The Moores and the Great Chicago Fire

Above is a reproduction of a Currier & Ives lithograph showing people fleeing the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. I’ve always wondered if my Moore family were present in Chicago at the time of the fire but I’ve never pinned down their actual location or where they were in relation to the fire. Recently, I tasked myself with finding that information.

First Steps: Timeline

My first step was to actually write down my timeline of the Moores in the late 1860s and early 1870s. This would help me to actually deduce if they were truly in Chicago still at the time of the fire.

1868 – William is listed in the Chicago City Directories living at 56 Foster

1870 – William’s family is enumerated in the 1870 United States Census in Chicago, Illinois

1870 U.S. census, Cook County, Illinois, population schedule, Chicago Ward 9, p. 124-B, dwelling 1570, family 2102, William Moore household; digital images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 2 Mar 2024); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M593, roll 204.

I looked up John Atzel and Killian Pulver in the city directory and confirmed they were neighbors of William Moore.

1872 – William is listed again in the Chicago City Directory

June 1875 – The family is enumerated at 21 Stockton Street in Brooklyn, New York.

I think it’s safe to say that the Moores were probably in Chicago for the fire but left before June of 1875. I’m not sure of addresses for the family between 1872 and 1875, so that needs more research.

Next Step: Locate 56 Foster

Using the Street and Avenue guide in the city directory, I saw that Foster Street should be from W. Polk to Van Buren W.D.

Next Step: Locate Where Great Chicago Fire Happened

There are many historical maps that show burned districts. Some show just the path of the fire, while others show all the known damaged areas. I think it’s safe to say even if it wasn’t directly burned, everyone in Chicago was greatly effected by what happened. I decided to use a Guide Map of Chicago from October 11, 1871. Its available, as far as I know copyright free, from the Norman B. Leventhal Map & Education Ceneter at the Boston Public Library. They have a wonderful image viewer and even a map overlay so I can see where Foster Street would be today.

Final Step: Find Foster Street

In the white rectangle above is where Foster Street was located. Just where the city directory told me it would be. Between Polk and Van Buren Streets. What I see now is the Moores were right on the edge of the fire. More research is needed to even know if they were heavily effected by it. However, I imagine the whole family must have been deeply effected by what happened. It’s not long after when they decided to go back to New York City. They were a young family, immigrants, and they were close to the origin of the fire. I certainly can’t blame them for deciding to go back to Brooklyn, where the oldest daughter was born. Once I dig through my DNA research again, I’m hoping to find other relatives who were living there too. Maybe I’ll even find relatives in Chicago as a reason why they moved there in the first place.

At least I’ve resolved one of the questions I always had. Were the Moores still in Chicago during the Great Chicago Fire and if so, how close was it to them?

Just Curious

I’m still a little curious and I want to use that map overlay feature to show me what is in Chicago now at Foster Street.

Looks like a Greyhound Bus Station, Storage Facility and Tesla Building are around where Foster Street used to be. Right next to the interstate. Pretty interesting to know in case I’m ever in Chicago. Chicago also built their Fire Department training academy at the site of the fire’s origin and I think that’s a pretty good way of remembering the past while still building the future.