Although the Great Chicago Fire leveled almost 3 square miles of the downtown area in 1871, destroying lives and property, it did clear the stage for Chicago's emergence as the country's second city. Because the industrial base remained intact, local businessmen could afford to finance the massive rebuilding that ensued. Architects and engineers from around the nation addressed the city's need for immediate and generous office space by creating the first skyscrapers. Building innovations continued in Chicago well into the 20th century, as architects sought to follow in the footsteps of those pioneers. This section guides you to the best of the early buildings and the many that followed.
Rival Revivals: Architectural Styles in the Late 19th Century
During the latter half of the 19th century, several architectural styles -- including Romanesque Revival, Gothic Revival, Italianate, Renaissance Revival, Second Empire, and even the exotic Moorish and Egyptian revivals -- existed in Chicago. What these styles share is a certain eclecticism and picturesque quality. Midcentury architects reasoned that no age had produced the perfect architectural expression, so why not borrow freely from the best of the past and even mix different styles on the same building?
Although some of these styles were popular, none became dominant. In the 1870s, technological advancements and imaginative design came together in Chicago to create the world's first skyscrapers -- the style that would one day dominate America's downtowns.
Fragments of Chicago's Past
For a glimpse of the city's past, head to the Art Institute of Chicago, where you'll find a permanent installation of architectural fragments on the second floor. On the museum's east side, there's a reconstruction of the Trading Room from Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan's demolished Chicago Stock Exchange, which includes beautifully stenciled wallpaper designed by Sullivan. More architectural fragments are embedded in the base of the Tribune Tower, at 435 N. Michigan Ave.
Field Study
To learn more about Chicago's architecture, take a tour by foot, boat, or bus with the Chicago Architecture Foundation.
