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largely unaltered richard maurice birdsall post-fire downtown chicago cottages faced with demolition

with research ongoing, it is nevertheless clear that only a few single-story brick workers cottages built within the great chicago fire's "burnt district" still remain. the rare survivor, built shortly after the city began its unimaginable rise from the ruins, is now, 144 years later, being placed in the path of destruction. instead of a blameless natural disaster like fire this time, the brick walls and framed interior (largely unaltered from what we have been told) will be brought down with brutal blows from the wrecker's bucket.

the house at 1241 state street was once 421 state street and seems to have a lengthy history of occupants who were grocers, or associated with the trade. the site's earliest recorded occupant (before the current post-fire house was constructed) was in the mid-1850's, listing michael reich, a grocer. in 1870, the address is recorded as the "california house," which spanned nos. 419-421 state street, and was kept by frederick ranoban. following the fire, the occupant seems to have been richard maurice birdsall, another grocer whose office was headquartered at this address. birdsall arrived to chicago in 1877, and eventually became vice president of the western cold storage company. birdsall is further credited as being the originator of the railroad refrigerator car, and established the first cold storage plant in the city in 1882.

 

 



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