About Earliest Chicago Maps
A gallery, print shop, and research center dedicated to preserving and sharing Chicago's extraordinary cartographic heritage since 2012.
Our Story
Earliest Chicago Maps was founded in 2012 by Dr. Catherine Aldrich, a University of Chicago-trained historian specializing in Great Lakes cartographic history. After spending 15 years curating map collections at the Newberry Library, one of the nation's foremost independent research institutions, she recognized a gap between the scholarly world of historical cartography and the growing community of collectors, designers, and Chicago enthusiasts who wanted to engage with the city's mapped past. She opened Earliest Chicago Maps in Chicago's historic Printer's Row neighborhood to bridge that gap and make the city's rich cartographic heritage accessible to everyone.
The gallery began as a small research consultancy operating out of a shared office in the Monadnock Building, offering authentication and appraisal services to private collectors and estate attorneys. Word spread quickly among the city's antique dealers and auction houses, and within two years, Dr. Aldrich had authenticated over 500 historical maps and outgrown her original space. In 2014, she moved to the current gallery at 714 South Dearborn Street, Suite 200, a restored loft in the heart of Printer's Row where the neighborhood's deep publishing heritage provides the perfect backdrop for the work of preserving and sharing maps that shaped a great American city.
What began as a one-woman consultancy grew steadily into a full-service map gallery, reproduction studio, and appraisal practice. In 2016, Dr. Aldrich launched the museum-quality reproduction program, bringing archival giclée printing in-house so that rare and fragile maps could be faithfully reproduced on acid-free cotton rag paper for collectors, interior designers, and institutions that wanted the beauty of historical cartography without the risk of handling irreplaceable originals. The reproduction studio quickly became the gallery's most popular offering, and today it produces hundreds of prints each year for clients across the country.
Over the years, the gallery has expanded to serve an increasingly diverse clientele. Our corporate services division, launched in 2019, has provided curated historical map installations for more than 50 Chicago businesses, including restaurants, law firms, architecture studios, and hotel lobbies. During the pandemic in 2021, we launched virtual tours and online consultations, extending our reach to collectors and researchers worldwide who could not visit the gallery in person. That digital expansion proved permanent, and we continue to serve remote clients through video consultations, high-resolution digital scans, and nationwide shipping of reproduction prints and framed pieces.
Today, Earliest Chicago Maps stands as the Midwest's leading resource for historical Chicago cartography. Our gallery showcases rotating exhibitions of original maps and reproduction prints spanning from the 1673 Jolliet expedition through the visionary 1909 Burnham Plan and beyond. Our research library, expanded in 2023, houses over 3,000 reference volumes and archival materials available by appointment to scholars, journalists, genealogists, and anyone with a curiosity about how the city's geography, infrastructure, and neighborhoods evolved over nearly four centuries of documented history.
Our Milestones
Key moments in our journey from a small research consultancy to Chicago's premier cartographic gallery and research center.
Founded
Dr. Catherine Aldrich founded Earliest Chicago Maps in a shared office space in the historic Monadnock Building, offering authentication and appraisal services to private collectors and estate attorneys throughout the Chicago metropolitan area.
500th Map Authenticated
Authenticated our 500th historical map and moved to the Printer's Row gallery space at 714 South Dearborn Street, providing room for exhibitions, client consultations, and an expanding reference library.
Reproduction Program Launched
Launched the museum-quality reproduction program using archival giclée printing on acid-free cotton rag paper, allowing collectors and institutions to own faithful reproductions of rare and fragile historical maps.
Chicago History Museum Partnership
Partnered with the Chicago History Museum for their acclaimed "Mapping the Metropolis" exhibition, providing authenticated map loans, scholarly consultation, and reproduction prints for the exhibition catalog.
Corporate Services Expansion
Expanded corporate services, providing historical map installations for more than 50 Chicago businesses including restaurants, law offices, architecture firms, and hotel lobbies across the metropolitan area.
Virtual Tours & Online Consultations
Launched virtual tours and online consultations during the pandemic, reaching collectors and researchers worldwide through video appointments, high-resolution digital scans, and nationwide shipping of framed reproductions.
2,000th Map & Research Library Expansion
Celebrated authenticating our 2,000th map and opened the expanded research library, now housing over 3,000 reference volumes and archival materials available by appointment to scholars and the public.
Chicago Magazine "Cultural Gems"
Named one of Chicago's "Cultural Gems" by Chicago Magazine, recognizing our contributions to preserving and sharing the city's cartographic heritage with collectors, researchers, and the broader community.
Our Values
The principles that guide everything we do, from authenticating a single map to curating a corporate collection spanning centuries of Chicago history.
Historical Accuracy
Every reproduction and authentication meets rigorous scholarly standards. We cross-reference institutional archives, examine physical materials under magnification, and verify provenance with the same care expected in academic and museum settings. Our clients trust that every piece bearing our name is backed by thorough, defensible research.
Preservation
We protect Chicago's cartographic heritage for future generations. From conservation-grade framing and archival storage to careful handling protocols and climate-controlled facilities, every decision we make prioritizes the long-term survival of the documents entrusted to our care.
Accessibility
Making rare historical documents available to everyone through quality reproductions is central to our mission. Not everyone can own an original 1834 survey map, but everyone deserves the chance to study, display, and appreciate the cartographic record of their city.
Education
Teaching Chicagoans about their city through the lens of its maps is one of our greatest responsibilities. Through gallery exhibitions, walking tours, school programs, and public lectures, we help people understand the surveying decisions, political negotiations, and natural forces that shaped the Chicago they know today.
Craftsmanship
Museum-quality printing, archival materials, and expert framing define every reproduction and installation we produce. Our studio uses the finest giclée printers, acid-free cotton rag papers, UV-protective glazing, and period-appropriate frame styles to ensure that each piece meets the highest standards of the trade.
Community
Building connections between collectors, historians, and Chicago enthusiasts is at the heart of what we do. Our gallery hosts regular events, our walking tours bring strangers together over shared curiosity, and our partnerships with museums and cultural organizations strengthen the broader community of people who care about this city's past.
Meet Our Team
Our staff brings together decades of experience in cartographic history, museum conservation, authentication, and fine art printing.
Dr. Catherine Aldrich
Founder & Lead Historian
Dr. Aldrich holds a Ph.D. in History from the University of Chicago and brings more than 20 years of experience in cartographic research. A former curator at the Newberry Library, she is the published author of "Charting Chicago: Four Centuries of Maps," a comprehensive survey of the city's cartographic record that has become a standard reference in the field. Her expertise spans pre-settlement French exploration maps through mid-twentieth-century urban planning documents, and she personally oversees every major authentication and appraisal the gallery undertakes.
Marcus Webb
Head of Authentication & Appraisal
Marcus holds an M.A. in Museum Studies from Northwestern University and has spent 12 years working with leading auction houses in Chicago and New York. Certified by the International Map Collectors' Society, he is an expert in 19th-century Midwestern cartography, with particular strength in evaluating pre-fire Chicago maps, railroad survey documents, and Great Lakes navigation charts. Marcus leads all written appraisals and works closely with insurance companies, estate attorneys, and institutional clients.
Elena Vasquez
Reproduction Studio Director
Elena earned her B.F.A. in Printmaking from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and brings eight years of experience in archival reproduction to the gallery. Trained in giclée printing on period-appropriate papers, she oversees all print production and quality control, from high-resolution scanning of original documents through final color calibration and inspection. Elena's background in fine art printmaking gives her a keen eye for tonal accuracy and paper texture, ensuring that every reproduction faithfully captures the character of the source material.
What Our Clients Say
Hear from collectors, tour participants, and institutional partners who have experienced our expertise and passion for Chicago's cartographic history.
"Dr. Aldrich personally walked me through the history of each map in my grandfather's collection. Her passion and knowledge are unmatched. She identified a rare 1834 Thompson survey variant that no one else had recognized. The written appraisal was thorough, well-documented, and accepted without question by our insurance provider."
"We attended one of their Saturday walking tours and were completely captivated. Marcus showed us buildings that still align with the original 1830s survey lines. We ended up commissioning three reproduction prints for our home. Every guest asks about them, and we love telling the stories behind each map."
"Earliest Chicago Maps has been an invaluable partner for our educational programming. Their expertise in historical cartography adds depth that no other resource can match. They provided authenticated map loans for our annual exhibition three years running, and their scholarship has enriched every event."
Ready to Explore Chicago's Cartographic Past?
Whether you are starting a collection, authenticating a family heirloom, or outfitting a commercial space with historic character, our team is here to help. Schedule a free consultation and discover what three centuries of Chicago maps can bring to your project.