Chicago as it is, showing the Burnt District [with] History of the Great Fires in Chicago and the West

A visual and descriptive account of the devastation wrought by the Chicago Fire of 1871.

“At the height of a proud and princely position the Young Giant stood erect, beckoning the world to his arms, when the fatal decree went forth, and his might, touched by the flaming breath of Omnipotence, shriveled and shrunk, and he lay prone like a tree, storm-bent and fire-scathed.” [pg. 120]

On the evening of October 8th, 1871, a small fire started on Chicago’s southwest side. Dry conditions and strong winds quickly kindled a blaze that consumed upwards of three square miles of the city over the course of two and a half days.

This map was published just weeks after the fire and shows the path of devastation through the city in a bold red, overlaid on a base map colored by wards. Street names, railroads and locations of interest are provided, but the clear emphasis is on the destruction suffered by the city.

The map folds into a first edition issue of “History of the Great Fires in Chicago and the West” by Rev. E.J. Goodspeed. This 676 page volume includes numerous illustrations and views of the city along with a detailed history, narrative of the disaster, personal accounts and speculation for the future. It also provides contemporary information on the Peshtigo Fire, which occurred in Wisconsin the same weekend and was responsible for far more deaths than the Chicago blaze.