Chicago

Great Chicago Fire

The Great Chicago Fire burned October 8 to 10, 1871, in Chicago, Illinois. Chicago, with its frequent high winds and countless wooden structures, was prone to fires even before the “Great Fire” tore through the city. However, none was so destructive as this one. It ultimately killed 300 people and destroyed more than 17,000 buildings. …Read More

Haymarket Riot

The Haymarket Riot (or Haymarket Affair) was a violent dispute between police and labor movement rallyists that took place on May 4, 1886, in Chicago’s Haymarket Square.  May 3rd Incident The day before the Haymarket Riot, labor strikers confronted strikebreakers at Chicago’s McCormick Harvesting Machine Company. The ensuing altercation with police led to the deaths …Read More