This weekend, October 8-10, 2021, marks the 150th anniversary of three midwest fires: the Great Chicago Fire, the Peshtigo Fire in Wisconsin, and fires in several areas of Michigan. As a homeschool mom, I’m always looking for ways to incorporate important history into our school day. Here are some resources, though not exhaustive, that might be helpful if you choose to focus on these historic events.
Since my professional research led mostly to the Great Chicago Fire, many of the links provided refer to that conflagration. But I’ve tried to include options for both the Wisconsin and Michigan fires as well.
Where to look (on the web):
The most comprehensive on-line digest concerning the Great Chicago Fire.
See what it would have been like to be a resident in the burning city. This cyclorama revisits the event as it did for visitors to the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.
Videos and local history about Chicago’s Great Fire.
This PDF gives a brief history about the Chicago Fire Department. (Pages 6-8 pertain to the fire period)
Series of links to period newspaper articles and photos provided by the Library of Congress.
The Newberry Library digital archive for the Great Chicago Fire.
The weather phenomenon that seemed to have generated the three fires.
The history museum website for the deadliest fire in United States history.
This PDF details the wildfires in Michigan.
Take a virtual walking tour through the area affected by the Michigan fires.
The History Guy on YouTube presents Peshtigo Fire history. (Content Warning: Information about the many deaths caused by this fire, might need to screen for more sensitive students)
Chicago’s local PBS station posted this YouTube video on their channel.(Content Warning: Mention of harlots at 16:02 and prostitutes at 30:07, d*mn x 2 at 47:02)
Places to go. Consider a real life field trip.
No trip to Chicago would be complete without stopping by the Chicago History Museum. Their Chicago Fire exhibits will guarantee a return trip.
Visit where it all started. Originally the O’Leary Barn on DeKoven Street, now fittingly, the home of the Chicago Fire Academy
One of the few structures left standing since Chicago’s Great Fire, the Water Tower still adds a picturesque quality to downtown’s Michigan Avenue.
If you’re ever in Wisconsin, visit the museum that chronicles how the Peshtigo Fire started.
Things to listen to. Here are a few podcasts that cover this subject. I’ve tried to post content warnings, but I can’t guarantee I caught everything.
This four-part podcast on American History Tellers is part reenactment/part documentary. An engaging way to learn about the events leading up to, during, and after the Great Chicago Conflagration.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/great-chicago-fire-we-are-going-to-have-a-burn/id1313596069?i=1000506734570(Content Warning: The Lord’s name used in vain around the 2:00 mark)
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/great-chicago-fire-fleeing-the-flames/id1313596069?i=1000507555305 (Content Warnings: h*ll used at :50, d*mn at 1:19, d*mned at 1:19)
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/great-chicago-fire-the-great-rebuilding/id1313596069?i=1000508446413 (This episode deals with rebuilding after the fire, and then smaller fires that occur in the next decade. Content Warning: Lord’s name used in vain at 35:52)
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/great-chicago-fire-out-of-the-ashes/id1313596069?i=1000509511342 (Starts with the 1903 Iroquois Theater fire–Content Warning: D*mn at 2:19–and moves into the history of Chicago’s growth including the Great Fire)
This episode of the Chicago History Podcast visits with an author who wrote a graphic novel about the Chicago fire. (*See middle grade graphic novel linked below corresponding with this episode, Content Warning: kick*ss at 15:02)
The city of Chicago’s flag boasts four stars. This episode of Windy City Historians explains how the second star connects with the Great Chicago Fire.
This episode of Disaster Tales goes into depth about the lesser known Peshtigo Fire in Wisconsin.
Half of this Futility Closet episode is dedicated to the history of the Peshtigo, Wisconsin fire.
What to Read:
I have not read all of these titles, so I can’t vouch for content. For those that I’ve labeled Teen/YA appropriate, I depended on other Christian fiction readers. But content standards vary widely, so I’d advise consulting reviews to determine if these are age/content appropriate. Many (not all) of these are Christian fiction titles
The Uncertainty of Fire by Stephanie Daniels, Amazon Kindle Vella serial story, Christian Historical Fiction, (Teen/YA, Adult)
I Survived the Great Chicago Fire by Lauren Tarshis, General Market Fiction, (Middle grade)
The Great Fire by Jim Murphy, General Market Fiction, (Middle grade)
The Great Chicago Fire: Rising from the Ashes by Kate Hannigan, General Market Graphic Novel, (Middle Grade) *I would suggest listening to the linked podcast above about this selection.
Veiled in Smoke by Jocelyn Green, Christian Historical Fiction, (Adult, Teen/YA appropriate with content warning: Some ptsd and mental health issues)
Into the Whirlwind by Elizabeth Camden, Christian Historical Fiction, (Adult, Teen/YA appropriate)
Where We Belong by Lynn Austin, Christian Historical Fiction, (Adult, Teen/YA appropriate)
Safe Refuge by Pamela S. Meyers, Christian Historical Fiction, (Adult, Teen/YA appropriate)
The Red Fury by Naomi Musch, Christian Historical Fiction, (Adult, Teen/YA appropriate)
A Promise to Love by Serena B. Miller, Christian Historical Fiction, (Adult, Teen/YA appropriate)
The Great Chicago Fire: In Eyewitness Account and 70 Contemporary Photographs and Illustrations by David Lowe, General Market, (Non-Fiction)
The Great Chicago Fire (Images of America) by John Boda, General Market, (Non-Fiction)
I hope this list was helpful to you as a home educator (or a student of history). As I find additional resources, I will try to add to this list. Please feel free to share the post link with those that might find it useful. If there were particular resources that were especially helpful, please drop a comment and let me know. Or if there are links that you plan to check out, I’d love to hear about that too.
Enjoyed reading about your research, Stephanie. Thanks for the recommendations!
Thank you! It was a lot of fun compiling them.