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Rare Chicago Fire Panoramic Photograph
Extremely rare panoramic albumen photograph of the aftermath of the Great Chicago Fire, by one of Chicago's first photographers, William Shaw.
On October 8, 1871, Chicago was consumed by a catastrophic fire that burned for two days, destroying over 17,000 structures, and displacing an estimated 100,000 residents.
The Great Chicago Fire stands as one of the most devastating urban tragedies in American history. In the aftermath, the city undertook an extraordinary rebuilding effort, transforming itself into a modern economic and cultural powerhouse.
This panoramic photograph by William Shaw was taken five days after the fire from the top of the Water Works tower. The view captures the north side of downtown, identifying 44 landmarks listed in an accompanying key. During this period of recovery and reconstruction, Shaw’s office was located on 22nd Street, where it remained from 1871 to 1873.
This is one of two photographic views of the Great Conflagration of Chicago by William Shaw. The second is titled "The Great Conflagration of Chicago! View of the North Side, Fifth Day after the Fire."
The photographer, William Shaw, is identified as "Special Artist of 'Frank Leslie's Illustrated News'."
Rarity
The view is very rare.
We locate two examples: Library of Congress, (which is damaged and no longer on its original cardstock) and the Bibliotheque National de France.
We are not aware of any other examples appearing at auction or in dealer catalogs.
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