Indeed, the bitter lessons of Chicago's … A great wall of fire approaching fast and destroying everything on its way – is that something you will like to see? However, following the blaze an investigation was held in November and December of 1871 by the Chicago Board of Police and Fire Commissioners - but they were unable to determine the exact cause. About 100,000 people were left homeless.Three hundred people died. Overnight, the flourishing city of Chicago was transformed into a smoldering wasteland. October inferno. The Great Chicago Fire & the Web of Memory also contains a Touring the Fire section that revisits the history of fifty-four different sites in Chicago today, called Landmarks, that have a connection to the fire. October inferno. History >> US History before 1900 The Great Chicago Fire was one of the worst disasters in U.S. history. About 100,000 people were left homeless. The industrial revolution was still in its infancy and Chicago was one of the most important cities in country. Great Chicago Fire is also known as Great Conflagration. This is precisely what people of Chicago saw and experienced back in 1871. A great wall of fire approaching fast and destroying everything on its way – is that something you will like to see? The Great Chicago Fire Worksheets. As major trade port, Chicago had a population of just over 110,000 in 1860. While there is little doubt that the fire started in a barn owned by Patrick and Catherine O'Leary, the exact cause of the fire remains a mystery. The Great Chicago Fire Worksheets. After this look at the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, read up on the Cocoanut Grove Fire, the deadliest nightclub disaster in history. While the cause of the blaze is unknown, its origin was at 558 West DeKoven Street—an address that today is home to a Chicago Fire Department training facility. The Great Chicago Fire started on the evening of Oct. 8, 1871. Chicago in Flames , lithograph by Currier & Ives. It was one of the first great calamities of the modern industrial age and yet Chicago was one of the last cities to burn down naturally without help from earthquakes or bombing. On the night of October 8, 1871, fire spread across Chicago. The Great Chicago Fire was a large fire that started on Sunday October 8, 1871 in Chicago, Illinois, United States.The fire started out as nine separated fires. The Great Fire of 1871 was one of the most colossal disasters in American history. There is also a guide to "Touring the Fire" by visiting 54 Chicago landmarks related to the fire. (Chicago History Museum) Before the Great Fire, Chicago had no free libraries. This is precisely what people of Chicago saw and experienced back in 1871. W ithout a doubt, the Great Chicago Fire was one of the worst disasters of the 19th century. It burned until Tuesday October 10, 1871 when rain started to fall. The fire destroyed 3.3 square miles (8.5 square kilometers) and $192,000,000 in property.