Charles Wacker
(Aug. 29, 1856–Oct. 31, 1929)

Born in Chicago, Wacker was a businessman and philanthropist, Vice Chairman of the General Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and Chairman of the Chicago Plan Commission. As Commission Chairman, he championed Burnham’s plan for improving Chicago, including public addresses and publishing Wacker’s Manual of the Plan of Chicago (by Walter D. Moody) as a textbook for local schoolchildren.

photo and text by Joe Collier