Chicago: Marsh to Metropolis is a new publication I've recently written, which precedes the contents of my four-book series. Here's the first paragraph of the introduction.
Download the 46-page document to read the entire thing.
Introduction
In the two-thirds of a century between Chicago’s incorporation as a village in 1833 and the reversal of the flow in the Chicago River and South Branch in 1900, the growing metropolis-to-be faced a challenging and inhospitable landscape. The urge to grow was relentless, requiring drainage of the land, but more importantly, the quality of the city’s water supply, Lake Michigan, must be protected. Infrastructure to benefit citizens and protect their health was in its infancy. Through trial and error, schemes were tried and tested. Chicago’s location on a subcontinental watershed divide was found to be a natural benefit, and the vision of one of its earliest visitors was part of the solution.
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