The Great Chicago Fire

By: Patrick Blanco

Origin• Fire started about 9:00

p.m. on Sunday October 8 1871

• Traditionally started by a cow owned by Patrick and Catherine O’Leary

• The cow kicked a lantern in the barn starting the fire.

• Fire aided by city’s overuse of wood building

Spread of the Fire• Fire department didn’t

receive the fire alarm until 9:40 p.m.

• The guards directed the firemen in the wrong direction

• Attempts were unsuccessful• Mayor of the city called for

help but the fire was already large

Area destroyed by the fire (1868)

Spread of the Fire (Con’t)

• Fire destroyed the firemen’s water supply, the Chicago River

• Firefighters were forced to give up

• Fire continues to spread destroying hotels, theatres, Chicago City Hall, etc.

Philip Sheridan • A Union General in the

American Civil War• Born in Albany, New York• Grew up in Somerset, Ohio• Protected the people from

The Great Chicago Fire• Married Irene Rucker and

moved to Washington D.C.• Lived in a house given by

Chicago citizens in appreciation

Sheridan in charge

• The mayor placed the city under martial law

• Placing Philip Sheridan in charge

• Protected the people from the fire

• Sheridan’s home was spared but his personal papers was destroyed

Aftermath• Fire burned itself out, due

to winds and light drizzle• Determined the

destroyed area more than 2,000 acres

• $222 million in property lost

• Out of the 300,000 residents, 90,000 were homeless

• 200 - 300 lives lost

Surviving Structures

St. Michael’s Church• Founded to minister for

German immigrants in 1852• A Roman Catholic church

built in 1869• Survived The Great Chicago

Fire due to the structure but heavily damaged

• Quickly rebuild after the fire

Surviving Structures

Chicago Water Tower• Built in 1869 by William W.

Boyington, an architect from Joliet, Illinois

• Made out of limestone• Structure to hold water and

for firefighting• Gained prominence from

The Great Chicago Fire of 1871

Surviving Structures

Chicago Avenue Pumping Station

• Built by William W. Boyington

• Built on the east side of the Chicago Water Tower

• Survived the fire with the Chicago Water Tower

• Renovated after the fire

Surviving Structures

Old St. Patrick’s Church• Also known as St. Patrick’s

Roman Catholic Church and commonly known as Old St. Pat’s

• Founded on Easter Sunday April 12, 1846

• Originally housed in a wooden building

• Was constructed out of brick in the 1850s

• Survived The Great Chicago Fire along with 3 other structures

Bibliography

• http://www.thechicagofire.com/• http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/

series/earth-the-biography/all/chicago-fire• http://www.hydeparkmedia.com/cohn.html