Robert J. Quinn Chicago Fire Academy
558 W De Koven St,
Chicago, IL 60607
(Little Italy/University Village)
This is the only address on De Koven Street. This bright orange brick building sits at the northwest corner of Taylor and Jefferson streets. The Robert J. Quinn Fire Academy was built in 1961 on the site of Mrs. Catherine O’Leary’s barn, the supposed starting point of The Great Chicago Fire of 1871. That historic event is memorialized by Edgar Weiner’s 33-foot, abstract, bronze sculpture, “Pillar of Fire,” which sits outside. An artificial streetscape of fire escapes, windows, and chimneys used for mock firefighting exercises are inside the building. On the southeast side is a three-story wing for offices and classrooms. The site was designated a Chicago Landmark on September 15, 1971, 100 years after the fire.
The Great Chicago Fire is an historical event that inspired an entire library of literature, including excellent nonfiction accounts, collections of letters, and a sleuth of fictional titles for juveniles and adults. Edward Payson Roe’s novel Barriers Burned Away, published in 1872, was one of the first novels featuring a Chicago setting. In 1997, the Chicago City Council passed a resolution that cleared Mrs. O'Leary and her cow of any blame in the Great Chicago Fire; this after a lawyer at the Chicago Title Insurance Company published a paper that expressed extreme skepticism about the cow’s role. This legend existed for so many years (and to this day) because the cause of the fire is unknown, exactly. While Catherine O’Leary’s barn is almost surely the starting point, her poor cow Daisy took a bad rap. That cow inspired a bunch of songs and stories, including “Old Mother Leary,” a parody of the popular minstrel song, “They’ll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight” (1896). The Beach Boys (“Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow”), Johnny Horton (“O’Leary’s Cow”), and Welcome to Ashley (“Madame O’Leary”) piled on. YouTuber Rob Scallion and his team put out “Cate O’Leary, We’re Sorry” after the movement to clear the cow’s name took root.
This is the only address on De Koven Street. This bright orange brick building sits at the northwest corner of Taylor and Jefferson streets. The Robert J. Quinn Fire Academy was built in 1961 on the site of Mrs. Catherine O’Leary’s barn, the supposed starting point of The Great Chicago Fire of 1871. That historic event is memorialized by Edgar Weiner’s 33-foot, abstract, bronze sculpture, “Pillar of Fire,” which sits outside. An artificial streetscape of fire escapes, windows, and chimneys used for mock firefighting exercises are inside the building. On the southeast side is a three-story wing for offices and classrooms. The site was designated a Chicago Landmark on September 15, 1971, 100 years after the fire.
The Great Chicago Fire is an historical event that inspired an entire library of literature, including excellent nonfiction accounts, collections of letters, and a sleuth of fictional titles for juveniles and adults. Edward Payson Roe’s novel Barriers Burned Away, published in 1872, was one of the first novels featuring a Chicago setting. In 1997, the Chicago City Council passed a resolution that cleared Mrs. O'Leary and her cow of any blame in the Great Chicago Fire; this after a lawyer at the Chicago Title Insurance Company published a paper that expressed extreme skepticism about the cow’s role. This legend existed for so many years (and to this day) because the cause of the fire is unknown, exactly. While Catherine O’Leary’s barn is almost surely the starting point, her poor cow Daisy took a bad rap. That cow inspired a bunch of songs and stories, including “Old Mother Leary,” a parody of the popular minstrel song, “They’ll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight” (1896). The Beach Boys (“Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow”), Johnny Horton (“O’Leary’s Cow”), and Welcome to Ashley (“Madame O’Leary”) piled on. YouTuber Rob Scallion and his team put out “Cate O’Leary, We’re Sorry” after the movement to clear the cow’s name took root.
