Chicagoland Disaster Strikes In October 1871 a fire broke out in a small cow barn in Chicago The flames grew and spread quickly to nearby buildings Firefighters rushed to the scene and battled the blaze but they could not stop it Soon the deadly fire was raging through the city Thousands of people were forced from their homes as fire swept through the streets of Chicago
CHICAGOLAND Extent of fire Chicago Burning Families grabbed their belongings and ran for their lives They screamed and pushed their way through the crowded city streets The fire spread faster and faster The flames leapt higher and higher Chicago was burning Fire Fire Fire Lake Michigan Chicago Source of fire This is a map of Chicago in 1871 The colored part shows the area damaged by the Great Fire The dot shows where the fire is believed to have started The Great Chicago Fire was one of the worst disasters of the century It destroyed buildings bridges and roads Hundreds of people lost their lives Many more lost everything they owned A disasters sudden accidents that cause great loss
The Early Settlers The first settler came to Chicago in the 1780s A trader named Jean Baptiste Point du Sable made his home at the mouth of the Chicago River By 1833 about 200 people lived in Chicago Within a few years it had become a busy city of 4,000 people After that Chicago just kept growing This picture shows Chicago in 1833 when it was little more than a village by the river Chicago is called the Windy City Strong winds blow from Lake Michigan and whip through the city streets The wind would cause a fire to spread quickly 6
CHICAGOLAND The Center of It All By the 1850s Chicago was booming Located in Illinois near the middle of the United States the city was a busy trade and transportation center Trains and ships from around the country met in Chicago They brought factory goods from the East and crops from the West booming doing well and growing fast 7
