On March 19, 2020
Mayor Lori Lightfoot addressed the citizens of
Chicago about the impending consequences to the
Coronavirus pandemic. In her speech, the Mayor mentioned some of the difficulties that Chicago has experienced in the past, heatwaves, polar vortexes, financial difficulties and World Wars. She spoke of the times, specifically in 1871 when the city was reduced to a shell of what it had been and was called to rebuild itself. In the months since her speech the city has experienced not only health issues resulting from the worldwide virus, but also a great deal of social unrest and change the likes of which have not been seen at this magnitude since 1968. As the Mayor said though, the city has experienced these things before and has come out changed for the better.
In October 1871, a fire started on Chicago's South Side. Because of a drought that began in July, combined with the fact that most buildings in the city were made of wood, a fire whirl (also known as a fire devil- a whirlwind composed of flame and ash) helped the flames sweep through the city, leaping over the Chicago River, and consuming not only the South, The Loop, but also the near North Side. The fire raged for 2 days, killed 300 people, destroyed 3.3 sq. miles, and left more then 100,000 residents homeless.
The city was reduced to ruble but Chicago was not finished. Local business owners and land speculators along with the city government worked to rebuild the city. The fire department reformed and the building standards throughout the area changed.
They were so successful that a mere 20 years later, Chicago hosted the
World's Columbian Exposition. This event showed the world the strength of Chicago. From the lowest citizen to the powerful business owner, Chicago was a city that came back from disaster stronger then before.
Unfortunately, this would not be the only unrest that the citizens of Chicago would experience in the years to come, as we she see in a future article.
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