The historic gate that commemorates the worst disaster in Chicago Fire Department history

The Union Stock Yard Gate

Twenty-one firefighters died in a single December morning in 1910, crushed by falling brick as they battled flames that lit up the Chicago sky for miles.

Their sacrifice happened steps from an ornate stone gate that had welcomed millions of cattle, hogs, and sheep since 1879.

Here’s what happened at this gate that still honors fallen heroes, and how their memorial lives on today.

The Iron Center Gate That Operated By Machinery

The middle part of the gate was made of iron. This heavy door moved upward using special machinery inside the gate structure. The lifting system allowed for smooth movement of both people and animals into the busy yards.

Workers controlled this equipment from a small room built into the gate. Yard police worked from offices in the south part of the gate. From there, they watched over one of Chicago’s busiest industrial zones.

Each day, thousands of cattle, hogs, and sheep passed through as the iron gate lifted to let them enter.

The Sherman Bull Sculpture Atop The Gate

A stone bull head sits above the main arch. This sculpture shows “Sherman,” a prize-winning bull named after one of the men who started the stockyards.

John B. Sherman helped create the Union Stock Yard and Transit Company in 1865. The bull that bears his name won the American Fat Stock show in 1878, just before the gate was finished.

Stone carvers worked this bull head into the limestone arch. The Sherman bull quickly became a symbol of Chicago’s meat industry. For almost 150 years, this stone bull has watched over all who pass beneath the gate.

How The Gate Survived The 1934 Stock Yards Fire

Fire tore through the Union Stock Yards on May 19, 1934. The blaze burned nearly 90 percent of the yards in just hours. The flames destroyed the Exchange Building, Stock Yard Inn, and many other structures.

Most wooden buildings turned to ash while metal parts melted. Only the limestone gate and nearby gatehouse survived the fire. These stone structures stood firm while everything around them burned.

The fire killed one worker and 8,000 cattle. The damage cost $6 million, a huge amount during the Great Depression.

The Connection To Burnham And Root Architectural Firm

Burnham and Root were famous for designing Chicago’s early skyscrapers, and their firm shaped much of the city’s skyline.

Daniel Burnham had married Margaret Sherman, daughter of John B. Sherman who founded the stockyards. This family tie likely helped them get the job to design the gate.

The architects created several buildings throughout the stockyards. None of their other work there survived the fires and later demolition.

Their limestone gate stands as their only lasting mark on the stockyards. Its strong design and solid materials helped it outlast the yards themselves.

When The Gatehouse Was Demolished

A large gatehouse once stood next to the main gate. This building served as police headquarters for the entire stockyards, and officers watched all coming and going from this spot at the main entrance.

The gatehouse survived the big 1934 fire alongside the gate, only to be torn down eventually. Now only the three-arched gate remains from the original entrance.

The 1970s Restoration Of The Gate

The Union Stock Yards shut down for good on July 30, 1971. After 106 years of non-stop work, the yards closed for good and bulldozers knocked down most buildings to make way for new businesses.

Fortunately, Chicago’s landmarks commission moved quickly to save the gate. Experts fixed up the limestone gate during the 1970s, and cleaned the dirty stone and fixed weak spots in the structure.

The 1972 Chicago Landmark Designation

Chicago made the Union Stock Yard Gate an official City Landmark on February 24, 1972. This happened just months after the stockyards stopped operating.

Workers put up a bronze plaque from the landmarks commission east of the gate. This marker tells visitors why the gate matters. The gate joined the National Register of Historic Places on December 27, 1972.

This federal listing gave the gate more protection. The landmark status meant the gate would stay standing for future generations. This protection came just in time, as much of the area was changing rapidly.

The 2004 Firefighters Memorial Addition

Workers built a memorial statue behind the Union Stock Yard Gate in 2004, a bronze sculpture shows firefighters fighting flames.

The memorial honors 21 firefighters who died in the 1910 Stock Yards fire, the worst firefighting disaster in Chicago’s history at the time. Chicago’s firefighters raised most of the $170,000 needed for the statue.

The Fallen 21 Plaque On The Gate

A plaque called “The Fallen 21” is attached to the Union Stock Yard Gate and tells the story of the 1910 fire tragedy. On December 22, 1910, a terrible fire killed 21 brave firefighters. A wall collapsed on many of them while they fought the blaze.

Until the September 11 attacks in 2001, this was the deadliest building collapse ever for American firefighters.

Visiting Union Stockyards Gate

You’ll find the Union Stock Yard Gate at 850 W. Exchange Avenue in Chicago’s South Side, at the intersection of Exchange Avenue and Peoria Street.

Take time to read the historical markers, view the Sherman bull sculpture above the arch, and visit the firefighters memorial.

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