noon to 1:30pm

Bold Plans for the Next 100 Years

Chicago Humanities Festival

A panel of visionary designers and thinkers—including: architect and planner Doug Farr;  Cheryle Jackson, president of the Chicago Urban League; and John Tolva, IBM, Director, Citizenship & Technology—provide an exciting look into an imaginative future. Adele Simmons, vice chair of Chicago Metropolis 2020, moderates. Bold Plans for the Next 100 Years is part of the 2009 Chicago Humanities Festival. Two other Burnham Centennial-themed programs on November 14 are: [MORE]

Wednesday, September 23, 2009 7:00pm

Chicago as the Nation's Crossroads: Our Region's Transportation History and Future through Policy and Maps

Chicago Public Library

James R. Akerman, The Newberry Library, an historian of maps and Joseph P. Schwieterman, DePaul University, a transportation planning expert join forces to explore Daniel Burnham and Edward Bennett's treatment of transportation in the Plan of Chicago and to examine the region's role as the crossroads of America. Burnham and Bennett clearly understood Chicago's strategic location as a transportaion hub for the region and the nation, and their vision has profound implications for the city and region today. [MORE]

Tuesday, October 27, 2009 6:00pm to 8:00pm

Chicago Matters: Beyond Burnham Presents "Planning for Sustainability through Lighting Design"

Chicago Public Library

Architect, Patrick H. Grzybek, LC, LEED®, Perkins+Will, speaks on the architect’s role in influencing models for the conservation of electrical power for lighting including energy conserving light sources, controls and daylight harvesting enhancements. [MORE]

Community Discussions: What's Next?

Chicago Public Library

Eleven Chicago Public Library locations will host community discussions featuring facilitators whose insights into the Plan of Chicago and related topics will bring added depth to the conversation. Using Carl Smith’s book, The Plan of Chicago: Daniel Burnham and the Remaking of the American City--the Fall 2009 selection for One Book, One Chicago--as a launching point, these programs will ask: How has the city been shaped by our needs these past one hundred years and how will it evolve in the next one hundred? What’s next? [MORE]

Monday, July 27, 2009 2:00pm to 4:00pm
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 5:00pm to 7:00pm

Experience the Plan of Chicago through Geocaching

Chicago Public Library

For teens ages fourteen-up, parents and educators. This hands-on experience allows participants to discover the history of Chicago while using 21st century tools. Join experienced Geocachers (treasure-hunters who use Global Positioning System devices) in a hunt to rediscover 1909 Chicago. Using handheld GPS units, participants will tour several historic spots that Daniel Burnham used to create the Plan of Chicago while hunting for clues to enhance this journey through time. Pre-registration required. [MORE]

Thursday, October 22, 2009 7:00pm

From City Beautiful to City Green: Chicago and the Evolution of its Regional Environment

Chicago Public Library

In 1909 in the Plan of Chicago, Daniel Burnham and Edward Bennett responded to large problems in the city and its region—problems that included the lack of public open and green spaces, and an ill-coordinated relationship of the city to its region.
  [MORE]

Tuesday, September 15, 2009 6:00pm
Thursday, October 1, 2009 6:30pm
Wednesday, October 7, 2009 6:30pm

Make No Little Plans: Daniel Burnham and the American City

Chicago Public Library

The Chicago Public Library's One Book One Chicago fall programming offers multiple opportunities to view  this film which explores the fascinating life and complex legacy of Daniel Hudson Burnham and how his vision to organize the chaos of 19th century America shaped the nation's towns and cities for generations.

The film, the first full-length documentary about Burnham, was directed by Judith McBrien and produced by The Archimedia Workshop in consultation with Kartemquin Films.

Upcoming showings are: [MORE]

Thursday, October 29, 2009 6:00pm to 7:00pm

Millennium Park: Creating a Chicago Landmark

Chicago Public Library

Ed Uhlir, Executive Director of Millennium Park, discusses the art, architecture and landscape of Millennium Park in a brief history of the project as well as the economic and social impact of what has become one of the most popular summer tourist destinations in the country.
  [MORE]

Saturday, October 24, 2009 11:00am to noon

One Book, One Chicago: "Chicago --The American City" with Carl Smith

Chicago Public Library

Join the author of the Fall 2009 One Book, One Chicago selection! Carl Smith gives an exciting and engaging illustrated talk about the remarkable effort to create and implement the Plan of Chicago. 

What put Burnham at the helm of this gargantuan task to restructure our city? How did Burnham's plan change the way that Chicago and other American cities are built? [MORE]

Wednesday, October 28, 2009 6:00pm

One Book, One Chicago: The Biography of Chicago

Chicago Public Library

Historian Dominic Pacyga traces our city's storied past, from the explorations of Joliet and Marquette in 1673 to the new wave of urban pioneers today. Pacyga's latest book, Chicago: A Biography, is filled with all of the city's characters and defining moments. [MORE]

Tuesday, October 6, 2009 6:00pm

One Book, One Chicago: The Unraveling of Chicago Public Housing

Chicago Public Library

D. Bradford Hunt -- Associate Professor of Social Science at Roosevelt University and author of Blueprint for Disaster: The Unraveling of Chicago Public Housing -- reflects on Chicago public housing from its New Deal roots through the current Mayor Daley's Plan for Transformation.
 
Presented in partnership with Chicago Matters and the National Public Housing Museum. [MORE]

Saturday, September 19, 2009 noon to 1:00pm

Our Future Metropolis: Mr. D.H. Burnham Presents a Plain Talk for the Development of Chicago

Chicago Public Library

SPECIAL PERFORMANCE FOR TEENS!   Lookingglass Theatre presents this one-man performance, adapted and directed by Ensemble Member John Musial and starring Ensemble Member Raymond Fox as Daniel Burnham.

The performance recreates the initial presentation of Burnham's plan to the public. Musial's staging brings out the genius in Burnham’s project while visually linking his plan with today's Chicago through both authentic original slides and modern-day photography.

 For teens ages fourteen-up, parents and educators. [MORE]

Monday, September 14, 2009 6:00pm to 7:00pm

Our Future Metropolis: Mr. D.H. Burnham Presents a Plain Talk for the Development of Chicago

Chicago Public Library

Lookingglass Theatre presents this one-man performance, adapted and directed by Ensemble Member John Musial and starring Ensemble Member Raymond Fox as Daniel Burnham. The performance recreates the initial presentation of Burnham's plan to the public. Musial's staging brings out the genius in Burnham’s project while visually linking his plan with today's Chicago through both authentic original slides and modern-day photography. [MORE]

Tuesday, September 15, 2009 6:00pm to 7:30pm

South Chicago Celebrates the Burnham Plan

Chicago Public Library

Join a special South Chicago Advisory Committee meeting for a celebration of the Plan of Chicago and what Daniel Burnham’s legacy means to this evolving community. Hear from speakers on how the Plan is still being implemented today for the betterment of South Chicago and learn about the latest community plans and improvements from local advocates—including Angela Hurlock of Claretian Associates.

A part of the citywide One Book, One Chicago program [MORE]