The Art of Surveying: 170 Years of Mapping Chicagoland

Several years ago, Donald and Tanya Smith finally looked into some old filing cabinets they inherited when they took over their family surveying business and discovered a treasure trove of history.

They were excited to find that the long-ignored cabinets contained surveying records and maps that went back to the first surveys of our region, as well as records from more recent times.

Drawing from this archive, they will present a history of land surveying and map making in the United States, Illinois, and Chicago based on records passed down through their 170-year-old business. The Smiths will bring maps, atlases, surveying instruments and tools to illustrate their talk, including some that should be of particular interest to Rogers Park and West Ridge.

Date: Saturday, May 4, 2024 @ 1:00pm – 3:00pm 

Location: Northtown Branch of the Chicago Public Library, 6800 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60645

As always, our Living History Series events are free to attend. Pre-registration lets us know you plan to attend.