Carl Smith chronicles the Great Chicago Fire and its aftermath. The fire began on October 8, 1871. Conditions were horrific for a big fire with it being very dry and a warm wind. Chicago firefighters were already exhausted from a fire the previous Saturday night that took out four city blocks. Smith goes into detail as to how people escaped the flames and how it was able to spread so quickly. He then goes into the politics of the aftermath, including how the fire impacted the mayoral election and the opening of the 1893 Colombian Exposition. I found this book fascinating especially with the fire raging. Smith used many primary sources from the Chicago History Museum, including links in his footnotes. For those of you who have lived in or around Chicago and have an idea of how Chicago politics work (or doesn't work), you will not be surprised at the politics that were involved after the fire was out. Those who have an interest in Chicago history should read this book.
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AuthorMr. Andrusyk is a school librarian at IC Catholic Prep in Elmhurst, Illinois. Past Book RecommendationsClick here to view a listing of Mr. Andrusyk's list of favorite authors, series, fiction, and nonfiction. Archives
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