1892 Melville Panoramic View of Chicago

This is an impressive 1892 George W. Melville panoramic view of Chicago one year before the 1893 Columbian Exposition.

A Closer Look

The view presents the business district of Chicago in a 360-degree panorama as observed from the roof of the newly constructed 16 story Monadnock Building, where Melville maintained offices. The view reveals a bustling modern city, rebuilt in its entirety, bigger and better, after the disastrous 1871 Great Chicago Fire. Front and center is the Great Northern Hotel (demolished in 1940), opened in the year this view was engraved. Other notable buildings included are the Board of Trade, Marshall Fields, the Rand McNally Building, Palmer House hotel, the Art Institute (New Art Palace), and the Rookery. In the distance we see Lake Michigan, bustling with ships and, at far right, the grounds of the Columbian Exposition, then under construction. Of note are the hundreds of smokestacks billowing black fumes - where we today see pollution, in the 19th century this was a symbol of progress and the spirit of bustling industry.

Gems of Chicago

The view is accompanied by Melville's book, Gems of Wonderful Chicago and the World's Fair. The 87-page book, bound it gilt-decorated red linen, features additional photos of Chicago buildings as well as a small folding map of the fairgrounds. In Melville's own words, it is a

…large profusely illustrated and richly bound volume, depicting in a most comprehensive way the marvelous story of Chicago. Her Architectural, Commercial, Educational, Religious, Musical and Artistic tastes and achievements are graphically described and illustrated with the beauties of the World's Fair.

Publication History and Census

This view was engraved and published by George W. Melville in anticipation of the 1893 Chicago Columbian Exposition. It was included in the book Gems of Wonderful Chicago and the World's Fair. We see holdings of the book in perhaps 20 institutions, but both the book and the view remain rare on the market.