Great Chicago Fire of 1871
- Vicki Tobias
- Jul 21
- 3 min read
Anyone researching Chicago in the late 1800s should be familiar with the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, one of the most devastating urban disasters in American history. The Great Chicago Fire started on Sunday, October 8, 1871, at approximately 9:00 p.m. The fire is believed to have begun in or near a barn behind 137 DeKoven Street (now the site of the Chicago Fire Academy). According to popular legend (though widely disputed), the fire began when Mrs. O’Leary’s cow knocked over a lantern in a barn on DeKoven Street. What followed was a massive blaze, fueled by drought conditions and strong winds, that raged for three days and consumed roughly 3.3 square miles of the city.
The fire raged for about 30 to 36 hours, depending on the exact time it was fully extinguished. It wasn't until rainfall early Tuesday morning that firefighters and civilians were finally able to bring the flames under control. It destroyed Chicago’s central business district, killed an estimated 300 people, and left about 100,000 residents, nearly a third of the population, homeless. In its aftermath, the city entered a dramatic period of rebuilding, embracing innovative architecture and fireproof materials. This rebuilding laid the foundation for Chicago’s status as a hub of modern architectural design, including the birth of the skyscraper. The disaster also led to sweeping changes in fire codes and construction standards nationwide.
If you’re researching ancestors in Chicago during the years immediately before or after the Great Fire of 1871, here are a few important things to keep in mind:
Record Loss: Many official records, including vital records, property deeds, court documents, and early church records, were destroyed in the fire. Gaps in documentation are common for events before 1871.
Alternate Sources: Look for records that survived in other places - county or state archives, churches located outside the burn zone, newspapers, city directories, and federal census records (which were not affected by the fire).
Migration Patterns: The fire displaced over 100,000 people. Some families left the city permanently, while others relocated temporarily before returning. Be prepared to follow your ancestors into nearby suburbs, towns, or even out of state during the 1870s.
Rebuilding Boom: Chicago’s rapid rebuilding brought an influx of laborers, architects, and entrepreneurs. If your ancestor arrived after 1871, they may have been part of this wave. Check occupational records, building permits, and trade directories.
Street Renaming and Numbering: After the fire, Chicago underwent several street renaming and renumbering efforts. A person’s address in 1870 might be completely different by 1880—use historical maps and guides to decode old addresses.
Newspapers: Chicago had a vibrant newspaper scene before and after the fire. Obituaries, marriage announcements, legal notices, and personal ads can help fill gaps left by lost public records. Check Chicago area libraries or the Chicago Historical Society for advice.
City Directories: These were published annually and are a valuable tool for tracking individuals, businesses, and addresses across missing census years or burned-out records.
Insurance and Relief Records: Aid societies, relief agencies, and insurance companies kept records of those who suffered losses in the fire, sometimes including family information and addresses.
Don’t Assume Total Loss: While the fire was devastating, some records survived in storage, private collections, or duplicate form. Always cast a wide net and be persistent.
Here are a few additional resources for context. Spoiler alert! Mrs. O'Leary's cow was not to blame!
Chicago Fire of 1871: http://www.history.com/topics/great-chicago-fire
The Great Chicago Fire and the Web of Memory/Chicago History Museum: http://www.greatchicagofire.org/
Did a Cow Really Cause the Chicago Fire? http://mentalfloss.com/article/12864/did-cow-really-cause-great-chicago-fire
Chicago Fire Newspaper Collection 1871-1909/University of Chicago Library (finding aid) https://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/scrc/findingaids/view.php?eadid=ICU.SPCL.FIRENEWS
Sawislak, Karen. Smoldering City: Chicagoans and the Great Fire, 1871-1874. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1995.
Lowe, David, ed. The Great Chicago Fire: In Eyewitness Accounts and Seventy Contemporary Photographs and Illustrations. New York: Dover Publications, 1979.
Sheahan, James W. and Upton, George P. The great conflagration : Chicago: its past, present and future : embracing a detailed narrative of the great conflagration in the north, south, and west divisions...Union Publishing Co., 1872.
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