![]() Still, he is one of many urban historians and theorists who consider the street grid a simple formula for monotony. On the one hand, Reps-who was named the father of modern American city planning history in 1996 by the American Planning Association-recognizes how useful the street grid has been, not only in Chicago but throughout the United States. John William Reps understands why Thompson did what he did. ![]() He was turning the prairie into real estate. ![]() Thompson did this work on behalf of Illinois and Michigan Canal Commissioners who needed the land subdivided so they could sell lots to fund the construction of the canal. In doing so, he created 58 rectangular blocks over 240 acres of pretty much open land, bordered by, as he named them, State Street on the east, Madison Street on the south, DesPlaines Street on the west and Kinzie Street on the north. He’s the surveyor from southern Illinois who, in 1830, laid out the first grid of streets and alleys. Or set out from the Chicago History Museum and head west on North Avenue for 24 miles to Carol Stream where, for suburban sorts of reasons, the street turns a bit to the northwest and goes on for another four miles. You can, for instance, start at Michigan Avenue and ride Madison Street west for 21 miles to the far edge of Lombard. As a result, many of the city’s streets flow in a straight line seemingly forever.
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