Don't Blame Mrs. O'Leary's CowConstant Wonder • Season 2022, Episode 822, Segment 2
Jan 12, 2021 • 17m
The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 displaced thousands. It became a global story with newspapers famously blaming the blaze on Mrs. O’Leary’s cow (or Mrs. O’Leary herself). The story is a little more complicated though—the fire was ultimately fueled by dreams for a new city, hastily built infrastructure, and internal division between the residents.
Guest: Carl Smith, author of "Chicago’s Great Fire: The Destruction and Resurrection of an Iconic American City," and Professor Emeritus of English and History at Northwestern University