About Chicago
A Timeline of Tragedies
The sinking of the S.S. Eastland in the Chicago River on July 24, 1915.
Tragedies often prompt media attention, governmental action and historical inquiry. This timeline features the more notable of such events in Chicago’s history. Links have been provided to city documents when available and to relevant articles in the Encyclopedia of Chicago. Further information on events can be found in online Chicago newspaper databases.
Northwestern University’s School of Law also offers a database of Homicide in Chicago 1870-1930 with details on specific murder cases during that time span.
Prior to 1850
| 1812: | Fort Dearborn Massacre |
| 1837-41, 1857-58: | Financial Panics |
| 1849-55, 1866-67: | Early Cholera Epidemics |
| 19th and Early 20th Century: | Other Epidemic Diseases |
1850 to 1899
| 1855, March-April: | Lager Beer Riots |
| 1863, November 3: | Rush Street Bridge Collapse |
| 1861-65: | Civil War (The Great Rebellion) |
| 1871, October 8-10: | Great Chicago Fire |
| 1886, May 4: | Haymarket Tragedy |
| 1890-94: | “H. H. Holmes,” serial killer |
| 1893: | Death of Mayor Carter Harrison Sr. |
| 1894: | Pullman Strike |
1900 to 1949
| 1903, December 30: | Iroquois Theater Fire |
| 1909, January 20: | Dunne (at 68th St) Water Crib Fire |
| 1910, December 22-23: | Chicago Stock Yards Fire |
| 1915, July 24: | Sinking of the Eastland |
| 1915, 1916: | Heat Waves |
| 1917-18: | World War I (The Great War) |
| 1918-19: | Influenza Epidemic |
| 1919, July 21: | Dirigible (Balloon) Crash |
| 1919: | Race Riots |
| 1929, February 14: | St. Valentine’s Day Massacre |
| 1933: | Death of Mayor Anton Cermak |
| 1937, May 30: | Memorial Day Incident, Strikers Killed at Republic Steel |
| 1941-45: | World War II |
1950 to 2000
| 1950, May 25: | Green Hornet Accident, Streetcar Collision with Gasoline Tanker |
| 1955: | Heat Wave |
| 1958: | Our Lady of Angels School Fire |
| 1961, 1967: | Tornadoes |
| 1966-77: | Riots |
| 1966: | Homicide Epidemic Onset |
| 1967, January 16: | McCormick Place Fire |
| 1967: | Major Snow Storm |
| 1968: | Disturbances at the Democratic National Convention |
| 1972, October 30: | Illinois Central Gulf Commuter Train Crash |
| 1972, December 8: | Crash of United Flight 553 at Midway |
| 1976, January 30: | Wincrest Nursing Home Fire |
| 1976: | Death of Mayor Richard J. Daley |
| 1977, February 4: | El Crash |
| 1979: | Major Snowstorm |
| 1979, May 25: | American Airlines Flight 191 |
| 1981: | AIDS Epidemic Onset |
| 1987, November 25: | Death of Mayor Harold Washington |
| 1992, April 13: | Freight Tunnel Flood |
| 1995: | Heat Wave |