Madison Avenue in Chicago, Illinois, between 1910 and 1920

Skyscraper-lined street with pedestrians on both sides, parked cars, and moving vehicles also visible.

Courtesy of Library of Congress, "Madison Ave. [i.e. Street], west from Wabash [Avenue], Chicago, Ill," Detroit Publishing Co., between 1910 and 1920

Description

Madison Avenue is a "main street" of Chicago, Illinois. Most buildings had stores and other businesses on the main floor and apartments in the stories above them. The population of Chicago in 1910 was 2,185,283, and in 2010, the population was 2,695,598. This image is part of the Detroit Publishing Company collection at the Library of Congress. The Detroit Publishing Company was well known for photos of city and town views, industry and recreation.

Source-Dependent Questions

Is Chicago, Illinois, an urban area or a rural area? Use evidence from the image to support your answer.
Compare and contrast this image to main streets in Elliott, Iowa, Columbus Junction, Iowa, in Des Moines, in New York City and in downtown Chicago?

Citation Information

"Madison Ave. [i.e. Street], west from Wabash [Avenue], Chicago, Ill," Detroit Publishing Co., between 1910 and 1920. Courtesy of Library of Congress