By 1909, the year this photo was taken, Chicago had grown into a major U.S. city, second only to New York City. The growth had been rapid, and in the eyes of many Chicagoans and the city’s planners, the growth had gotten out of control, leading to congestion and overcrowding. This widely reproduced photograph from the Chicago History Museum has become emblematic of the city’s chaos and congestion at the time. It was taken in conjunction with the 1909 publication of The Plan of Chicago, popularly called the Burnham Plan after one of its authors, Daniel H. Burnham.