The fire began in a neighborhood southwest of the city center. A long period of hot, dry, windy conditions, and the wooden construction prevalent in the city, led to the conflagration spreading quickly.

Nov 18, 2025 · Great Chicago Fire, conflagration that began on October 8, 1871, and burned until early October 10, devastating an expansive swath of the city of Chicago. The fire, the most famous in …

On October 8, 1871, a fire broke out in a barn on the southwest side of Chicago, Illinois. For more than 24 hours, the fire burned through the heart of Chicago, killing 300 people and leaving one-third of the …

Mar 4, 2010 · The Chicago Fire of 1871, also called the Great Chicago Fire, burned from October 8 to October 10, 1871, and destroyed thousands of buildings, killed an estimated 300 people and caused …

Oct 7, 2025 · On July 14, 1874, the Chicago Fire of 1874, also known as the Second Great Chicago Fire, destroyed 47 acres and 812 homes. This fire consumed an area south of the 1871 fire.

Aug 19, 2025 · Learn about the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, its causes, devastating effects, and the swift reconstruction that shaped modern Chicago.

Mar 12, 2023 · The Great Chicago Fire was one of the terrible disasters to ever hit the United States. The conflagration, which began on October 8 1871, lasted for over 40 hours.

On October 8, 1871, a fire began on DeKoven Street in a barn owned by Catherine and Patrick O'Leary. Fueled by a gale-force wind, this blaze grew into the Great Chicago Fire. Advancing northward for 36 …

On the night of October 8, 1871, only an hour or so after the Peshtigo Firestorm began some 250 miles away in Wisconsin, the city of Chicago would see the beginnings of one of the most significant …

May 4, 2025 · The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 destroyed the city for 30 hours with strong winds spreading flames. A long drought and a city made of wood made Chicago vulnerable to a massive …