Weird Illinois History
From the Eastland to Haymarket and beyond, Illinois left records of disaster and protest. These articles stick to named sources.
5 documented stories. All stories · Topics
Weird America
The Great Chicago Fire of 1871: How a City Burned — and Rebuilt Itself
Dry wind, wooden buildings, and a fire that raced for miles turned Chicago into a national symbol of disaster and reinvention. (Great Chicago Fire 1871)
Weird America
Our Lady of the Angels: The Chicago School Fire That Changed Building Codes
Ninety-two children and three nuns died in a school that met the codes of its day — until the codes changed forever. (Our Lady of the Angels fire)
Weird America
The SS Eastland: 844 Dead When a Pleasure Boat Capsized in Chicago Harbor
Western Electric workers boarded for a picnic — the ship rolled over in 20 feet of water.
Weird America
The Peshtigo Fire: The Deadliest Wildfire in American History — Overshadowed by Chicago
On the same night as the Great Chicago Fire, Wisconsin burned — killing an estimated 1,500 people.
Military
Port Chicago: The Explosion That Launched the Civil Rights Movement in the Military
In 1944, a massive ammunition explosion killed 320 sailors — two-thirds of them Black. When survivors refused to return to the same deadly conditions, 50 were court-martialed for mutiny.