The 9 Most Horrifying Disasters That Ever Happened In Illinois
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Laura
Author
Not to be a Debbie Downer, but some pretty bad stuff has happened in Illinois over the years. These things do happen. Luckily, they are anomalies. But we are going to look back at the nine worst tragedies that occurred in Illinois.
It all started with Mrs. O'Leary's cow--or so the legend goes. People don't really know the exact cause of the fire, but what they do know is that the fire raged for three days, wiping out much of the city.
In March of 1913, the Great Flood affected many states, including southern Illinois. Many towns were devastated, and many folks were left homeless.
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In 1915, the Eastland, a ship used for tours, rolled over while tied to a dock. In all, 844 people died. It was the deadliest shipwreck on the Great Lakes ever.
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The flu was an epidemic all over, but it hit Illinois very hard. 32,000 people died as a result.
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On February 14, 1929, 7 people were gunned down in Lincoln Park after being lined up and executed. The suspected perpetrator was none other than Al Capone.
In 1958, a fire broke out at Our Lady of Angels School in Chicago. It killed 92 children, as well as three nuns.
1909 was a tragic year for the town of Cherry, the site of a devastating mining tragedy. 259 men and boys died as a result.
In 1886, a group of workers assembled to protest. A some point, a bomb was thrown at police, who responded by firing wildly into the crowd. A dozen died and more than 100 were injured.
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Joseph Smith, in an attempt to get away from religious persecution, set up shop in Nauvoo. Unfortunately, he was arrested for treason and conspiracy. While in jail in Carthage, an angry mob stormed in, killing Smith and others.
What tragedies did we omit? Let us know in the comments.
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