Misfortunate Monday: The Great Chicago Fire - Reduced Time Mode

     Hello everybody and welcome back to another edition of Nations Made Fun! I'll be your host, Mr. Nations, your tour guide to this massive world we all call home! Today on Misfortunate Monday, we'll be looking at the Great Chicago Fire, one of the worst fires in American history. Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get into it!

     The Great Chicago Fire occurred on October 10th, 1871, and claimed the lives of hundreds of people. Legend has it that the fire started in a barn owned by Irish couple Patrick and Catherine O' Leary. The tall tale that the fire started because a cow kicked over a lantern was revealed to be a hoax made up by a reporter. The actual cause of the fire is still unknown.

     Fun Facts:

• Catherine O' Leary died in 1895 and the Chicago City Council formally absolved her of any blame related to the tragedy.
• Many people jumped into the Mississippi River to save themselves from the fire but were promptly killed because the oil in the river caught fire. 
• Many Chicago residents lived in poorly-constructed wooden homes and even their sidewalks were made of wood, so the whole city was extremely combustible.

     Great Chicago Fire Aftermath:

     

     Sources: David L. Hudson Jr., Author of The Handy History Answer Book Vol. 3

     https://kidskonnect.com/history/the-great-chicago-fire/