presenting the show historian ed aers, peter ohenough at the public radio show and podcast back story with the american history guys. >> are you ready, guys? >> ready. >> all right. >> on the air, dude. >> major production support for back story was provided by the national endowment for the humanities. ♪ >> from the virginia foundation for humanities, this is "back story." >> it's october 8th, 1871, we're in chicago. and the fire is spreading. it's a horrible fire. nobody's exactly shu how it started. it started on the west side of chicago, but it's spreading incredibly quickly. and before long, the central district is aflame, and by the end of two days, 300 people are dead and 100,000 people are left homeless. >> in the weeks following the great chicago fire, people all over the country rally to help the great city. businessmen in places like boston and new york and cincinnati send food and clothing and money. and chicago's kneeby neighbor to the north, the city of milwaukee, also pitches in. but it sends something else, something that comes with that special milwaukee flavor. ♪ >>