Potter Palmer

Biography

Potter Palmer came to Chicago while the city was still taking shape, and he immediately saw how a well-planned metropolis could better serve its citizens. His real estate ventures, including the iconic Palmer House Hotel, helped anchor the city’s commercial core, and he invested in broad boulevards, modern utilities, and the rebuilding efforts after the Great Fire so that Chicago might rise again with strength and grace.

He also believed that prosperity should lift the entire community, supplying generous support to hospitals, parks, and schools and encouraging public improvements that would benefit generations to come. His legacy rests in the skyline, civic institutions, and philanthropic spirit he helped foster.