![Don't Blame Mrs. O'Leary's Cow](https://assets.byub.org/images/58431869-4d28-4149-99df-88502b39da91/720x405.jpg)
- Jan 12, 2021 7:00 pm
- 17:06 mins
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