Fun with Maps ISSUE 2024-215

By Steve Kovacs (Introduction by Chuck Gibson)

LOVELAND, OH (December 4, 2024) – After a Thanksgiving break with their family, we welcome the return of a refreshed Steve & Theresa Kovacs and a brand new edition of Fun with Maps – Chicago style.  

Chicago

The city of Chicago began to take shape on December 4, 1674 when Father Marquette built its first building.

The French priest came to the area known as New France as a missionary.  His task was to establish new missions along the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes area.  He heard about the Mississippi River and requested permission to explore that area.  Along with Louis Joliet, he became the first European to explore the northern Mississippi River.

Returning north, Marquette got caught in a snowstorm in Illinois Country.  He and two companions built a log cabin where they waited out the winter, becoming the first temporary settlement in what became Chicago.

Spending the winter with the Native Americans at the month of the Chicago River was Father Marquette’s last mission.  He died of dysentery the next spring as he tried to return north to Mackinac.

Mitchell’s map of the Windy City is presented here from 1878.

Steve Kovacs and his wife Theresa reside in Loveland, Ohio where they raised their two children. He is a passionate collector of antique maps.

Visit his antique map boutique world-on-paper online. Watch for his daily feature Steve Kovacs: Fun with Maps here on Loveland Beacon.