The most influential document in the history of urban planning, Daniel Burnham, "The 1909 Plan in Chicago," co-authored by Edward Bennett and produced in collaboration with the Chicago Business Club, suggested many of the city's most distinctive features. Carl Smith's fascinating history reveals the central role of the plan in shaping the ways people perceive the city and urban life itself.

His short, accessible version begins with a survey of the spectacular rise of Chicago from a small border settlement to the country's second largest city. He then presents a lighted exploration of the plan's plan and reveals how it captures the architect's famous belief that cities can and must be renovated for the better.

Smith points out how the plan continues to influence discussions, even after a century of publication, on how to create a vibrant and healthy urban environment. This insightful book, written in a cultural and thoughtful way, will be indispensable in our understanding of Chicago and Burnham and the emergence of the modern city..