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Introduction  |  Before the Plan  |  Creating the Plan  |  Drafts of the Plan  |  Images of the Plan  |  Supplementa
CREATING THE PLAN:  The Planners
In a closed meeting on October 19, 1906, the members of The Merchants Club, a group of local capitalists and civic leaders, resolved to undertake, with Daniel Burnham at the helm, "a great comprehensive plan" for the City of Chicago. The Club, organized in 1896, aimed to bring together successful, civic-minded young men for the purpose of promoting Chicago's community welfare. In 1907, the Merchants Club merged with and took the name of the older Commercial Club, in part to broaden the base of support for what was becoming the Plan of Chicago.

Almost immediately upon being retained, Burnham formed a committee to direct the planning effort. The Committee on the Plan of Chicago included as its chairman Charles D. Norton and as its secretary Frederic A. Delano—the two Merchants Club members who most vigorously recruited Burnham for the work and who would be among its most active proponents. Subsequently, the planners would organize several other committees to focus on specific areas of improvement, conduct research, and propose recommendations. Burnham's associate, Edward H. Bennett, oversaw the production of drawings embedded throughout. Charles Moore, who collaborated with Burnham on the McMillan commission, edited and added copy. They published the Plan in 1909.

The documents in this section tell the story of the men—Burnham, Norton, Delano, Edward H. Bennett and many others—who coordinated, financed, and ultimately owned the Plan of Chicago. They were, in Burnham's words, "public-spirited men" who counted themselves among the city's leaders. The documents here reveal their motives, goals, and strategies in creating the Plan.
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PDF: 		Charles D. Norton to Daniel H. Burnham
08/27/1906
Although Merchants Club President Charles Norton was convinced of the value of a city plan, as well as Burnham's ability to execute it, he first had to gain the support of the Club's membership base—especially the executive committee. In this letter, Norton informs Burnham that members have demonstrated enthusiasm, and it appears they can go ahead with the project.
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PDF: 		Daniel H. Burnham to Charles D. Norton
09/03/1906
This letter reveals Burnham's promotional strategies, which included a tight rein on the press and strategically scheduled public and private events. Throughout the planning process, the committee attempted to limit knowledge about the Plan's progress to a select few, releasing information at calculated milestones. Enthusiasm and buy-in from Chicago's many constituencies would be crucial for the potential implementation of the Plan.
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PDF: 		Agreement with the Merchants Club: Substance of agreement made by Daniel H. Burnham with the Merchants Club to create the Plan of Chicago
10/01/1906
This brief agreement states the terms of Burnham and Bennett's engagement with the Merchants Club. Although Burnham's responsibility was to supervise the planning process, the Plan would be produced under the auspices of, and ultimately belong to, the Club.
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PDF: 		Minutes from closed meeting of the Merchants Club October 19, 1906, passing a resolution for the Plan of Chicago
10/19/1906
These notes, from a closed meeting of the Merchants Club in late October 1906, appeal to the general membership to take on the Plan. In the notes, the executive committee presents the case for the project, including the potential benefits for the Club and Chicago business as whole. A key point in the appeal is the need for Chicago's physical development to be more forward-thinking and comprehensive, rather than immediate and piecemeal.
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PDF: 		Charles D. Norton to Daniel H. Burnham: Telegram announcing resolution to create the Plan of Chicago
10/19/1906
Norton's telegram to Burnham conveys the excitement surrounding the Merchants Club's decision to retain his services.
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PDF: 		Agreement with the Merchants Club: Printed notice of agreement between Daniel H. Burnham and the Merchants Club
10/27/1906
The October newsletter of the Merchants Club announced the official decision to commission the Plan. The Club anticipated needing to raise $50,000 for the considerable expenses surrounding the Plan. The planners began by soliciting "subscriptions" to the effort. As noted in the announcement, Burnham would donate his time on the project.
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PDF: 		Minutes from the first meeting of the Committee on the Plan of Chicago
10/29/1906
These minutes were taken from the first meeting of the Committee on the Plan of Chicago, although the blank space at the top of the page indicates that the committee had not yet been named. The Committee members would steer the planning effort, and eventually would oversee several other committees specializing in various aspects of city improvements.
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PDF: 		Daniel H. Burnham to Charles D. Norton
11/19/1906
Burnham's early estimate for completion of the Plan was just under $25,000. In fact, it took more than twice as long as expected to complete and cost the Commercial Club more than $75,000. Although Burnham did not receive payment for his work, Edward Bennett received a yearly salary of $7,200, as Burnham noted in this budget sketch.
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PDF: 		Merchants Club [association], to members of the Merchants Club
12/18/1906
In January 1907, the Merchants and Commercial Clubs merged in order to pool their efforts and ensure the successful completion of the Plan of Chicago. This announcement calls for the general membership of the Merchants Club to accept the new Articles of Association. The combined club would take the name of the older group, the Commercial Club.
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PDF: 		Statement of goals of the Committee on the Plan of Chicago
c.1907
About a year after forming, the Committee on the Plan of Chicago prepared this statement of its activities and goals. The Committee makes clear that the Plan is at the moment an end unto itself, and that implementation will be the next step in the process of civic improvements. Nevertheless, it declares that Chicago's immediate need is a continuous boulevard linking the north and south sides of the river (now Michigan Avenue).
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PDF: 		201st meeting of the Commercial Club of Chicago, with interim reports by the committees on the Plan of Chicago
01/25/1908
On January 25, 1908, the Commercial Club convened to discuss the "Plan for the Commercial and Physical Development of Chicago" and hear progress reports from Burnham and the various committees. These 112 pages of proceedings document a key meeting in which all of the major contributors to the Plan presented their work and thoughts on the effort. The transcript of Burnham's part begins on page 49; this exhibition also includes his personal copy of the speech, which he later annotated.
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PDF: 		Jules Guerin to Edward H. Bennett
03/06/1908
The planners hired French artist Jules Guerin to create renderings of the Plan. While Guerin was one of seven artists to contribute drawings and illustrations to the book, his work truly captured the spirit of Burnham's ideas, and the Plan is often recognized by his distinctive watercolors. Lantern slides, based on Guerin's drawings, accompanied the planners' promotional talks and presentations. In this letter, Guerin reports to Bennett on his progress with a drawing.
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PDF: 		Plan of Chicago meeting minutes, 04/02/1909: Summary of activities of the Committee on the Plan of Chicago, April 30, 1908 through April 2, 1909
04/02/1909
These summarized meeting minutes provide a glimpse into the day-to-day planning process over its final year. Burnham and the various committees convened literally hundreds of times in two-and-a-half years, often inviting other important businessmen to see the plans. For example, this synopsis notes a meeting on July 10, 1908 with meatpacking magnate J. Ogden Armour.
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PDF: 		Charles L. Hutchinson to Charles H. Wacker
05/21/1909
In May 1909, the Commercial Club hosted an exhibition of drawings by Jules Guerin and Fernand Janin, the Plan's primary illustrators. Promotional events like this aroused the public's interest in the Plan and enthusiasm for its implementation. This letter from Charles Hutchinson voices the support of the Art Institute of Chicago and its willingness to host the exhibition.
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