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fandomhigh2015-02-06 04:36 am
stillamthenight.livejournal.com) wrote in fandomhigh2015-02-06 04:36 am
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The Living City: Change and the Urban Environment, Friday, Period 3
"Today, we're talking about city that rose from the ashes of a fire to become something more than t had been before," Bruce said, kicking things off with some powerful phoenix imagery. Which is why he was talking about, "Chicago, for three days in October, 1871, suffered from what became known as the Great Chicago Fire. By the time it ended, 3.3 square miles of the city had burned down, including most of the business district. As a comparison, Lexington Park here on the mainland is approximately 5.6 square miles. A fire the size of Chicago's would have consumed nearly TWO THIRDS of Lexington Park."
"A third of the population was left homeless. 120 bodies were found, but it's likely that 300 people died in the fire. But once the fire was out, a city that was already known for building quickly decided to rebuild just as fast, but with a greater purpose."
"Roads were rebuilt, infrastructure was redeveloped, better construction was practiced, and development underwent new consideration," Bruce explained. "Chicago became the central railway hub of the nation, and a national leader in the meat, grain, lumber, and steel industries. Sears was the largest store in the country, and it was set up in Chicago."
"Within twenty-two years, while its population doubled, Chicago had reinvented itself into a city ready for the world's stage. In 1893, the World's Fair held a Columbian Exposition to mark the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus landing in the New World. In case you're nitpicking the fact that it was the 401st anniversary, you're missing the bigger picture in several ways."
"In anticipation of 27 million visitors from 46 countries, Chicago transformed itself. Fairgrounds were designed by Fredrick Law Olmsted, a man best known for designing New York's Central Park, the park system in Boston, the Niagara Reservation in Niagara Falls, and the parks around the United States Capitol Building. And under a plan by architect Daniel Burnham, two hundred new and mostly temporary buildings, primarily in the French Neoclassical style, were built."
"These buildings, finished with white stucco, stood out from the rest of the city to create what became widely known as the White City. It was frequently described as 'gleaming,' a word you probably won't ever hear in any other context for most of your lives, and certainly not about a city. This White City made such an impression that it's regarded as the beginning of the City Beautiful movement, which integrates landscaping with building as part of city planning. Years later, in 1909, long after all the temporary buildings from the White City were removed, deconstructed, or burnt down, Chicago came back to Daniel Burnham to create a new city plan. A permanent one this time, marking the first comprehensive modern American city plan."
"To recap, a city burned to the ground. In two decades, it rebuilt itself to the point where it could show off to the rest of the world. And from there, it gave itself a new identity and influenced other emerging modern cities. A few decades later Chicago of course became intrinsically tied in the public imagination to organized crime and, even later, basketball. But its greatest legacy is resilience leading to industry and creativity; rising from disaster to influence the rest of the world."
"And going back to the fire for just a moment. Today, at the site where the first started, stands the Chicago Fire Academy. Built in 1956, it goes to show that while it may take 22 years to built a gleaming city from disaster, it might take longer to build something both practical and ironic."
"Next week we'll visit the Columbian Exposition. Report here first if you wish to wear era appropriate dress. Options will be available to you. Otherwise, we'll meet at the Causeway and be on our way at the start of class."
"A third of the population was left homeless. 120 bodies were found, but it's likely that 300 people died in the fire. But once the fire was out, a city that was already known for building quickly decided to rebuild just as fast, but with a greater purpose."
"Roads were rebuilt, infrastructure was redeveloped, better construction was practiced, and development underwent new consideration," Bruce explained. "Chicago became the central railway hub of the nation, and a national leader in the meat, grain, lumber, and steel industries. Sears was the largest store in the country, and it was set up in Chicago."
"Within twenty-two years, while its population doubled, Chicago had reinvented itself into a city ready for the world's stage. In 1893, the World's Fair held a Columbian Exposition to mark the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus landing in the New World. In case you're nitpicking the fact that it was the 401st anniversary, you're missing the bigger picture in several ways."
"In anticipation of 27 million visitors from 46 countries, Chicago transformed itself. Fairgrounds were designed by Fredrick Law Olmsted, a man best known for designing New York's Central Park, the park system in Boston, the Niagara Reservation in Niagara Falls, and the parks around the United States Capitol Building. And under a plan by architect Daniel Burnham, two hundred new and mostly temporary buildings, primarily in the French Neoclassical style, were built."
"These buildings, finished with white stucco, stood out from the rest of the city to create what became widely known as the White City. It was frequently described as 'gleaming,' a word you probably won't ever hear in any other context for most of your lives, and certainly not about a city. This White City made such an impression that it's regarded as the beginning of the City Beautiful movement, which integrates landscaping with building as part of city planning. Years later, in 1909, long after all the temporary buildings from the White City were removed, deconstructed, or burnt down, Chicago came back to Daniel Burnham to create a new city plan. A permanent one this time, marking the first comprehensive modern American city plan."
"To recap, a city burned to the ground. In two decades, it rebuilt itself to the point where it could show off to the rest of the world. And from there, it gave itself a new identity and influenced other emerging modern cities. A few decades later Chicago of course became intrinsically tied in the public imagination to organized crime and, even later, basketball. But its greatest legacy is resilience leading to industry and creativity; rising from disaster to influence the rest of the world."
"And going back to the fire for just a moment. Today, at the site where the first started, stands the Chicago Fire Academy. Built in 1956, it goes to show that while it may take 22 years to built a gleaming city from disaster, it might take longer to build something both practical and ironic."
"Next week we'll visit the Columbian Exposition. Report here first if you wish to wear era appropriate dress. Options will be available to you. Otherwise, we'll meet at the Causeway and be on our way at the start of class."
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