Steam Driven Change
Seeing a need to adapt for further development in the opening years of the 20 th century, Chicago leaders commissioned a group to make recommendations concerning use of and necessary improvements to the Chicago waterfront. The commission looked back to the preceding decade of shipping to determine how to proceed. The period following the Civil War saw many infrastructure changes within the state of Illinois with a focus on the use of Chicago as a hub. President Polk had vetoed an infrastructure bill in 1848 based on perceived unconstitutionality of the Federal government to interfere in state economic matters. Despite the president’s objections, the further expansion of the United States into the west would require improvements to the transportation infrastructure. Using data from the Census Bureau as well as historical shipping numbers from both primary reports and secondary sources, the influence of rail and steam on Chicago can be demonstrat...