Flames of Fate: Elise, Honoré, and the Night Chicago Burned

In “Confligration,” Episode 9 of “Borrowed Lives,” a confrontation between Honoré and Elise inadvertently leads to the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Elise and her new companion, Mollie, flee to the Palmer Hotel, which is rumored to be fireproof. But, how did the fire really start, and what was the fate of the real Palmer Hotel?

During the 1870s, Chicago had emerged as a dominant urban center in the American Midwest. The population boomed as industries such as manufacturing surged. The majority of buildings were constructed primarily of wood, and the year 1871 had been incredibly dry. That meant the city was a tinderbox waiting to be lit. 

No one knows for certain how the fire started, except that it originated in a barn belonging to Patrick and Catherine O’Leary. Some people believe a cow kicked over a lantern, while others think it was caused by humans, and a few even suggest that a comet could have been responsible. The fire burned for two days and killed between 200 and 300 people. It destroyed 17,450 buildings and left 100,000 people homeless. 

Among the destroyed buildings was the first Palmer Hotel, which was not fireproof after all.  After the fire, Palmer was able to get a $1.7 million loan to rebuild the hotel. It opened in November 1873 and was advertised as being “fireproof, “ with iron and brick construction and terra-cotta (a clay-based ceramic with a porous texture). The hotel still stands in the same location today. Learn more about the Palmer hotel by reading this blog.

Sources:

Great Chicago Fire begins | October 8, 1871 | HISTORY

Great Chicago Fire – Significant Illinois Fires – LibGuides at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign