Today Chicago's Central Michigan Avenue is a busy commercial and cultural center situated on the beautiful lakefront. Easy access to office buildings, major cultural attractions, and parks makes it one of the premier tourist destinations in the city. This book traces the history of the avenue from the 1860s to the present day. Once a genteel residential neighborhood, Central Michigan Avenue was reborn after the 1871 Chicago fire. Over time a street wall of buildings took shape on the west side of the street. The east side of the avenue was designed to remain open to green parkland and water. In this book more than 180 photographs document the fascinating history of Chicago's front yard.