OT: NU Professor shares History of Chicago Fire

[Alaskawildkat]

Not sure how to make this on topic though I suppose some might suggest that a few of our past games may have brought to mind the term "Dumpster Fire." That said, I remain optimistic that Saturday's game under the lights may evidence the spark that lights up the balance of the season.

In any event, the Northwestern Alumni group put together a most interesting virtual event this week as NU history professor Carl Smith offered a preview of his upcoming book, "Chicago's Great Fire" which is coming out in February. A few of the copyright expired photos he shared that may be of interest as posted below.

(Note University Hall as it existed at the time with the distant Chicago landscape. While Evanston already was in existence, per the professor its growth and development were accelerated as a consequence of the Great Chicago Fire.)

The draft cover of the Professor's upcoming book:

 

[Alaskawildkat]

I had almost forgotten. His closing comment was, "Go Cats!"

That should qualify for being on topic.

 

[rmndcat]

I never had Prof. Smith when I was an undergrad, but Prof. Binford took a bunch of us on a city tour via the El, including both the site of the O'Leary barn and subsequent Loop architecture from the 1880s. I enjoyed Prof. Smith's talk quite a bit, especially his discussion of the aftermath and the role played by Joe Medill. The book is available as a Kindle download.

 

[its_the_sauce]

I never had Prof. Smith when I was an undergrad, but Prof. Binford took a bunch of us on a city tour via the El, including both the site of the O'Leary barn and subsequent Loop architecture from the 1880s. I enjoyed Prof. Smith's talk quite a bit, especially his discussion of the aftermath and the role played by Joe Medill. The book is available as a Kindle download.

I had Binford for a couple classes as well, great guy.

Of course the real question is did you ever do Professor Hudson's early AM trips to produce market, Fulton meat market, skid row etc.. I went multiple times, great times.

 

[stpaulcat]

Now that I'm closing in on 80, I have a sense of the 90 year time span from 1871 until I was a freshman at NU in 1961. Absolutely remarkable the development of the modern Chicago during that period. Certainly, The Chicago Fire helped clear the way for that transformation. Helped along also by the steel frame and a couple of remarkable architects. Current Chicago architects are now instrumental in major building projects around the world. What would Chicago now be had there not been that fire? Would it be the Second City, or Third or Fourth City? Fascinating what is sometimes involved in replacing the old with the new.

 

[CatManTrue]

NYC is a mess - and downright filthy all things considered. No alleyways in NYC and the south part was clearly designed for horse and buggies making current day transportation difficult.

Chicago is a beautiful and well designed city in part because they got to start from scratch after the fire. I used to walk around downtown at night and just admire the architecture. It is just a gloriously redesigned city.

Sorry I missed the lecture. Didn’t get a note from the NAA about it.

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Sorry I missed the lecture. Didn’t get a note from the NAA about it.

I noted that the Zoom event was being recorded. A contact with the NAA might be productive in finding a way to watch the lecture.

Of course the book will be out by February and perhaps even earlier on Kindle as rmndcat advised, but not sure if Kindle would include the photos which are integral to the narrative.

With the Holidays ahead could be another way to justify its acquisition.

 

[rmndcat]

I noted that the Zoom event was being recorded. A contact with the NAA might be productive in finding a way to watch the lecture.

Of course the book will be out by February and perhaps even earlier on Kindle as rmndcat advised, but not sure if Kindle would include the photos which are integral to the narrative.

With the Holidays ahead could be another way to justify its acquisition.

I downloaded the Kindle edition today after viewing the zoom replay. I can't compare it to the print edition, but it seems pretty well illustrated.

 

[rmndcat]

I had Binford for a couple classes as well, great guy.

Of course the real question is did you ever do Professor Hudson's early AM trips to produce market, Fulton meat market, skid row etc.. I went multiple times, great times.

I did not. Sounds like that would have an adventure.

 

[NUCat320]

A few weeks ago was the 150th anniversary of the fire, and I started reading about that great Chicago fire campfire song … “Mrs O’Leary put the lantern in the shed // … // “it’ll be a hot time, in the old town, tonight!” (“FIRE FIRE FIRE!!!”)

It evolved very much like folk songs do, originally performed — but not about the great Chicago fire — in the early 1900s.

The article surmised that the song rose to summer camp popularity in the 50s, and is almost universally about the (real) O’Leary family and the (mythical) lamp-kicking cow. While almost every region sings about “Mrs. O’Leary”, most of New Jersey and other parts of the northeast learned it as “Old Lazy Larry”, which is just spectacular.

 

[iskaboo]

I downloaded the Kindle edition today after viewing the zoom replay. I can't compare it to the print edition, but it seems pretty well illustrated.

The Kindle, hardcover and paperback versions of the book are all immediately available on Amazon.co.uk, so I would think they would be available now in the US.