The Chicago
Fire
CHICAGO IN FLAMES.
THE city of Chicago has been a popular habitation site ever
since pre-historic times. Native Americans often ren-
dezvoused there at the end of long canoe trips as it is the
division point of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. They
named the place "Checagou" (also spelled
"Checaque" or "Chacaqua" before the Europeans
settled on the spelling "Chicago"), a word
which had many meanings including thun-
der, wild onion, skunk, and strength. The
first European resident of the area was a
Story by
Nico Berry
Photos by
Chris Anderson
black man by the name of Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable, who
settled on the north bank of the Chekajo River in 1796. The
site grew from cabin to trading post to military fort to a
bustling pioneer town over the course of the next few years. In
1837 Chicago was recognized as a city. By 1871 it had exploded
into one of America's most profitable and rapidly expanding
cities, due in part to its manufacturing, trade, and stockyard
industries, but mainly because of its location and role as the
main hub of the railroads. Chicago was connected by rail to
every part of the continent, making it an essential gateway for
America's westward expansion.
1907
Above: Junior Gonzales soars
over a barricade and scorch-
es the street at State
and Lake.
Right: Recent
Chicago trans-
plant, Josh Kalis,
pours gasoline on
the flames with a
backside noseg-
rind to fakie the
hard way at the
Amoco building.
1820
workin