A period of intense activity immediately followed the Great Fire of 1871. Many buildings were rebuilt from the original plans, and many others of five and six stories were undertaken. The first “fireproof” building was built in 1873, and more thought was being given to means of preventing another disaster by fire. Elevators became in use during this period, permitting higher buildings that flourished later. The financial panic of 1873 slowed up the construction of buildings in the latter part of the period. A near approach to skeleton construction is evident in the framing of the Leiter Building I in 1879.
By one year after the Fire over eight miles of building frontage had been rebuilt. Many buildings were under construction on the day of the Fire and others had been barely completed. The Nixon Building, of “fire resistive” construction, was nearing completion, and its principal loss was the burning of its wood trim.
A great many buildings were rebuilt to duplicate the Pre-Fire construction; many lasting over 70 years. The day of the engineer had not yet arrived; the buildings were largely products of the carpenter and brick mason, with a modicum of planning and embellishment by the architects of the day.
One exception was the rebuilding of Palmer House III. Time was taken for study and travel, and it was not completed till 1875.
ONE YEAR AFTER—THE RESTORATION OF CHICAGO
The Lakeside Monthly, October, 1872
Part I Reconstruction.
Part II Public Works and Buildings
Part III Churches and Schools
Part IV Private Buildings
Part V Business Blocks
Part VI Amusements, Arts, and Science
175-177 Clark Street, NE Corner of Clark and Monroe Streets
209 W. Lake Street
A. H. Andrews Building I, 211-213 S. Wabash Avenue
Academy of Music, Halsted Street near Madison Street
Adams & Westlake Company, North Franklin street, fronting respectively on Ontario and Ohio streets
Adelphi Theatre, NW Corner of Dearborn and Monroe streets
Aiken’s Theater, NW corner of Wabash Avenue and Congress Street
Albany, 108 N. Clark Street (516 N. Clark)
John Alston & Co. Building, Randolph Street, Near NE Corner of Randolph and Fifth
American Express Building, 21-29 W. Monroe Street
Anderson’s Hotel, North aide of Madison street, between Clark and LaSalle streets
Andrews Building, Madison Street, between Dearborn and Clark streets
Armour Building II
Ashland Block I, 155 N. Clark Street (NE corner Randolph and Clark Streets
Athenæum Building, Van Buren near Wabash
J. P. Atwater Building, Wabash, between Monroe and Madison
Averill Block, NE Corner of Wabash Avenue and Van Buren Street
Ballard Block (Ely Building), SW Corner of Wabash and Monroe Streets
Beaurivage Bachelor Apartments
William Blair Building, Lake street, between La Salle and Fifth Avenue (Wells)
Bonfield Block, NW corner of Fifth avenue (Wells Street) and Randolph street
Booksellers’ Row, NE Corner State and Madison streets
Bowen Building II, Randolph Street, between Wabash and Michigan Avenues
Bowen Block, SE Corner of State and Madison streets
Briggs House II, NE corner of Wells and Randolph Streets
Bryan Block II, NW Corner of W Monroe and S LaSalle Streets
Bryant Block, NE corner of Dearborn and Randolph Streets
Buck & Rayner Building, SW corner of State and Madison Streets
Burdick House, SW corner of State and Madison Streets, SE Corner of Wabash and Adams
Burke’s European Hotel, Madison street, between Clark and LaSalle
Carson Pirie & Co., North, South and West Side Stores
Catholic Churches of Chicago in 1876
C.O.D. Block, NW corner of Clark and Madison
Central Music Hall, SE corner of State and Randolph Streets
Central Union Block, NW corner of Market and Madison streets
Chamber of Commerce II, SE corner of N. LaSalle and W. Washington streets
Chase Hanford Building, Wabash av. sw. cor. South Water
Chicago Brick
Chicago Churches in 1873
Chicago Catholic Churches in 1876
Chicago City Directories—1872-1879
Chicago Club I, North side of Monroe Street, between State and Wabash streets
Chicago Cottage Organ & Piano Company, Randolph & Ann Streets
Chicago Daily NewsBuilding I, Fifth Avenue, between Madison and Washington Streets
Chicago Evening Journal Building, Dearborn, Between Monroe and Madison streets
Chicago Fire Monument, Central Park (Garfleld Park)
Chicago Historical Society II, NW Corner of Ontario and Dearborn Streets
Chicago Harbor Life Saving Station, Mouth of Chicago River
Chicago Museum, Monroe street, Between State and Dearborn
Chicago Plow Company, Archer Avenue and Wallace Street
Chicago Post Office and Custom House, Adams, Clark, Jackson, and Dearborn streets
Chicago Redivivus
Chicago Savings Institution & Trust Co., NW corner of N Dearborn and W Madison streets
Chicago Stove Works, 22nd street and Blue Island
Chicago Times Building, Corner Washington Street and Fifth Avenue (Wells Street)
Chicago Tribune Building II, SE corner of Dearborn and Madison
The Chicago Type Foundry—Marder, Luse & Co., Monroe street, Between Clark and La Salle streets
City Hall V, SW corner of S LaSalle and W Adams streets
City Hotel Block, State and Lake streets
Clarendon House, Clark and Ontario Streets
Cobb’s Building, Near NW corner of Dearborn and Madison Sts.
Colonnade Building, 117 & 119 State Street (old), 11-19 N. State Street
Columbia Theater, NW Corner of Dearborn and Monroe streets
Conrad Seipp Brewing Co., Paulina and .Augusta streets
Constitution Block, SE Corner Monroe and Clark Streets
Cook County and City Hall Competition, LaSalle, Washington, Clark, and Randolph streets
Cook County Criminal Court and Jailhouse, Dearborn and Hubbard Streets
Cornell Watch Company
Crystal Block, NE Corner State and Madison
Dearborn Park (Lakefront Park), Michigan, Washington and Randolph Streets
Mark Devine Milk Depot, State, between Illinois and Indiana
Dickey Building, SW corner of Dearborn and Lake Streets
Doane Block, SW corner of Wabash and Lake streets
E. F. Dore Block, NW Corner State and Madison Streets
Drake Block III, SE Corner of Wabash and Washington Streets
Empire Block, La Salle street, Between Madison and Washington Streets
The Fair Department Store I, State and Adams Streets
Farwell Block II & III, NW corner of W. Monroe St. and S. Franklin St.
Fidelity Savings Bank and Safe Depository, Near NE corner of Randolph and La Salle streets
Field, Leiter Stables, SE corner Van Buren and Pacific (La Salle)
Field, Leiter Warehouse, NE Corner of Madison and Market Streets
Fire of 1874
First Methodist Church IV, SE Corner Clark and Washington streets
First National Bank of Chicago III, SW corner of State and Washington Streets
Foot Block, SW Corner of Clark and Monroe Streets
Fortnightly Club,
Fullerton & King Block, NW corner of Dearborn and Washington streets
Fourth Presbyterian Church I, NW corner of Rush and Superior
Furst & Bradley Manufacturing Co., Block bounded by Jefferson, Fulton and Desplaines streets
Galbraith Block, NE Corner Madison & Franklin Streets
Gardner House, SW corner of S Michigan and E Jackson streets
Gilbert Hubbard & Co., NE Corner N. Wells and W. South Water Streets
Government Building I, Adams, Clark, Jackson, and Dearborn streets
Grand Central Market
Grand Pacific Hotel II, Entire block surrounded by S Clark, W Quincy, S La Salle & W Jackson streets
Greenebaum Building, NW Corner Fifth Avenue (Wells) and Randolph
Greisheimer Building SW Corner Clark and Lake
Hale & Ayer Block, SE Corner Michigan and Lake streets
Hale Block II, SE Corner of State and Washington Streets
Hall, Kimbark Building III, SE Corner Michigan and Lake streets
Hall’s Safe and Lock Company, Dearborn, between Madison and Monroe streets
Hamlin, Hale & Co. Building, SW Corner of Franklin and Madison Streets
Hamlin’s Coliseum, Clark Street, Between Washington and Randolph streets
Harrison Street Police Station, Corner LaSalle and Harrison
Hawley Block, SW Corner of Dearborn and Madison
C. M. Henderson & Co. Building, SE Corner Franklin and Madison Streets
Herrick Block, SE corner of Wabash Avenue and Madison Street
E. F. Hollister & Co., N. State and Madison streets
Holy Name Cathedral II, NE corner of State and Superior streets
Honorè Block II, NW corner of Dearborn and Adams streets
Hooley’s Theatre, NE Corner of La Salle and Randolph streets
Hotel Brunswick, NE Corner of Wabash avenue and Congress street
Howe Machine Company Building , SE corner State and Jackson streets
W. M. Hoyt Building, SW Corner of Michigan and Wacker Drive
Illinois National Guard First Regiment Armory, Jackson street, Between Michigan & Wabash
Illinois Staats-Zeitung Building, NE corner of Fifth Avenue and Washington Streets
Inter-Ocean Building I, Wabash avenue, between Harrison and Congress streets
Inter Ocean Building I Wabash avenue, between Harrison and Congress streets
Inter Ocean Building II 117 and 119 Lake Street
Interstate Exposition Building, Michigan and Adams Streets
Keith Bros. Building, Madison Street, Near Market Street
Kendall Block III, SW Corner of Washington and Dearborn
W. D. Kerfoot Realty Co., Washington Street, near Dearborn
W. W. Kimball Building, SE Corner State and Adams Streets
S. D. Kimbark Building III, SE Corner Michigan and Lake streets
Kingsbury Music Hall, Clark street, Between Randolph and Lake streets
James S. Kirk & Company, North Water Street
Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Depot II, SW corner of LaSalle and Van Buren Streets
Lakeside Building, SW Corner Clark and Adams Streets
LaSalle Building, NW corner of LaSalle and Madison Streets
The Leader, NE Corner State and Adams Streets
Leiter Building I, Wells and Monroe Streets
John A. Lomax Building, Charles Place and Franklin
Lord, Owen & Co., Wabash, Between Washington and Randolph streets
Lumberman’s Exchange Building I, SE Corner South Street and Franklin Streets
Lunt Building, Washington Street, Between Clark and Dearborn Streets
Major Block II, SE Corner Madison and LaSalle Streets
Marder, Luse & Co. —The Chicago Type Foundry, Monroe street, Between Clark and La Salle streets
Marine Bank II, NE Corner La Salle and Lake streets
Mason Building, South side of Washington Street, between Clark and Dearborn Streets
McCarthy Block, NE Corner of Dearborn and Washington Streets
McCormick Block II, NE Corner Dearborn and Randolph
McCormick Hall, NE corner of Clark and Kinzie Streets
McCormick Harvesting Machine Company II, Western and Blue Island avenues
McVicker’s Theatre II, Madison Street, Between State & Dearborn
Mentor Block, NE Corner Monroe and State
Mercantile Building II, La Salle and Calhoun Streets
Merchants’ Bank, West side of Clark Street between Washington and Randolph Streets
Montgomery Ward—Phase I, Kinzie street, near State and Wabash avenue
Morrison Block III, SE corner Clark and Madison streets
Morrison Building, NE corner Clark and Madison streets
New Chicago, Map of the Rebuilt Downtown
Nixon’s Amphitheatre, Clinton Street, near Washington Street
Nixon’s Exchange Building II, Clark and Washington Streets
North American Building I, NW Corner of State and Monroe streets
Odell Block, NW corner of Wabash Avenue and Adams Street
One Year After the Fire from Sherman House
Oriental Building II, corner of LaSalle and Calhoun streets
Otis Block, SW Corner of LaSalle and Madison streets
Otis Building, NW Corner of State and Monroe streets
Pacific Block, SE Corner of Clark and Van Buren streets
Page Bros. Block, SE Corner of State and Lake streets
Palmer House II & III, SE corner of State & Monroe
Peter Page Building II—D. B. Fisk, SW Corner of Wabash and Washington Streets
Wiliam B. Pierce Building, Wabash Between Congress and Harrison streets
Pike’s Block, SW Corner of State and Monroe streets
Pitkin & Brooks Building, NE Corner of State and Lake streets
Porter Block, NW Corner Clark and Adams streets
Portland Block II, SE corner of Dearborn and Washington streets
Quinlan Block, 81 & 83 Clark
Rand McNally I, North side of Madison street between Dearborn and State streets
Reaper Block, NE corner of N. Clark and Washington streets
Rebuilt Chicago Map 1872
Reed Block (Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett Co Building), NE corner of N. Wabash avenue and E. Lake street
Relief and Aid Society Barracks, Several Locations
Republic Life Building II, La Salle street, Between Monroe and Madison streets
Richards, Shaw & Winslow Building, 1-3 N. State Street
Robbins Blocks, SE Corner Wells and South Water street, and NW corner of Lake street and Fifth avenue
Royal Palm, Monroe street, near State street
Rush Medical College, Wood and Harrison Streets
Scammon Building, NW corner Michigan Avenue and Randolph Street
Schureman & Hand Mantel Company, SW corner of Michigan avenue and Van Buren
H. H. Shufeldt & Co. Distillery, Chicago Avenue Bridge
Schillinger Artificial Stone Sidewalks, Several Locations
Peter Schuttler Wagon Works, NE Corner Clinton and Monroe Streets
Schweizer Block, LaSalle Street, North of Madison Street
Sherman House III, NW corner of N Clark & W Randolph streets
Silverman’s Bank, Dearborn street
Singer Building I, NE Corner State and Washington Streets
Singer Building II, NE Corner State and Washington Streets
Spaulding & Merrick Tobacco Co., River Road and Rush Streets
Spiegel & Co., Wabash, between Adams and Jackson
Springer Block, SW Corner W. Randolph and State Streets
St. James’ Episcopal Church II, SE Corner Wabash and Huron Streets
St. Joseph’s Hospital, Garfield Avenue and Burling Street
Standard Oil Building, Wabash av. sw. cor. South Water
State Street A trip down State Street in 1875
Stewart-Busby Building, NW Corner State and Washington Streets
Stricken Chicago
Studebaker Bros. Depositories, Nos. 263 & 265 Wabash, Nos. 151 & 153 Wabash, 233 State
Superior Block, Clark Street, opposite Court House
Tobey Building, SE Corner of St State and Jackson streets
Tom Foley’s Great Billiard Hall, Clark Street, Between Randolph and Washington Streets
Tremont House IV, SE corner of N Dearborn & W Lake streets
Tuttle Block, NE Corner of State and Lake streets
Union Building II, SW Corner of LaSalle and Washington streets
United States Express Company, 87-89 Washington
Unity Church II, SE Corner of Dearborn and Walton Streets
Washington Block, SW Corner Wells and Washington
Geo. E. White Lumber Yard, Block bordering Morgan, Carroll, Sangamon and Kinzie streets
Weber Music Hall, SW Corner of Jackson and Wabash
M. D. Wells & Co. Building, SE Corner Market (Wacker Drive) and Madison Streets
Western Electric Company I, Kinzie Street, between State and Dearborn
Western News Company,Randolph Street, near Wabash Avenue.
West Side Water Works, Ashland and 22nd Street.
Wheeler & Wilson Building, State street, Between Madison and Monroe streets
Williams Block, Dearborn Street, Between Washington and Randolph Streets
Windett Building, NE corner of State and Randolph Streets
Windsor-Clifton Hotel, NW corner of Wabash and Monroe streets
Pages to be Reassigned
None
- Michigan Avenue at Adams Street immediately after the fire, showing the temporary frame buildings erected for business purposes on the east side of the avenue.
- State Street, Looking North toward Washington Street
About 1877
- State Street, Looking South from Madison Street
SW Corner of State and Madison.
W.H. Patterson, Plumbing, 132 State
August, 1872
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