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Do you ever interact with Philadelphian's? And I mean born and raised Philadelphian's.... not suburbanites from Newtown. I have met some of the most down to earth honest hardworking people in my life here in Philadelphia. People who would donate a kidney to a neighbor.
Well, considering I was born and raised in the city, I'd say so.
Guy, I was using it as an example. Obviously I don't give a crap.
I know you were using it as an example because you were using it as an example. The part where you used it as an example is the part that's ridiculous.
I think Chicago would have a built environment more similar to Philadelphia if it hadn't burnt down. They basically got to start over from scratch, and they rebuilt their city like Philadelphia on steroids: an easily-navigable grid pattern with wider streets and more elbow room between buildings.
I think Chicago would have a built environment more similar to Philadelphia if it hadn't burnt down. They basically got to start over from scratch, and they rebuilt their city like Philadelphia on steroids: an easily-navigable grid pattern with wider streets and more elbow room between buildings.
I think you are overestimating how much of Chicago was destroyed in the fire; it wasn't that big of an area; but do agree the city would probably look drastically different than it does today, had the fire not happened.
I think Chicago would have a built environment more similar to Philadelphia if it hadn't burnt down. They basically got to start over from scratch, and they rebuilt their city like Philadelphia on steroids: an easily-navigable grid pattern with wider streets and more elbow room between buildings.
There are photos online of Chicago before and after the fire. I don't think Chicago and Philadelphia were really that similar before the fire. Chicago has more in common with DC and Old Toronto from a design and architectural standpoint, imo.
I think you are overestimating how much of Chicago was destroyed in the fire; it wasn't that big of an area; but do agree the city would probably look drastically different than it does today, had the fire not happened.
Edit: 3.3 sq miles were destroyed.
Less than 1/3 of the city was left homeless, and basically the street plan was the exact same one before the fire as after. I always forget what a small area actually burned. It's just so well known because it was the entire business district. The fire never really left the area bordered by Halsted, Armitage and the Loop. Today that would be thought of as a very smal area from downtown up to the near north side along the lakefront.
It did let the city rebuild the entire business district though, and that massive upshoot in development really pushed Chicago's economic engines and let it ride a massive wave of growth from the 1870's into the new century.
Cook County (basically the entire Chicago area up until the 1950's)
Less than 1/3 of the city was left homeless, and basically the street plan was the exact same one before the fire as after. I always forget what a small area actually burned. It's just so well known because it was the entire business district. The fire never really left the area bordered by Halsted, Armitage and the Loop. Today that would be thought of as a very smal area from downtown up to the near north side along the lakefront.
It did let the city rebuild the entire business district though, and that massive upshoot in development really pushed Chicago's economic engines and let it ride a massive wave of growth from the 1870's into the new century.
Cook County (basically the entire Chicago area up until the 1950's)
Where did you get that 1930 number, I thought Chicago's population peaked in 1950 at 3.6 million.
That 3.9 number is all of Cook County.
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