1924 Map of Cook County Illinois Showing Highways and Forest Preserves

Condition: This lithograph map was printed on thin paper that was folded for easy distribution. Any occasional fold separation would be reinforced on the verso with archival material. Subtle toning is apparent along some fold lines but the overall sheet in bright and colors are saturated. | This expansive folding map of Cook County, Illinois, was prepared under the direction of the Board of County Commissioners and issued in 1924 during the presidency of Anton J. Cermak, an important political figure in Chicago’s early 20th century history. Covering the county from its northern suburbs through Chicago and south to the Indiana border, the map presents an official and carefully structured view of the region at a moment of rapid growth and transformation during the Roaring Twenties. | Highways, Railroads, and Expanding Suburbs | A developing network of state highways is prominently overprinted in red, reflecting the increasing importance of automobile travel and the need for coordinated road planning across the county. These routes connect a dense grid of townships and emerging suburbs, particularly to the north and west of Chicago, where expansion was accelerating. Complementing this system is a robust network of steam and electric railroads, clearly identified in the legend, underscoring the continued importance of rail transport even as road infrastructure advanced. Schools, churches, cemeteries, parks, and local industries are all carefully noted, presenting a comprehensive snapshot of a region balancing urban density with outward growth. | Forest Preserves and Public Landscapes | Equally prominent is the extensive system of forest preserves, highlighted in green and listed in detail at right. Established in the years just prior to publication, these preserves already encompassed tens of thousands of acres, forming a connected chain of protected land along rivers and open spaces. Tourist camps, golf courses, and recreational grounds appear alongside them, illustrating a deliberate effort to provide public access to nature amid increasing urbanization. This system remains one of the defining features of Cook County’s landscape and is here shown in its early and ambitious stages of development. | Chicago in the Prohibition Era | Despite the map’s orderly and civic-minded presentation, it was issued at a time when Chicago was widely known as a center of Prohibition-era activity. The year 1924 falls within the rise of organized crime networks that would soon be dominated by figures such as Al Capone, whose operations expanded just beyond city limits into areas like Cicero. Against this backdrop, the map offers a striking contrast, emphasizing infrastructure, governance, and public works rather than the disorder often associated with the period. Issued under Cermak, who would later become mayor of Chicago and a vocal opponent of organized crime, the map reflects an effort to project stability, growth, and civic pride. | Size: 30 x 27 inches.…