The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 was a formative event in Chicago’s history and is represented by the second star on the city’s flag. Today, we’ll be looking at artifacts that melted in the fire and inquiring about what they may have been.

Diorama of the Chicago Fire at the Chicago History Museum. CHM, ICHi-066795

Who wants to be a history detective? Ask your kids to examine the images of melted artifacts and think about how they used to look. Then they can express their creativity when they make their own artifact. When your kids have finished, take a picture of their artifact and share it on social media! #CHMatHomeFamilies