These Kodachrome photographs were taken by Harold Mayer, a pioneer of urban geography and specialist in urban and transport geography of North America, especially New York, Chicago, Milwaukee, and British Columbia. A professor of geography at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, during his academic career, Professor Mayor gathered a large photographic collection to teach his students.
Professor Mayor visited Chicago several times during the fifties and sixties. Take a look back at the city through 17 beautiful vintage photographs below:
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| Randolph Street E from Dearborn Street |
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| Maxwell Street market |
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| Lake Shore Drive Bridge |
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| Boat at Chicago Tribune wharf on Chicago River |
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| Chicago Light and Outer Harbor |
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| Wacker Drive from 333 N. Michigan Ave. |
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| Business center, E on Lake Street from Marion, Oak Park |
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| Illinois Central Railroad and Michigan Boulevard Façade |
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| Oakbrook shopping center, Oakbrook |
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| Old Orchard shopping center, Skokie |
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| Water tower and business district, Riverside |
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| CTA station and parking lot, Ridgeland Ave., Lake Street line, Oak Park |
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| Business district, Lincoln Ave., South from Oakton Street, Skokie |
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| Back of the Yards, Hamilton Ave. N from 46th Street |
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| Housing, 4700 block Hamlin Ave S. |
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| Del Lago shopping center, no man’s land, Wilmette |
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| Chicago, suburban Elgin, Chicago Street in central business district |
(via American Geographical Society)
