The Encyclopedia of Chicago is a dynamic and unprecedented metropolitan history. Thousands of historical resources-including articles, photos, maps, broadsides and newspapers-related to Chicago's colorful and complex history are at your fingertips.

In order to take full advantage of the Encyclopedia, however, there are some basic requirements that your computer workstation must meet. And if you want to take full advantage of the interactive portions of the site, you will find it useful to spend a little time learning the ins-and-outs of the search features of the Encyclopedia, as well as the advanced capabilities of the Flash document viewers that have been built for this site.

Computer Workstation Requirements

Please consult Computer Workstation Requirements for information on web browsers, network connections, the proper Flash plug-in, and other details about the best set-up of your computer workstation for use of the Encyclopedia site.

Using the Encyclopedia of Chicago

Please consult Using the Encyclopedia of Chicago when you are ready to dive into the advanced features of the Encyclopedia. Don't worry: you can certainly get started with the Encyclopedia without mastering this section! But come back to this section when you want to search and browse the farthest reaches of the Encyclopedia. This section also contains helpful information on the special features of the Flash viewers built for the Encyclopedia—learning to use the advanced features will allow you to get the most out of the wonderful high-resolution photos, maps and illustrations featured in the site.