The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 - Historical Engraving and Legacy #3720777 (License: Personal Use)

This detailed 19th-century woodcut captures the apocalyptic scale of the Great Chicago Fire on October 8-10, 1871, showing panicked citizens evacuating across iron-truss bridges over the Chicago River while multi-story brick buildings collapse under intense flames. Thick plumes of smoke rise into the night sky, obscuring the moon and casting eerie light over the chaos below. The scene reflects both the technological infrastructure of the era and the human desperation amid one of America’s most destructive urban disasters.

This image is commonly used in historical articles, museum exhibits, and educational resources about the Great Chicago Fire, urban development, disaster response, and 19th-century print media. It serves users seeking visual context for historical events, academic research, or public interest storytelling.