Cookie Policy

Last Updated: April 1, 2026

This Cookie Policy explains how Earliest Chicago Maps ("we," "our," or "us") uses cookies and similar tracking technologies on our website at www.earliestchicagomaps.com. By continuing to browse or use our website, you acknowledge that you have read and understand this Cookie Policy. You can manage your cookie preferences at any time using the methods described below or through the cookie consent banner that appears when you first visit our site.

What Are Cookies

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer, smartphone, or other device when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently, provide a better browsing experience, and supply information to website owners. Cookies can be "persistent" (remaining on your device for a set period or until you manually delete them) or "session-based" (deleted automatically when you close your browser). Cookies can be set by the website you are visiting ("first-party cookies") or by third-party services that the website uses for analytics, advertising, or other functionality ("third-party cookies").

In addition to traditional cookies, we may use similar technologies such as web beacons (also called pixel tags or clear GIFs), local storage, and embedded scripts to collect information about your interactions with our website. These technologies serve similar purposes to cookies and are covered by this policy.

Cookies We Use

We categorize the cookies used on our website into four groups based on their purpose. Below is a detailed description of each category and the specific cookies involved.

Essential Cookies

Essential cookies are strictly necessary for the operation of our website. They enable core functionality such as page navigation, access to secure areas, and the cookie consent mechanism itself. Without these cookies, the website cannot function properly, and they cannot be disabled.

cookie_consent: Stores your cookie consent preferences so we do not display the consent banner on every visit. Duration: 1 year.
session_id: Maintains your browsing session as you navigate between pages, ensuring a seamless experience when using our contact forms, Map Value Estimator, Print Size Calculator, and other interactive features. Duration: session (deleted when you close your browser).
csrf_token: Protects against cross-site request forgery attacks when you submit forms such as contact inquiries, authentication requests, and gallery visit bookings. Duration: session.

Analytics Cookies

Analytics cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our website by collecting and reporting information anonymously. We use this data to improve our website structure, content, and user experience. We rely on Google Analytics for this purpose.

_ga: Set by Google Analytics. Distinguishes unique visitors to our website by assigning a randomly generated number as a client identifier. This cookie allows us to calculate visitor counts, session counts, and campaign data for site analytics reports. Duration: 2 years.
_ga_[container-id]: Set by Google Analytics 4. Used to persist session state across page views, tracking which pages you visit, how long you spend on each page, and how you arrived at our site. Duration: 2 years.
_gid: Set by Google Analytics. Stores and updates a unique value for each page visited, helping us identify which pages are most popular and how visitors navigate between our gallery listings, service pages, blog articles, and online tools. Duration: 24 hours.
_gat: Set by Google Analytics. Used to throttle the request rate to Google Analytics servers, preventing excessive data collection during periods of high traffic. Duration: 1 minute.

Advertising Cookies (Google AdSense)

We use Google AdSense to display advertisements on certain pages of our website. Google AdSense places cookies on your device to serve ads that are relevant to your interests based on your browsing history across the web. These cookies help fund the free educational content and tools we provide, including our blog articles on Chicago cartographic history, the Map Value Estimator, and the Chicago Timeline Explorer.

__gads: Set by Google AdSense. Measures interactions with ads displayed on our website, including which ads were shown, whether they were clicked, and how many times they appeared. This data helps Google deliver ads that are more relevant to your interests. Duration: 13 months.
__gpi: Set by Google AdSense. Used to store a unique identifier for Google Publisher Tags, enabling ad personalization and measurement across publisher websites. Duration: 13 months.
IDE: Set by Google DoubleClick (a Google advertising platform). Used to register and report user actions after viewing or clicking one of the advertiser's ads, measuring ad effectiveness and delivering targeted advertisements. Duration: 13 months.
ANID: Set by Google. Used to deliver advertising that is most relevant to you based on your search queries and browsing activity across the Google network. Duration: 13 months.
NID: Set by Google. Contains a unique identifier used to remember your preferences and other information, such as your preferred language, how many search results you wish to have shown per page, and whether you have Google's SafeSearch filter turned on. Duration: 6 months.

Google AdSense may also use web beacons and JavaScript to collect data about ad impressions and click activity. The information collected through these advertising cookies may be shared with other advertisers within the Google advertising network. You can learn more about how Google uses advertising data by visiting Google's Advertising Policies.

Functional Cookies

Functional cookies enable enhanced features and personalization on our website. They may be set by us or by third-party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you disable these cookies, some or all of these features may not function properly.

user_preferences: Remembers your display preferences, such as whether you prefer grid or list view when browsing our map reproduction catalog. Duration: 1 year.
recently_viewed: Tracks the map reproductions and blog articles you have recently viewed so we can offer relevant suggestions and make it easier to return to items of interest. Duration: 30 days.
tool_settings: Stores your last-used settings in our Map Value Estimator and Print Size Calculator so you do not need to re-enter information on return visits. Duration: 90 days.

How to Manage Cookies

You have the right to decide whether to accept or reject cookies. You can manage your cookie preferences in the following ways:

Cookie Consent Banner

When you first visit our website, a cookie consent banner will appear at the bottom of the page. You can choose to "Accept All" cookies or "Reject Non-Essential" cookies. If you reject non-essential cookies, only essential cookies will be placed on your device. You can change your consent preferences at any time by clearing your browser cookies and revisiting our website.

Browser Settings

Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. Below are instructions for managing cookies in the most popular browsers:

Google Chrome: Click the three-dot menu in the upper right corner, select "Settings," then "Privacy and security," then "Cookies and other site data." From there, you can block third-party cookies, block all cookies, or clear existing cookies. You can also add specific sites to your allow or block list.
Mozilla Firefox: Click the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) in the upper right corner, select "Settings," then "Privacy & Security." Under "Enhanced Tracking Protection," you can choose Standard, Strict, or Custom settings. The Custom option allows you to individually control cookies, tracking content, cryptominers, and fingerprinters.
Apple Safari: Go to "Safari" in the menu bar, select "Preferences" (or "Settings" on newer versions), then click the "Privacy" tab. You can block all cookies, prevent cross-site tracking, or manage website data to remove cookies from specific sites. On iOS, go to Settings, scroll to Safari, and toggle cookie preferences under "Privacy & Security."
Microsoft Edge: Click the three-dot menu in the upper right corner, select "Settings," then "Cookies and site permissions," then "Manage and delete cookies and site data." You can block third-party cookies, block all cookies, or clear existing cookies. You can also add exceptions for specific websites.

Google Analytics Opt-Out

You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking specifically by installing the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on. This add-on instructs the Google Analytics JavaScript running on websites not to send information to Google Analytics.

Google Ad Personalization

You can control the information Google uses to show you ads by visiting Google Ads Settings. You can also opt out of personalized advertising from Google and other participating companies by visiting Your Online Choices or the Network Advertising Initiative Opt-Out Page.

Third-Party Cookies

In addition to the cookies we set directly, third-party services integrated into our website may place their own cookies on your device. The primary third-party cookie providers on our site are:

Google Analytics (analytics.google.com): Provides website traffic analysis and visitor behavior reporting. Google Analytics cookies collect data in an anonymized form and help us understand which pages, blog articles, service descriptions, and online tools are most visited, how visitors find our website, and what devices and browsers they use. We use this data to improve our website content and structure.
Google AdSense (adsense.google.com): Serves display advertisements on our website. Google AdSense cookies track your browsing activity across the Google Display Network to deliver ads relevant to your interests. Revenue from Google AdSense supports the free educational resources we provide, including detailed blog articles about Chicago's cartographic history and our online research tools.

We do not control the cookies set by these third parties. For information about how these companies use your data and how to manage their cookies, please refer to their respective privacy policies: Google Privacy Policy.

Cookie Duration

The cookies used on our website have varying durations depending on their purpose:

Session Cookies: These cookies are temporary and are automatically deleted when you close your browser. They are used for essential functions like maintaining your browsing session and protecting form submissions.
Persistent Cookies: These cookies remain on your device for a set period. Essential preference cookies last up to 1 year. Google Analytics cookies persist for up to 2 years. Google AdSense cookies persist for up to 13 months. Functional cookies persist for 30 to 90 days depending on their purpose.

You can delete persistent cookies at any time through your browser settings. Clearing all cookies will reset your cookie consent preferences and may affect the functionality of certain website features.

Impact of Disabling Cookies

If you choose to disable or reject certain cookies, you may still use our website, but some features and functionality may be affected:

Disabling essential cookies may prevent you from using our contact forms, booking gallery visits, or submitting authentication requests.
Disabling analytics cookies will not affect your browsing experience, but it will prevent us from collecting data to improve our website.
Disabling advertising cookies will not remove ads from our website, but the ads displayed may be less relevant to your interests.
Disabling functional cookies will reset your display preferences, clear your recently viewed items, and require you to re-enter settings in our online tools each time you visit.

Updates to This Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the cookies we use, changes in applicable laws, or updates to our website features and third-party integrations. When we make changes, we will revise the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this Cookie Policy periodically to stay informed about how we use cookies. Material changes to this policy will be communicated through a notice on our website.

Contact Information

If you have questions about this Cookie Policy or how we use cookies on our website, please contact us:

Earliest Chicago Maps
714 South Dearborn Street, Suite 200
Chicago, IL 60605

Phone: (312) 555-0147
Email: [email protected]