the destruction and resurrection of an iconic American City
"Between October 8-10, 1871, much of the city of Chicago was destroyed by one of the most legendary urban fires in history. Incorporated as a city in 1837, Chicago had grown at a breathtaking pace in barely three decades, from just over 4,000 in 1840 to greater than 330,000 at the time of the fire. Built hastily, the city was largely made of wood. Once it began . . . the fire quickly grew out of control, twice jumping branches of the Chicago River on its relentless northeastward path through the city's three divisions. Close to one of every three Chicago residents was left homeless and more were instantly unemployed, though the death toll was miraculouslylow . . . Building the story around memorable characters, including the likes of General Philip Sheridan and Robert Todd Lincoln, [the author] chronicles the city's rapid growth and place in America's post-Civil War expansion. The dramatic story of the fire-revealing human nature in all its guises-became one of equally remarkable renewal, as Chicago quickly rose back up from the ashes"--Provided by publisher.
