| List of Maps | p. IX | |
| Staff and Consultants | p. XI | |
| Acknowledgments | p. XIII | |
| Contributors | p. XV | |
| Introduction | p. XXV | |
| Metropolitan Chicago Reference Map | p. XXX | |
| A - Z Entries | p. 1 | |
| Color Inserts | ||
| The City As Artifact | p. 206 | |
| Timeline and Year Pages | p. 542 | |
| Maps in Color | p. 782 | |
| Dictionary of Leading Chicago Businesses, 1820-2000 | p. 909 | |
| Biographical Dictionary | p. 955 | |
| Appendixes | ||
| Chicago Mayors | p. 1001 | |
| Chicago Metropolitan Population | p. 1005 | |
| Credits | p. 1047 | |
| Map Sources | p. 1053 | |
| Index | p. 1057 |