Burnham Plan Centennial Committee Records, 2003-2010

As early as 2003, interest in a commemoration of the 1909 Plan of Chicago began to form, with a variety of individuals and organizations gradually coalescing into a centennial initiative. The Burnham Plan Centennial Committee (BPCC) emerged as Chicago Metropolis 2020 (CM2020) took a leadership role in the initiative in the spring of 2007. The BPCC and its Program Partners sponsored (and encouraged others to sponsor) projects, programs, and events to commemorate the Plan and to stimulate critical and imaginative thought about the Chicago region's present and future. The Committee concluded its work in early 2010. Its activities are documented in these records as well as on its website, which has been archived, initially by the University of Chicago and then permanently by the Illinois State Library.

The collection documents the administrative activities of the Committee and its relations with its Program Partners, primarily from 2008 through 2009. Special attention is paid to communicating and promoting the Centennial mission through publicity and media coverage. There is little information on internal governance. Documentation is particularly extensive for several "core" Committee programs, including the Big Plans Big Dreams educational initiative (that included over 2,000 letters from third graders to the Mayor), a series of over twenty environmental Green Legacy Projects, and the installation of two temporary pavilions in Millennium Park (and the attendant ceremonies). Also well documented are a number of the many special events, exhibitions, conferences, and publications which the Committee sponsored in conjunction with its Program Partners. The collection gives unusual insight into the development and activities of a temporary organization whose mission was both to commemorate an historic Chicago document and to carry on its legacy by encouraging civic involvement in metropolitan area planning.

The collection consists primarily of office working files received from a number of different individuals. Consequently, there was no one, consistent organizing principle, and there is considerable duplication in both subjects treated and documents found in the files. While an attempt has been made to bring related materials together, the collection has been analyzed only at the folder, rather than individual item level. The original file folder names have been retained as much as possible. Relatively focused materials (e.g., meeting files, folders for organizations) have been arranged chronologically or alphabetically as appropriate. Files designated as "general" or "miscellaneous" contain a wider variety of topics and document types. With particular projects or programs, files broadly follow a progression of concept, proposal, development, implementation, evaluation. Abbreviations are alphabetized as they appear.

SERIES I: ADMINISTRATIVE/ORGANIZATIONAL MATERIAL. This series includes: research on other "commemorations" (to serve as models), historical materials on the 1909 Plan, and documentation on the early evolution of the BPCC; executive committee meeting files arranged chronologically; staff meeting files arranged chronologically; miscellaneous activity and program files (e.g., project "inventories," calendars, timelines; summary reports of multiple activities); and cover memos which accompanied the donation of the archive.

SERIES II: COMMUNICATIONS, MARKETING, AND MEDIA MATERIALS. This series includes: planning and meeting documentation; miscellaneous communications and marketing files; working documents and sample materials used in developing the BPCC's vision, mission, and visual identity; general purpose "outreach" materials", presentations, and "press and media" groups (outreach to specific Program Partners is located in SERIES IV); development and maintenance of the burnhamplan100.lib.uchicago.edu website; publications and promotional materials (including draft versions) both in print and graphic media designed for general audiences, arranged by format and then by title (Program Partners' publications are located in SERIES IV; Electronic Media in SERIES V); and media coverage, consisting of reports on coverage, copies of individual newspaper and magazine articles, and issues of magazines and newspapers with articles in them.

SERIES III: "CORE" BPCC ACTIVITIES. This series includes activities and programs defined by the BPCC as "core" and are arranged alphabetically by project name.

SERIES IV: PROGRAM PARTNERS NETWORK. This series includes: outreach materials (including "brown bag lunches") by the BPCC for the general Partners' meetings and to specific Partner groups as well as "intent to participate" forms from various organizations; select Partner activities arranged by organization name (or in some cases, by place), containing a large number of brochures and pamphlets published by Partners; select Partner "collaborations" with the BPCC; other programs arranged by program name; and files of unsuccessful proposals.

SERIES V: ELECTRONIC MEDIA. The collection contains approximately 150 electronic items, almost all in 4 1/2" disc format. The media contain mostly still images, though there are also some moving (video and film) images. Items range from documentary records of images, objects, and events to professional productions for public presentation. The discs include: films on Burnham (and images from the Plan and historical photographs); scans of the children's letters to the Mayor; an "Educators Resource Guide;" moving and still images of the Pavilions (and a "Hadid Animation" flashdrive); among others. A partial inventory of these materials is available in Series I. Titles have been transcribed from discs or sleeves. Items are arranged within a group alphabetically by the name of a specifically identified individual/institutional source or by a supplied title. The complete content of every disc has not been reviewed; some information may be duplicated on various discs.

SERIES VI: REALIA. This material ranges from promotional items (tote-bags, pins, t-shirts) to a small-scale model of an early version of the Hadid Pavilion and a large piece of the external covering of the Pavilion. Some materials have been restricted; please contact the archivist with any questions.

SERIES VII: RESTRICTED. These materials are restricted from patron use; please contact the archivist with any questions. The series consists primarily of budget and donor files which have been restricted until 2035.

• Names
  • Burnham Plan Centennial Committee.
  • Burnham, Daniel Hudson, 1846-1912.
  • Bennett, Edward H. (Edward Herbert), 1874-1954.
• SubjectCity planning--Illinois--Chicago.

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Burnham, Daniel H., Collection, 1836-1946 (bulk 1880-1925), 1943.1.

Without Bounds or Limits: An Online Exhibition of the Plan of Chicago.

Portions of this collection are restricted; wherever possible, surrogate copies are provided for patron use, as noted in the series listings. The remainder of collection may be accessed by users in the Reading Room of the Ryerson and Burnham Libraries at The Art Institute of Chicago. Collections maintained on-site are available for patron use without prior arrangement or appointment. Collections maintained in off-site storage will be retrieved with advance notification; please consult the Archivist for the current retrieval schedule. For further information, consult https://www.artic.edu/archival-collections/contact-usage-and-faq

The Art Institute of Chicago is providing access to the materials in the Archives’ collections solely for noncommercial educational and research purposes. The unauthorized use, including, but not limited to, publication of the materials without the prior written permission of the Art Institute is strictly prohibited. All inquiries regarding permission to publish should be submitted in writing to the Director, Art Institute of Chicago Archives. In addition to permission from the Art Institute, permission of the copyright owner (if not the Art Institute) and/or any holder of other rights (such as publicity and/or privacy rights) may also be required for reproduction, publication, distribution, and other uses. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of any item and securing any necessary permissions rests with the persons desiring to publish the item. The Art Institute makes no warranties as to the accuracy of the materials or their fitness for a particular purpose.

Burnham Plan Centennial Committee records, Ryerson and Burnham Art and Architecture Archives, The Art Institute of Chicago.

This collection was donated by the Burnham Plan Centennial Committee in 2010.

This collection was originally processed by Ed Fishwick and Ryerson and Burnham staff in 2010.

Several appendices--including a glossary, selected bibliography, timeline and electronic directory outline--are available separately from this finding aid in our database.