RARE 1871 Chicago and the Great Conflagration First Edition with Folding Map – Colbert & Chamberlin Illustrated Fire History

Published in the immediate aftermath of one of the most consequential disasters in American history, this rare 1871 first edition of Chicago and the Great Conflagration by Elias Colbert and Everett Chamberlin stands as both a historical record and a remarkable survivor.

Bound in its original publisher’s brown cloth with gilt and blind-stamped decoration, the volume retains its highly desirable and increasingly scarce folding map of Chicago — an extraordinary period cartographic record illustrating the city’s layout and devastation.

Produced the same year as the Great Fire itself, this work combines eyewitness reporting, historical analysis, and numerous engravings documenting the catastrophe that reshaped Chicago and influenced modern urban planning and fire safety.

The intact folding map is particularly significant, as many surviving examples are missing or damaged.

Details:

• Title: Chicago and the Great Conflagration
• Authors: Elias Colbert & Everett Chamberlin
• Publisher: J.S. Goodman & Company
• Year: 1871 (First Edition)
• Binding: Original decorated cloth
• Complete with folding map of Chicago
• Illustrated throughout

Condition:

An honest and attractive survivor with clear signs of age and authenticity.
Binding remains structurally sound with expected wear, rubbing, and age toning.
Interior pages show age toning and occasional spotting consistent with its age.
The folding map remains present and intact — a rare and highly desirable feature.

A compelling and increasingly scarce historical artifact from one of America's defining events.

Perfect for collectors of early Chicago history, disaster history, cartography, and important 19th-century American books.