My Grandfather, Henry Mangen lived his entire life in Chicago. What significant events occurred in Chicago during that time? I compiled a list of some events and put it in a timeline below.
A few of the highlights include:
- Reversing the flow of the Chicago River in 1900. It was done by building canal locks that reversed the flow from Lake Michigan and sending it to a Sanitation canal. There was a sewage problem and at one point the river was referred to as the stink river. In 1999, this was named the Civil Engineering Monument of the Millennium.
- Iroquois Theater Fire is the deadliest theater fire killing 602 people.
- My Grandfather was a White Sox fan and there are 3 events that he would have been aware of. Comiskey Park opened, White Sox won the World Series and the Black Sox scandal. Eight players were accused of intentionally losing the World Series for money from a gambling syndicate.
From Wiki - Midway Airport opened. In 1931 there were an average of 206 departures in one week. In 2018, one airline that control 34/43 gates, has 234 departures in one day.
- St Valentines Day Massacre occurred in which 7 members of George “Bugs” Moran’s North Side gang were killed by Al Capone’s South Side gang.
- World’s Fair in which I know Henry took his family to this.

Next I’ll take a look at Henry’s siblings.
Genealogy Line
Henry Mangen – Grandfather
Florence Mangen – Mother
Wikipedia contributors. “Chicago River.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 17 Nov. 2018. Web. 28 Nov. 2018.
Wikipedia contributors. “Iroquois Theatre fire.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 30 Sep. 2018. Web. 28 Nov. 2018.
Wikipedia contributors. “Black Sox Scandal.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 27 Nov. 2018. Web. 28 Nov. 2018.
Wikipedia contributors. “Midway International Airport.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 26 Nov. 2018. Web. 28 Nov. 2018.
Wikipedia contributors. “Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 25 Nov. 2018. Web. 28 Nov. 2018.
Wikipedia contributors. “Century of Progress.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 23 Nov. 2018. Web. 28 Nov. 2018.