Chicago fire 1871

The Great Chicago Fire begins, a fire that would burn through the early morning hours of October 10. The fire injured 30 of the city’s 185 firefighters, claimed the lives of hundreds of people, le…

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Every year we see homes destroyed and people killed as a result of major wildfires. After TEOTWAWKI fires will increase due to lack of the fire service.

ESSENTIAL QUESTION How did the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 lead to the remodeling and reorganization of society in Chicago and other American cities?

A range of materials document the people and institutions that have shaped the city and the region.

Discover the history and culture of Chicago with Explore Chicago Collections. Here you can find Chicago-centric archival collections and images for research, for school, or for your own enjoyment, pulled from the city's great libraries, archives and museums.

1871 Chicago Fire Aftermath

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Great Chicago Fire| If you had ancestors living in the city of Chicago, Illinois in 1871, they were surely affected by the events of Sunday, October 8 through the 10th in that year. That rather hot day for October, was when a fire started on the O'Leary property on DeKoven Street about 9 p.m. There have been many theories as to what started the fire including the O'Leary cow in their barn knock over an oil lamp, but to this day people are unsure. #GreatChicagoFire #history