On Sunday, October 18, 1871 the largest fire Chicago has ever seen broke out. Hundreds died and thousands of homes were annihilated. Devistation towered over the city, ashes floated gracefully through the air as bodies, houses and cherished items burned. People ran in fear, holding their young, crying for the gone, searching for saftey. Searching for life. Searching for hope. The past few weeks had been hot, dry, and rainless. A drought. Rain had not fallen for three months. Though, despite
Great Chicago Fire I have no passion or desire to write about a thunderous destruction of a city or the death of hundreds of people. Yes, I have no connection to this topic, besides my home being 30 minutes from downtown Chicago, but that does not mean that this fire does not pertain to me or anyone who lives in a completely different state for that matter. So, just because I have never experienced a disaster of this magnitude does not mean that my lips should stay shut regarding the topic of
hot time in the old town tonight' " -Chicago folksong (Whatorwhocausedthegreatchicagofire) For three days Chicago was filled with chaos and destruction as a wicked flame tore through the city. As it ripped through the city it left people injured and houses demolished leaving people homeless and even death. There was nothing they could do to stop it, people and firemen quaked with terror as they lied in its wake attempting to stop it. To get out of the fires burning wrath, people traveled across
and that beautiful city is completely destroyed. The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 was one of the largest disasters in American history (“The Great Chicago”). After many failed attempts to put out the fire, people were left homeless and helpless to rebuild their city. Thankfully, after every tragedy there is always a recovery. To begin with, during the year of 1870 and 1871 Chicago was facing extreme drought. During that time period the city of Chicago was built mostly from wood, making everything extremely
The Great Chicago Fire was a major milestone in the city’s history. The fire started on October 8th, 1871 and did not end until October 10th, 1871. People never saw this fire coming which might have made it even worse. The only reason it spread so far was because everything was made out of wood, the ground was parched and the wind was blowing that night; the reason it stopped was because it had started raining. Although the fire destroyed most of the city, it was a positive turning point in history
The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 was one of the largest disasters in American history. Practically overnight the great city of Chicago was destroyed. Before the fire there was a large drought causing everything to be dry and flammable, then a fire broke out in the O’Leary’s barn and spread throughout the city. Many attempts were made to put out the fire but there were too many errors and problems in the beginning. After the fire many people were left homeless and had to help build their city again
On October 8, 1871, the villagers of Chicago were surprisingly awoken by a loud roar with their rooms instantly engulfed by flames. This disastrous event would go on to be known as The Great Chicago Fire. The fire leveled more than three square miles. People tried to escape the fire by getting to the North side of the Chicago River, but the winds were so strong that it went past the river and finally stopped when in got to Lake Michigan. Unfortunately, around 300 people were burnt to death and 100
Contributions to the Spreading of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 Many events led up to the spreading of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 including difficulties at the fire department, the weather, and the types of buildings in Chicago. The cause of the fire is still indefinite today; however, there are many theories how it started. Some believe a cow kicked over a lantern inside a barn while some believe a meteorite fell to the Earth creating the fire. Despite all theories, the inferno became uncontrollable
The Great Chicago Fire started on October 8th, 1871 and is said to be one of the biggest events in Chicago’s history. To this day, nobody really knows how the fire was started; however, most say it started in a barn behind the home of Patrick and Catherine O’Leary. There are claims that their cow was the cause, but that’s just one of the many myths that were started. The way that most of the buildings were built during this time, it was only a matter of time before a major fire happened. With
rumors but no one is exactly sure how the Great Chicago Fire. On of the rumors is that Mrs. O'Leary's cow kicked over a lamp that started the fire. This is an excuse to blame the Irish immigrants. They weren’t in favor in 1871. (Stein, R. Conrad, 16) Daniel Sullivan, a visitor to the neighborhood, was outside. Mr. Sullivan cried out fire around 8:30. Flames were coming out of the barn filled with cows. (Pascal, Janet B., and Kevin McVeigh, 41) The origin of the fire wasn’t known to everyone. Police officers
really start the Chicago fire? Some might say that the cow did start the fire, but there are other theories that disprove this theory. The Chicago fire happened in 1871. It was a catastrophic day in Chicago. Even though it was catastrophic and did some really bad things, it also led to industrialization in Chicago, and made Chicago what it is today. Without the fire Chicago might not be the metropolis it is today. What is the Great Chicago Fire? The fire started on October 8, 1871 (Chicago Historical Society)
The Chicago Fire of 1871 In the 19th century, the population in Chicago was quickly rising to great numbers. In 1850, population reached a great 30,000. Areas in all parts of Chicago started to become extremely over crowded especially downtown. At this point, all structures were built out of wood including buildings, streets, and even sidewalks (“Chicago Fire of 1871”). About one hundred days before the great fire occurred, not even an inch of rain had fallen throughout the city, and heavy, strong
October 8, 1871 the worst recorded forest fire in North American History raged through Northeastern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, destroying millions of Dollars’ worth of property and timberland, and taking between 1,200 and 2,400 lives (Hipke). The Great Peshtigo Fire of 1871 is the worst recorded forest fire in North American History. The historic fire blazed out of control and burned approximately 1.5 million acres. On the same day, the Great Chicago Fire burned more than 2000 acres, paling in comparison
The Chicago Fire of 1871 The summer of 1871 had been an unusually dry one in Chicago. Between July and October, only 5 inches of rain fell. In addition to twenty-seven fires in the first week of October, on Saturday night, October 7, a blaze broke out in a planning mill on the West Side and destroyed almost every building in a four block area before it was brought under control Sunday morning. They lost a hose and other fire-fighting equipment, including one of seventeen steam fire engines and
that is specific to in Chicago. The issues that have been handled through this time frame that are addressed in this book is that how Chicago was known to be the black city at first, and how the city hoped that hosting the World’s fair would increase their reputation. Secondly, the magic of a man named Daniel Burnham that did put the plans of the world fair in Chicago into life and the obstacles that he had overcame. Next, once the world fair was complete, it has made Chicago “The White city,” by
anniversary of Christopher Columbus’s landfall in the New World, the city of Chicago held a special social exhibition called the World’s Columbian Exposition. “The fair…symbolized the transformation of pre-modern, agricultural America into the last phase of its becoming modern, urban, industrial America” (The Black Presence at “White City”: African and African American Participation at the World’s Columbian Exposition). Giving Chicago a grand stage to show the rest of the world just how far the “windy city”
historians believe that she may have been born around 1837 and perhaps as late as 1844 (Musil). Known for her fiery temperament and outspokenness, Mary Jones picked up the mantle of union fighter after her dressmaking business burned during the Great Chicago fire of 1871 (Gorn). Mary Jones’ strong will and aggressive personality was born out of her own family history. Her grandfather was hung in Ireland for being an Irish freedom fighter (Hawse). Her father, a laborer, moved to the United States to
What caused the Great Chicago fire to burn out of control? Well its not just one thing it was many mistakes adding one after another, although the after math of everything was kind of a new beginning . I know how does a fire that killed about 300 and left 100000 home less supposed to have a good ending well let me explain. The Great Chicago fire was out of control because all the errors and misunderstandings that happened. For example when William lee reached Golls drugstore to press the alarm
that now Moody was more involved and attentive. At the age of 18, Moody became a Christian because of Edward Kimball, a Congressionalist Sunday school teacher that he had come encounter with. After Moody became a christian, he decided to move to Chicago where he would become another apprentice in a shoe store (Wiswall Brothers) where he would be able to pursue his goal 100,000 fortune. Although selling shoes was Moody's current occupation, after becoming a christian, he started to fond the art of
nightclub caught on fire and is now known to be the largest nightclub fire in history. The fire killed 492 people including a suicide a few weeks after. Over 150 people were injured and sent to Boston-area hospitals. The reported number of injuries is suspected to be much higher since not everyone sought medical attention. The fire originally started in the Melody Lounge, then rapidly spread into the Foyer and continued into the dining room. There are many different theories on how the fire may have started