The Great Chicago Fire, 150 Years Ago

On the Sunday night of October 8, 1871, in a hay-filled cow barn the Great Chicago Fire started. The fire ran and grew, swept by a strong wind from the southwest, eating its way north and toward downtown and beyond. The city awoke Tuesday to find more than 18,000 buildings destroyed. In the aftermath of the fire, the great city rose almost immediately from the ashes, with architects and others arriving to help rebuild better, bigger, and newer.

The Chicago History Museum will open a new exhibit on October 8th called City on Fire: Chicago 1871, celebrating the 150th anniversary of the fire. This is designed for families to learn, explore, and discover the impact the Great Chicago Fire had on the city and the people who lived here. For more information on the exhibit, please visit About — City on Fire (chicago1871.org)