Chicago Great Fire 1871 Stereoscopic Photograph - Historical Ruins #3720808 (License: Personal Use)

This sepia-toned stereograph, produced by Copelin & Fine Photographers of Chicago, Illinois, documents the aftermath of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The image captures a severely damaged but structurally intact five-story building-its upper floors stripped bare, windows empty, and facade scarred-surrounded by debris and early recovery efforts. Figures in period attire stand among the ruins, underscoring the scale of destruction and the city’s immediate response.

Used in historical archives, museum exhibits, educational resources, and digital storytelling about urban disasters and 19th-century American history; targets users researching the Chicago Fire, architectural loss, or early photographic documentation.