What would you say the most important thing in Chicago’s history is? Some would say the telephone or the skyscraper, but these things as we know them wouldn’t even exist without the telegraph. The telegraph first came to Chicago in 1848, and from then on was a very important contribution to the history of Chicago. Without it, many buildings would have burned during the Great Chicago Fire as the mayor of Chicago asked for supplies from Milwaukee with the telegraph. Due to this important invention, many buildings were saved because of quick and easy communication. Chicago quickly became a center for communication, and without the telegraph, this essay wouldn’t even be possible. Although some people believe that the skyscraper is an important invention in Chicago’s history because it led to the iconic design of Chicago, the telegraph is more important in Chicago’s history because it built up Chicago as a center for communication, was a base for more modern communication, and led to easier collaboration between people for other important things, such as construction and local events. Without the telegraph, Chicago would not be as big of a city as it is today. By the 1880’s, Chicago was the second-largest city …show more content…
With the telegraph, people in Chicago could communicate with people all the way in the East Coast almost instantly (The History of the Telegraph in Chicago, Illinois). Before, messages would have to be sent by horse-back and would take days or even weeks to get from one place to another. This instant communication allowed for easier and more efficient collaboration between multiple parties for projects, events, construction, and more. This sped up the process of Chicago’s improvement and construction. Even during the Great Chicago Fire in 1871, a telegram sent from the mayor of Chicago brought fire-fighting equipment from Milwaukee (The History of the Telegraph in Chicago,