The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 and Other Devastating American Fires

By E J Goodspeed

In October 1871, Chicago burned to the ground. It was rebuilt and emerged stronger than ever. This is its story told by those who lived in its time.

E.J. Goodspeed first printed this detailed account of the Chicago Fire and its relief efforts in 1871. This modern reprinting preserves the original text and type font to transport readers back to the 19th century, to a time when fire posed a great risk to cities built from wood and lit with lanterns.

Goodspeed guides readers through the origins of Chicago, its construction and growth to become a major American metropolis. Then, using contemporary accounts, he describes its destruction as a single lantern sparks the inferno which, driven by wind, destroys most of the city. Newspapers, using typical 19th-century flair, aid in telling the stories of survivors and the courageous firemen who battled the flames.

Goodspeed goes on to detail previous fires in Michigan and Wisconsin, as well as many past conflagrations that claimed cities such as London and Rome. Originally titled. "The Great Fires in Chicago and the West", The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 remains a thrilling read for all historians and lovers of Chicago.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 109729059X
• ISBN13: 9781097290598
• Release Date: May 2019
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 622 Pages
• Weight: 2.01 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.0" x 9.0"