A lot of the architectural history of Chicago is owed to the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Or more specifically, to the rebuilding effort that came after the fire. The city quickly banned wooden buildings within the city limits, which put a real damper on single-family homes, especially for immigrant workers without the means to rebuild with brick or stone. Consequently, the inner city became a business district, while workers built the wooden homes they could afford in the suburbs. Those 19th century suburbs are now part of Chicago.
The years after the fire saw thousands of "workers cottages" spring up, using similar plans and architecture to make mass production easier. Chicago authorities, developers, and employers encouraged home ownership among immigrant workers as a means of "civilizing" them and to keep them working in the city. These workers cottages typically had a front-facing gable and an off-center front door on a 25 x 125 foot lot. But that was more than 100 years ago. Over time, these homes were upgraded, expanded, and painted various colors to personalize them, while they still display a historic and recognizable design. Read the history of this unique Chicago home style at Bloomberg. -via Nag on the Lake
(Image credit: Colin J Bird)
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