William Cronon’s Nature’s Metropolis is widely commended for its innovative examination of Chicago's environmental history and its role in America's economic expansion. Critics praise Cronon’s interdisciplinary approach and prose, yet some find the narrative dense and overly detailed. Overall, it's a significant contribution to urban and environmental historiography.

A history enthusiast or urban studies scholar intrigued by the interplay between environment and economy would relish Nature's Metropolis by William Cronon. Fans of The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs or The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson may find it equally captivating for its insightful take on Chicago's transformation.

Nature’s Metropolis by William Cronon is a historical analysis that explores the intertwined economic and ecological development of Chicago and the American West during the 19th century. Cronon examines how natural resources, the railroad network, and agriculture played crucial roles in transforming Chicago into a pivotal metropolis, detailing its symbiotic relationship with the rural hinterlands and the implications of this interdependence.

- Nature's Metropolis won the prestigious Bancroft Prize in 1992, an award given for books about American history. 
- The book intertwines ecological and economic history, demonstrating how Chicago's development was deeply connected to its natural surroundings.
- William Cronon's innovative approach in Nature's Metropolis inspired a new wave of environmental historians to consider the complex relationships between urban areas and their hinterlands.

**William Cronon**  
An environmental historian and author who examines the development of Chicago and its environment, highlighting the interconnectedness of the city's growth with its surrounding natural and economic landscape.  
  
**Frederick Jackson Turner**  
A historian known for his frontier thesis, which is used as a framework to understand the influences of westward expansion on American development and character.  
  
**The Boosters**  
A group of writers engaged in promoting idealized visions of Chicago, often depicting it as a hub of prosperity and attracting people to the city.  
  
**Johann Heinrich von Thünen**  
A 19th-century economist whose model of agricultural land use and transportation forms a theoretical basis for analyzing the expansion of Chicago and its economic geography.

William Cronon

Adult

Book

Nonfiction

Guide

Study Guide

Before You Read

Explore Nature's Metropolis reviews, reading age recommendations, and essential genre and thematic details before you start reading.

Before You Read Nature's Metropolis | SuperSummary

title

content

Overview

Get ready to explore Nature's Metropolis and its meaning. Our full analysis and study guide provides an even deeper dive with character analysis and quotes explained to help you discover the complexity and beauty of this book.

Nature's Metropolis Summary and Study Guide

chapter

chapterType

section

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Preface-Prologue

Nature's Metropolis Preface-Prologue Summary & Analysis

Part 1: “To Be the Central City”

Part 1, Chapters 1-2

Nature's Metropolis Part 1, Chapters 1-2 Summary & Analysis

Part 2: “Nature to Market”

Part 2, Chapters 3-5

Nature's Metropolis Part 2, Chapters 3-5 Summary & Analysis

Part 3: “The Geography of Capital”

Part 3, Chapters 6-8

Nature's Metropolis Part 3, Chapters 6-8 Summary & Analysis

keyFigure

Key Figures

Nature's Metropolis Key Figures

theme

Themes

Nature's Metropolis Themes

Index of Terms

Nature's Metropolis Index of Terms

quote

citation

character

Important Quotes

Nature's Metropolis Important Quotes

primaryCharacter

Essay Topics

Nature's Metropolis Essay Topics

Nature's Metropolis: Chicago and the Great West

Before You Read

Super Short Summary

Reviews & Readership

Review Roundup

Who Should Read Nature's Metropolis?

Reading Age

Book Details