During the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, ‘Chicago patrolman Richard Bellinger worked valiantly to ensure his family’s cottage could endure the fire that was ravaging a vast stretch of the city.’
“He succeeded, and the Bellinger cottage on Hudson Street became a legendary piece of Chicago history, one of few buildings that survived a catastrophe that destroyed about 17,450 structures.
“The latest work on that legendary cottage on Hudson Street wasn’t anywhere near as heroic, but it did make the house more livable for a family, ensuring its longevity as a home, not just a landmark.
“‘We transformed it into something that’s more pleasant and livable for a modern family,’ said Kristal Herr, an advertising executive who bought the house in 2022 with her marketing exec husband, Brian Herr, for $2.25 million.
“They were moving from New York to Chicago with their two daughters, who are now 6 and 7 years old, and while they appreciated the home’s history — the girls enjoy telling people who stop out front that their house survived the Great Chicago Fire — it had a problem…[It] wasn’t with the historical facade or front rooms, but with a 2005 addition off the back that resulted in the living spaces being on five different levels.’ So they made renovations to ‘make everything work.’
“The exterior is what most people who drop by the landmark see, and that’s believed to closely resemble the original. Hooded windows, carved wood brackets supporting the roof overhang and multiple shingle patterns retain the charm of the late 1860s, when the house was built.
“On Oct. 8, 1871, when they got word of the cataclysmic fire, Bellinger and his brother-in-law, who also goes unnamed in the histories, created a defensible zone around the house by ripping out the wood sidewalk and fence, and got water from a nearby ditch to wet down the roof for protection from falling embers. Bellinger reportedly stood on the roof extinguishing any flareups. It was the only house on the block that survived.
“After the fire, a legend sprung up that the Bellingers protected their roof with cider from barrels they had in the basement. The story even showed up in history books, but in 1915, according to old Chicago Tribune reports, Mrs. Bellinger extinguished the legend. Even so, like the long-debunked tale of Mrs. O’Leary’s cow, the cider tale has stuck with the house.” (Rodkin, Crain’s, 10/8/24)
Read the full story at Crain’s Chicago Business
- A legendary survivor of the Great Chicago Fire is revamped for the modern era, Dennis Rodkin, Crain’s Chicago Business, 10/8/24
- A rare survivor of the Great Chicago Fire is for sale; One of few buildings left standing in the path of the conflagration of 1871, the legendary Bellinger Cottage has been expanded in the 21st century to include four bedrooms, a big kitchen and an attached garage, Dennis Rodkin, Crain’s Chicago Business, 3/3/22