who was blamed for the great chicago fire
Great Chicago Fire The fire started at about 9:00 p.m. on October 8, in or around a small barn belonging to the O'Leary family that bordered the alley behind 137 DeKoven Street.[3] The shed next to the barn was the first building to be consumed by the fire, but city officials never determined the exact cause of the blaze.[4] There has, however, been much speculation over the years. The most popular tale blames Mrs. O'Leary's cow, who allegedly knocked over a lantern; others state that a group of men were gambling inside the barn and knocked over a lantern.[5] Still other speculation suggests that the blaze was related to other fires in the Midwest that day.[1]