Peck, John Mason and John Messinger. A New Map of Illinois and Part of the Wisconsin Territory, 1835.

Notice the counties on this map of Illinois from 1835, seventeen years after Illinois was admitted to the Union. As one point of comparison, a current county map of Illinois shows six counties touching the border with Wisconsin, while this map shows two.

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Lewis, Samuel and Henry Schenck Tanner. Upper Territories of the United States, 1817.

This map was drawn the year before Illinois was admitted to the Union. Notice the northern line of the Illinois territory and which cities are marked on the map.

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Warner & Beers. Map of the City of Chicago, 1873.

This map shows the boundaries and political wards of Chicago two years after the Chicago Fire. The Map and Geography Library also has Sanborn Fire Insurance maps showing individual buildings and what building materials were used in Chicago during this time period.

To link to the catalog record, click on the image.