forgotten collection of historically important 1871 chicago fire documents added to bldg. 51 museum archive

the bldg. 51 museum recently acquired a historically important collection containing hundreds of 1871 chicago fire insurance claims, letters, city permits, flyers, and advertisements revolving around the dry good merchants, bowen, winslow, and hunt. 

countless hours have been spent sorting through and digitizing piles of ephemera that offer remarkable insight into the conflagration and its aftermath as seen through the eyes of these early chicago dry goods merchants. additionally, there is a plethora of hand-written accounts - communicated using some of the most visually attractive stationery - of other businessmen within the "burnt district" who lost everything to the point where they disappeared through bankruptcy and/or dissolved - seemingly overnight.

several original and amazingly intact flyers or "circulars" handed out or mailed to the clients of bowen, winslow, and hunt were used to request assistance settle accounts, and later announce to their patrons that they were back in business, albeit in temporary locations. these documents and several others - printed only days after the fire was struck, offers a firsthand account of resilience seen across the city as it set out to quickly rebuild among the ruins. 

several building permits and other related contracts from architects and builders or contractors who were streaming into chicago at a dizzying pace to take part in rebuilding the city's infrastructure, offer a great deal insight into the type of work being done within the burnt district, from the installation of sewage pipes, to the erection of both temporary shanties and masonry commercial blocks using any and all available resources. around this time artificial stone emerges as a cheap and practical alternative to ohio sandstone and joliet or lemont limestone, which for months after the fire, struggled to fulfill orders due to heightened demand when city blocks were beginning to be repopulated with commercial blocks housing many of the businesses that lost nearly everything during the fire. 

last, there is a sizable collection of nicely illustrated catalogs and brochures for architectural components (e.g., iron shutters) designed to make newly erected buildings more fire resistant. another group of brochures found, offered several examples of "fireproof" safes and vaults designed to protect valuables housed within the newly built buildings. 

note: the project is ongoing and will be updated accordingly.