75-650: The Old Chicago Water Tower District is a historic district along the Magnificent Mile shopping district in the Near North Side community area of Chicago , Illinois . The district is located on both sides of North Michigan Avenue between East Chicago and East Pearson Streets. It includes the Chicago Water Tower , Chicago Avenue Pumping Station , and Chicago Fire Department Fire Station No. 98 . All three structures are part of
150-486: A mass shooting nearby the neighborhood killed two people and critically injured eight others. Today, The Magnificent Mile contains a mixture of upscale department stores , restaurants , luxury retailers, residential and commercial buildings, financial services companies, and hotels , catering primarily to tourists and the affluent. The Magnificent Mile includes 3.1 million sq ft (290,000 m ) of retail space, 460 stores, 275 restaurants, 51 hotels, and
225-414: A Magnificent Mile address for one of its two Chicago service offices. Fidelity Investments has an office at the foot of The Magnificent Mile. Historic and landmark presences are shown in the table below, which lists Chicago Landmarks , National Register of Historic Places locations, and National Historic Landmarks along The Magnificent Mile. At the northern edge of this district on the west, one finds
300-415: A claim by Cohn to have been present at the start of the fire. According to Cohn, on the night of the fire, he was gambling in the O'Learys' barn with one of their sons and some other neighborhood boys. When Mrs. O'Leary came out to the barn to chase the gamblers away at around 9:00, they knocked over a lantern in their flight, although Cohn states that he paused long enough to scoop up the money. The argument
375-473: A cow owned by Sullivan's mother. Bales's account does not have consensus. The Chicago Public Library staff criticized his account in their web page on the fire. Despite this, the Chicago city council was convinced of Bales's argument and stated that the actions of Sullivan on that day should be scrutinized after the O'Leary family was exonerated in 1997. Anthony DeBartolo reported evidence in two articles of
450-551: A dry summer, so that winds from the front that moved in that evening were capable of generating rapidly expanding blazes from available ignition sources, which were plentiful in the region. On that hot, dry, and windy autumn day, three other major fires occurred along the shores of Lake Michigan at the same time as the Great Chicago Fire. Some 250 miles (400 km) to the north, the Peshtigo Fire consumed
525-409: A fire swept through the city of Urbana, Illinois , 140 miles (230 km) south of Chicago, destroying portions of its downtown area. Windsor, Ontario , likewise burned on October 12. The city of Singapore, Michigan , provided a large portion of the lumber to rebuild Chicago. As a result, the area was so heavily deforested that the land deteriorated into barren sand dunes that buried the town, and
600-474: A group of men were gambling inside the barn and knocked over a lantern. Still other speculation suggests that the blaze was related to other fires in the Midwest that day . The fire's spread was aided by the city's use of wood as the predominant building material in a style called balloon frame . More than two-thirds of the structures in Chicago at the time of the fire were made entirely of wood, with most of
675-463: A host of sightseeing and entertainment attractions to more than 22 million visitors annually. The American Planning Association selected The Magnificent Mile as one of the 10 Great Streets for 2007 through its Great Places in America program. In recent years, The Magnificent Mile has added trees and flower-filled medians to reflect the changing seasons. Many luxury brands moved to Oak Street in
750-401: A more old-fashioned way of life, and that the fire was caused by people ignoring traditional morality. On the other hand, others believed that a lesson to be learned from the fire was that cities needed to improve their building techniques. Frederick Law Olmsted observed that poor building practices in Chicago were a problem: Chicago had a weakness for "big things", and liked to think that it
825-449: A streetscape improvement project in 1994. In the spring, hundreds of thousands of tulips bloom from mid April until the end of May. In 2008, a public art installation of kinetic sculptures designed by local and international architects was placed in the garden beds. During the summer, the "Gardens of The Magnificent Mile" festival event occurs. It is a self-guided landscape display walking tour. In 2007 and 2008, fashion dress forms graced
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#1732790125385900-487: A tornado-like effect. These fire whirls are likely what drove flaming debris so high and so far. Such debris was blown across the main branch of the Chicago River to a railroad car carrying kerosene . The fire had jumped the river a second time and was now raging across the city's north side. Despite the fire spreading and growing rapidly, the city's firefighters continued to battle the blaze. A short time after
975-462: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Magnificent Mile The Magnificent Mile (also The Mag Mile) is a section of Michigan Avenue in Chicago devoted to retail, dining, hotels and tourist attractions. Running from the Chicago River to Oak Street in the Near North Side , the district is located one block east of Rush Street and is the main retail corridor between
1050-636: Is not universally accepted. An alternative theory, first suggested in 1882 by Ignatius L. Donnelly in Ragnarok: The Age of Fire and Gravel , is that the fire was caused by a meteor shower . This was described as a "fringe theory" concerning Biela's Comet . At a 2004 conference of the Aerospace Corporation and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics , engineer and physicist Robert Wood suggested that
1125-627: The Chicago Landmark district designated on October 6, 1971 (amended June 10, 1981). The Water Tower and Pumping Station were jointly added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 23, 1975. In addition the Tower was named an American Water Landmark in 1969. The Water Tower was also one of the few buildings to survive the Great Chicago Fire. The district is the namesake of the nearby Water Tower Place . The district
1200-605: The Chicago Tribune (October 8, 1997, and March 3, 1998, reprinted in Hyde Park Media ) suggesting that Louis M. Cohn may have started the fire during a craps game. Following his death in 1942, Cohn bequeathed $ 35,000 which was assigned by his executors to the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University . The bequest was given to the school on September 28, 1944, and the dedication contained
1275-492: The Common Council of London gave 1,000 guineas, as well as £7,000 from private donations. In Greenock , Scotland (pop. 40,000) a town meeting raised £518 on the spot. Cincinnati , Cleveland , and Buffalo , all commercial rivals, donated hundreds and thousands of dollars. Milwaukee , along with other nearby cities, helped by sending fire-fighting equipment. Food, clothing and books were brought by train from all over
1350-594: The Great Chicago Fire of 1871, State Street (anchored by Marshall Field's ) in the downtown Loop , especially the Loop Retail Historic District , was the city's retailing center. The convenience of mass transit including streetcars and elevated trains , supported a retail corridor along State Street from Lake Street to Van Buren Street. By the 1920s, commuter suburbs began to have significant retail districts. Prior to
1425-627: The bascule bridge construction, swing bridges across the river were open for ship traffic during half the daylight hours. The Rush Street Bridge was the swing bridge for this area. The opening of the Michigan Avenue Bridge in 1920 created a new commercial district. The concept for the Magnificent Mile was part of the 1909 Burnham Plan of Chicago . It was constructed during the 1920s to replace Pine Street, which had been lined with factories and warehouses near
1500-567: The 10 best shopping avenues in the world. Renowned and critically acclaimed restaurants such as The Signature Room at The 95th, Spiaggia, Tru, The Pump Room, Lawry's The Prime Rib, The Grand Lux, and The Park Hyatt Room provide a variety of dining options. Three 5-star hotels ( The Peninsula Chicago , Four Seasons Hotel Chicago , and Ritz-Carlton Chicago ) and Illinois ' only 4-star hotel ( Park Hyatt ) are located within about five blocks along The Magnificent Mile. Other hotels such as Intercontinental , Knickerbocker, Westin , Drake Hotel , and
1575-542: The 74-story Water Tower Place in 1975 marked the return of Chicago to retailing prominence. By 1979, the State Street commercial corridor had lost its commercial vitality and was closed to street traffic for renovation including sidewalk widening until 1996. In August 2020, the Magnificent Mile was looted by large crowds during a night of unrest after Chicago police shot a black person in Englewood . In May 2022,
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#17327901253851650-562: The Avenue. Past artists include: Collective Soul, Better Than Ezra, Mat Kearney, Michael Franti, Kris Allen, and Guster. The tradition of lighting the trees of The Magnificent Mile to start the Christmas season extends more than forty years. More than one million lights are lit and fireworks follow the event. The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival , presented by BMO Harris Bank, is the annual kick-off to Chicago's Christmas season. The day of
1725-523: The Chicago River to Oak Street with a durable stone-matrix asphalt pavement mix that incorporated high levels of recycled materials, including waste shingles, ground tire rubber, and asphalt millings, diverting some 800 tons of material from landfills. The $ 1 million project was completed without ever completely halting traffic on the street. In July 2012, the City of Chicago and CDOT were honored with
1800-610: The City Council passed the ordinance to establish the free Chicago Public Library , starting with the donation from the United Kingdom of more than 8,000 volumes. The fire also led to questions about development in the United States. Due to Chicago's rapid expansion at that time, the fire led to Americans reflecting on industrialization. Based on a religious point of view, some said that Americans should return to
1875-519: The Conrad Chicago offer convenient luxurious accommodations as well. Selected luxury-class hotels are shown below: The largest banks have branches along the strip including the three largest banks in the nation: Bank of America , Citibank , and JPMorgan Chase 's Chase Bank . Additionally, the largest banks in Chicago are present, such as Harris Bank , which is technically across the street from The Magnificent Mile. American Express has
1950-2265: The Environmental Leadership Award from the National Asphalt Pavement Association. NE: Chicago Park District SW: One Magnificent Mile SE: Chanel at the Drake Hotel NE: Drake Hotel SW: Gucci at 900 North Michigan SE: Louis Vuitton Vehicular southbound turning lane NE: Fratelli Rossetti at Westin Hotel SW: Fourth Presbyterian Church SE: The North Face at John Hancock Center Vehicular northbound turning lane NE: Best Buy at John Hancock Center SW: Water Tower Place SE: Plaza Escada Vehicular southbound turning lane NE: Macy's at Water Tower Place SW: Chicago Water Tower SE: Chicago Avenue Pumping Station Vehicular northbound and westbound turning lanes NE: Chicago Avenue Pumping Station SW: Polo Ralph Lauren and The Peninsula Hotel SE: Walgreens Vehicular southbound turning lane NE: Neiman-Marcus SW: Chicago Place ( Saks Fifth Avenue for women) SE: Saks Fifth Avenue for men Vehicular northbound turning lane NE: Nine West @ Allerton Hotel SW: Express SE: Apple, Inc. Vehicular southbound turning lane NE: Garmin SW: Crate & Barrel SE: Ferragamo Vehicular northbound turning lane NE: Burberry SW: Ann Taylor SE: Coach Vehicular southbound turning lane NE: 605 N. Michigan ( Sephora also: American Express , Chase Bank ) SW: Forever 21 SE: Gap NE: Westfield North Bridge SW: Atlas Galleries SE: Intercontinental Hotel NE: Intercontinental Hotel SW: 444 N. Michigan Avenue SE: McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum E: Tribune Tower NE: DuSable Homesite @ 401 N. Michigan Avenue SW: Michigan Avenue Bridge SE: Michigan Avenue Bridge Great Chicago Fire The Great Chicago Fire
2025-548: The Loop and Gold Coast . It is bounded by Streeterville neighborhood to its east and River North to its west. The real estate developer Arthur Rubloff of Rubloff Company gave the district its nickname in 1947. The Magnificent Mile has many tall buildings and landmarks such as John Hancock , Wrigley Building , Tribune Tower , Chicago Water Tower , and the Allerton , Drake and Intercontinental Hotels. After
2100-476: The South Branch of the Chicago River and an area that had previously thoroughly burned would act as a natural firebreak . All along the river, however, were lumber yards, warehouses, and coal yards, as well as barges, and numerous bridges across the river. As the fire grew, the southwest wind intensified and the temperature rose, causing structures to catch fire from the heat and from burning debris blown by
2175-482: The United Kingdom spurred the establishment of the Chicago Public Library . The fire is said to have started at about 8:30 p.m. on October 8, in or around a small barn belonging to the O'Leary family that bordered the alley behind 137 W. DeKoven Street . The shed next to the barn was the first building to be consumed by the fire. City officials never determined the cause of the blaze, but
2250-541: The United States had been distrustful of Catholics (or papists , as they were often called) since its beginning, carrying over attitudes in England in the 17th century; as an Irish Catholic, Mrs. O'Leary was a target of both anti-Catholic and anti-Irish sentiment. This story was circulating in Chicago even before the flames had died out, and it was noted in the Chicago Tribune ' s first post-fire issue. In 1893
2325-689: The Wrigley Building), and two of which are not ( 333 North Michigan and London Guarantee Building ). These buildings are contributing properties to the Michigan–Wacker Historic District . Several of the tallest buildings in the world are located in The Magnificent Mile district. These buildings are: With each season, the ambiance of The Magnificent Mile changes. This change is signaled by several official events: Median planters were constructed as part of
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2400-874: The area to the Chicago Loop helped transform Tower Town into an expensive commercial district. Bars and nightclubs in the area included Chez Pierre, the Dil Pickle Club , Kelly's Stables , the Little Club, the Paradise Club and the Tent. This article about a property in Cook County, Illinois on the National Register of Historic Places is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This Chicago geographical article
2475-509: The area until it became one of the most prestigious addresses of the city. That distinction holds today, and spurred new investment along the Magnificent Mile and throughout the Near North Side. After 1950 , suburban development reduced the Loop's daily significance to many Chicagoans as downtown retail sales slipped. However, the Magnificent Mile kept a luxury shopping district close to the central business district. The opening of
2550-451: The basement to be released. At 2:30 a.m. on the 9th, the cupola of the courthouse collapsed, sending the great bell crashing down. Some witnesses reported hearing the sound from a mile (1.6 km) away. As more buildings succumbed to the flames, a major contributing factor to the fire's spread was a meteorological phenomenon known as a fire whirl . As hot air rises, it comes into contact with cooler air and begins to spin, creating
2625-467: The burned district are still standing: St. Michael's Church and the Pumping Station were both gutted in the fire, but their exteriors survived, and the buildings were rebuilt using the surviving walls. Additionally, though the inhabitable portions of the building were destroyed, the bell tower of St. James Cathedral survived the fire and was incorporated into the rebuilt church. The stones near
2700-420: The city as well are safe." For two weeks Sheridan's men patrolled the streets, guarded the relief warehouses, and enforced other regulations. On October 24 the troops were relieved of their duties and the volunteers were mustered out of service. Of the approximately 324,000 inhabitants of Chicago in 1871, 90,000 Chicago residents (about 28% of the population) were left homeless. 120 bodies were recovered, but
2775-402: The city began to rewrite its fire standards, spurred by the efforts of leading insurance executives, and fire-prevention reformers such as Arthur C. Ducat . Chicago soon developed one of the country's leading fire-fighting forces. Business owners and land speculators such as Gurdon Saltonstall Hubbard quickly set about rebuilding the city. The first load of lumber for rebuilding was delivered
2850-440: The city, led to the conflagration spreading quickly. The fire leapt the south branch of the Chicago River and destroyed much of central Chicago and then crossed the main stem of the river, consuming the Near North Side . Help flowed to the city from near and far after the fire. The city government improved building codes to stop the rapid spread of future fires and rebuilt rapidly to those higher standards. A donation from
2925-498: The city. In 1871, the Chicago Fire Department had 185 firefighters with just 17 horse-drawn steam pumpers to protect the entire city. The initial response by the fire department was timely, but due to an error by the watchman, Matthias Schaffer, the firefighters were initially sent to the wrong place, allowing the fire to grow unchecked. An alarm sent from the area near the fire also failed to register at
3000-594: The continent. Mayor Mason placed the Chicago Relief and Aid Society in charge of the city's relief efforts. Operating from the First Congregational Church , city officials and aldermen began taking steps to preserve order in Chicago. Price gouging was a key concern, and in one ordinance, the city set the price of bread at 8¢ for a 12-ounce (340 g) loaf. Public buildings were opened as places of refuge, and saloons closed at 9 in
3075-425: The courthouse where the fire watchmen were, while the firefighters were tired from having fought numerous small fires and one large fire in the week before. These factors combined to turn a small barn fire into a conflagration. When firefighters finally arrived at DeKoven Street, the fire had grown and spread to neighboring buildings and was progressing toward the central business district. Firefighters had hoped that
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3150-493: The day the last burning building was extinguished. By the World's Columbian Exposition 22 years later, Chicago hosted more than 21 million visitors. The Palmer House hotel burned to the ground in the fire 13 days after its grand opening. Its developer, Potter Palmer , secured a loan and rebuilt the hotel to higher standards, across the street from the original, proclaiming it to be "The World's First Fireproof Building". In 1956,
3225-532: The death toll may have been as high as 300. The county coroner speculated that an accurate count was impossible, as some victims may have drowned or had been incinerated, leaving no remains. In the days and weeks following the fire, monetary donations flowed into Chicago from around the country and abroad, along with donations of food, clothing, and other goods. These donations came from individuals, corporations, and cities. New York City gave $ 450,000 along with clothing and provisions, St. Louis gave $ 300,000, and
3300-470: The evening for the week following the fire. Many people who were left homeless after the incident were never able to get their normal lives back since all their personal papers and belongings burned in the conflagration. After the fire, A. H. Burgess of London proposed an "English Book Donation", to spur a free library in Chicago, in their sympathy with Chicago over the damages suffered. Libraries in Chicago had been private with membership fees. In April 1872,
3375-577: The event has special activities and offers across Magnificent Mile businesses, plus interactive holiday booths in Pioneer Court , and a free concert with free concerts featuring popular artists all afternoon on the Harris Stage (past artists have included Jason Mraz, Mitchel Musso, and KT Tunstall). In the evening, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse lead a procession down Michigan Avenue from Oak Street to Wacker Drive, stopping at each block to light
3450-692: The exclusive One Magnificent Mile building and Oak Street running to the west. Also, at the northern edge of the district one finds the Chicago Landmark East Lake Shore Drive District , an extremely expensive and exclusive one-block area of real estate running east from N. Michigan Ave. and facing directly onto Lake Michigan . At the southern edge of the district, the Michigan Avenue Bridge sits among four majestic 1920s skyscrapers, two of which are on The Magnificent Mile (Tribune Tower and
3525-401: The fire began when a fragment of Biela's Comet impacted the Midwest. Biela's Comet had broken apart in 1845 and had not been observed since. Wood argued that four large fires took place, all on the same day, all on the shores of Lake Michigan (see related events ), suggesting a common root cause. Eyewitnesses reported sighting spontaneous ignitions, lack of smoke, "balls of fire" falling from
3600-682: The fire had already started to burn itself out. The fire had spread to the sparsely populated areas of the north side, having thoroughly consumed the densely populated areas. Once the fire had ended, the smoldering remains were still too hot for a survey of the damage to be completed for many days. Eventually, the city determined that the fire destroyed an area about 4 miles (6 km) long and averaging 3 ⁄ 4 mile (1 km) wide, encompassing an area of more than 2,000 acres (809 ha). Destroyed were more than 73 miles (117 km) of roads, 120 miles (190 km) of sidewalk, 2,000 lampposts, 17,500 buildings, and $ 222 million in property, which
3675-399: The fire jumped the river, a burning piece of timber lodged on the roof of the city's waterworks . Within minutes, the interior of the building was engulfed in flames and the building was destroyed. With it, the city's water mains went dry and the city was helpless. The fire burned unchecked from building to building, block to block. Late in the evening of October 9, it started to rain, but
3750-485: The fire started when Daniel "Pegleg" Sullivan, who first reported the fire, ignited hay in the barn while trying to steal milk. Part of Bales's evidence includes an account by Sullivan, who claimed in an inquiry before the Fire Department of Chicago on November 25, 1871, that he saw the fire coming through the side of the barn and ran across DeKoven Street to free the animals from the barn, one of which included
3825-403: The fire started, but stories of the cow began to spread across the city. Catherine O'Leary seemed the perfect scapegoat : she was a poor, Irish Catholic immigrant. During the latter half of the 19th century, anti-Irish sentiment was strong in Chicago and throughout the United States. This was intensified as a result of the growing political power of the city's Irish population. Furthermore,
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#17327901253853900-541: The garden beds. The forms were designed by students from the Illinois Institute of Art – Chicago and the International Academy of Design and Technology , as well as prominent designers located on the Avenue. In 2009 and 2010 the first ever Summer Concert Series presented by Walgreens brought top level musical talent to the Avenue for free lunchtime shows for guests, locals, and employees of
3975-399: The houses and buildings being topped with highly combustible tar or shingle roofs. All of the city's sidewalks and many roads were also made of wood. Compounding this problem, Chicago received only 1 inch (25 mm) of rain from July 4 to October 9, causing severe drought conditions before the fire, while strong southwest winds helped to carry flying embers toward the heart of
4050-566: The lake to the east, the town of Holland, Michigan , and other nearby areas burned to the ground. Some 100 miles (160 km) to the north of Holland, the lumbering community of Manistee also went up in flames in what became known as the Great Michigan Fire . Farther east, along the shore of Lake Huron , the Port Huron Fire swept through Port Huron, Michigan and much of Michigan 's "Thumb" . On October 9, 1871,
4125-459: The mixtures also become explosive, a situation unlikely to occur from meteorites. Methane gas is lighter than air and thus does not accumulate near the ground; any localized pockets of methane in the open air rapidly dissipate. Moreover, if a fragment of an icy comet were to strike the Earth, the most likely outcome, due to the low tensile strength of such bodies, would be for it to disintegrate in
4200-419: The property along this stretch of the avenue and supported a plan by Holabird & Root for construction of new buildings and renovation of old ones that took advantage of new zoning laws. Soon the property values driven by the luxury shopping districts were pricing out the nearby artists of Tower Town , just southwest of the Chicago Water Tower . Rubloff and Zeckendorf successfully developed and promoted
4275-414: The rapid spread of the fire due to a long drought in that year's summer, strong winds from the southwest, and the rapid destruction of the water pumping system explain the extensive damage of the mainly wooden city structures. There has been much speculation over the years on a single start to the fire. The most popular tale blames Mrs. O'Leary's cow, which allegedly knocked over a lantern; others state that
4350-572: The remaining structures on the original O'Leary property at 558 W. DeKoven Street were torn down for construction of the Chicago Fire Academy, a training facility for Chicago firefighters, known as the Quinn Fire Academy or Chicago Fire Department Training Facility. A bronze sculpture of stylized flames, entitled Pillar of Fire by Egon Weiner , was erected on the point of origin in 1961. The following structures from
4425-402: The reporter Michael Ahern retracted the "cow-and-lantern" story, admitting it was fabricated, but even his confession was unable to put the legend to rest. Although the O'Learys were never officially charged with starting the fire, the story became so engrained in local lore that Chicago's city council officially exonerated them—and the cow—in 1997. Amateur historian Richard Bales has suggested
4500-619: The river, and fine mansion and rowhouse residences farther north. The earliest building constructions varied in style, but challenged new heights in construction. The name the "Magnificent Mile" is a registered trademark of The Magnificent Mile Association, formerly the Greater North Michigan Avenue Association (GNMAA). After the Great Depression and World War II , Arthur Rubloff and William Zeckendorf bought or controlled most of
4575-420: The sky, and blue flames. According to Wood, these accounts suggest that the fires were caused by the methane that is commonly found in comets. Meteorites are not known to start or spread fires and are cool to the touch after reaching the ground, so this theory has not found favor in the scientific community. Methane-air mixtures become flammable only when the methane concentration exceeds 5%, at which point
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#17327901253854650-477: The street, and the foot of the Magnificent Mile is serviced by seasonal water transit services. Two blocks west along State Street , the Chicago 'L' rapid transit services the street via its Red Line . Pedestrian traffic abounds along the broad sidewalks that are shielded by extensive, mature greenery that provides much of the friendly atmosphere. In autumn 2011, North Michigan Avenue was completely repaved from
4725-452: The top of the tower are still blackened from the soot and smoke. Almost from the moment the fire broke out, various theories about its cause began to circulate. The most popular and enduring legend maintains that the fire began in the O'Leary barn as Mrs. O'Leary was milking her cow. The cow kicked over a lantern (or an oil lamp in some versions), setting fire to the barn. The O'Leary family denied this, stating that they were in bed before
4800-465: The town of Peshtigo, Wisconsin , along with a dozen other villages. It killed 1,200 to 2,500 people and charred approximately 1.5 million acres (6,100 km ). The Peshtigo Fire remains the deadliest in American history but the remoteness of the region meant it was little noticed at the time, due to the fact that one of the first things that burned were the telegraph lines to Green Bay. Across
4875-419: The trees. He brings along other Disney friends, marching bands, celebrities and more. It is considered the first annual Christmas procession of the year. North Michigan Avenue is a six-lane two-way street that is serviced by Chicago Transit Authority public buses along the Magnificent Mile that connect the area to the entire Chicago metropolitan area . It is also serviced by seasonal trolley service along
4950-461: The upper atmosphere, leading to a meteor air burst like the Tunguska event . The specific choice of Biela's Comet does not match with the dates in question, as the 6-year period of the comet's orbit did not intersect that of the Earth until 1872, one full year after the fire, when a large meteor shower was observed. A common cause for the fires in the Midwest in late 1871 is that the area had had
5025-473: The wind. Around midnight, flaming debris blew across the river and landed on roofs and the South Side Gas Works. With the fire across the river and moving rapidly toward the heart of the city, panic set in. About this time, Mayor Roswell B. Mason sent messages to nearby towns asking for help. When the courthouse caught fire, he ordered the building to be evacuated and the prisoners jailed in
5100-539: The world), Frette , Pratesi, and many others. The Magnificent Mile has three urban shopping centers: Water Tower Place , The Shops at North Bridge , and 900 North Michigan Shops . Each spans multiple floors and city blocks and offers various tenants: mall mainstays and more upscale apparel shops, restaurants, and unique attractions, such as museums. In its book The 10 Best of Everything: An Ultimate Guide for Travelers , National Geographic named The Magnificent Mile along with Rodeo Drive and Fifth Avenue as one of
5175-430: The world), Kate Spade , Eskandar, Charles David , Henri Bendel , Hugo Boss , Salvatore Ferragamo , American Girl , Ermenegildo Zegna , Zara , MCM , Tumi , Kiehl's , Michael Kors , J. Crew , Sermoneta , H&M , Marlowe, Paul Stuart , David Yurman , Fogal, Wolford , The Art of Shaving , BHLDN , Buccellati, Victoria's Secret , Banana Republic , Starbucks Reserve Roastery (largest Starbucks in
5250-534: The years following the 2007–2008 financial crisis , but The Magnificent Mile still hosts luxury department stores Bloomingdale's , Neiman Marcus , Saks Fifth Avenue , and Nordstrom . Retailers on The Magnificent Mile include: Canada Goose , Cartier , Bottega Veneta , Bulgari , Burberry (its U.S. flagship location), Gucci , Louis Vuitton , Tiffany & Co. , Max Mara , St. John , Omega , Stuart Weitzman , Montblanc , Anne Fontaine, Alice+Olivia, Rolex , Ralph Lauren (Ralph Lauren's largest store in
5325-429: Was a conflagration that burned in the American city of Chicago during October 8–10, 1871. The fire killed approximately 300 people, destroyed roughly 3.3 square miles (9 km ) of the city including over 17,000 structures, and left more than 100,000 residents homeless. The fire began in a neighborhood southwest of the city center . A long period of hot, dry, windy conditions, and the wooden construction prevalent in
5400-461: Was about a third of the city's valuation in 1871. On October 11, 1871, General Philip H. Sheridan came quickly to the aid of the city and was placed in charge by a proclamation, given by mayor Roswell B. Mason : "The Preservation of the Good Order and Peace of the city is hereby intrusted to Lieut. General P.H. Sheridan, U.S. Army." To protect the city from looting and violence, the city
5475-491: Was once called Tower Town or Towertown and was known for its bohemian artists and nightlife in the early 20th century. In the 1910s, artists moved into an area near Pine St (now North Michigan Avenue) that was being deserted by affluent residents. Tower Town was the resultant artistic district, and it was successful in part because of its proximity to affluent patrons who remained on the Gold Coast . A new bridge connecting
5550-435: Was outbuilding New York. It did a great deal of commercial advertising in its house-tops. The faults of construction as well as of art in its great showy buildings must have been numerous. Their walls were thin, and were overweighted with gross and coarse misornamentation. Olmsted also believed that with brick walls, and disciplined firemen and police, the deaths and damage caused would have been much less. Almost immediately,
5625-511: Was put under martial law for two weeks under Gen. Sheridan's command structure with a mix of regular troops, militia units, police, and a specially organized civilian group "First Regiment of Chicago Volunteers." Former Lieutenant-Governor William Bross, and part owner of the Tribune , later recollected his response to the arrival of Gen. Sheridan and his soldiers: "Never did deeper emotions of joy overcome me. Thank God, those most dear to me and
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