Here’s a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on July 23, according to the Tribune’s archives.
Is an important event missing from this date? Email us.
Front page flashback: July 24, 1984
1984: Seventeen people died in an explosion and fire at the Union Oil Co. refinery in Romeoville.
The explosion stemmed from a vapor leak in the tower that was processing crude oil into commercial gasoline. The leak caused an explosion that blew away the top 45 feet of the tower, called a vessel.
The fire burned for more than a day and caused millions of dollars in property damage.
Weather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago)
- High temperature: 99 degrees (1914)
- Low temperature: 51 degrees (1947)
- Precipitation: 6.86 inches (2011)
- Snowfall: Trace (2024)
1877: A rail strike that started in West Virginia grew into a national struggle between industrialists and workers, with Chicago a hotbed of the dispute. Workers demanding the eight-hour day clashed violently with police, militia and even U.S. infantry.
The Chicago Times noted that the largely immigrant mob included women — “Bohemian Amazons” wielding clubs in their “brawny arms.” The more heavily armed authorities killed 30 protesters in the fighting, which included an incident known as “The Battle of the Viaduct” because it occurred at a viaduct at 16th and Halsted streets.
Vintage Chicago Tribune: From horseless carriages to cougars, revisiting the Chicago Auto Show
1903: E. Pfennig, a Chicago physician, bought Ford’s first Model A for $850. His check, deposited July 15, helped the new company, whose finances were $223.65 at the time.
1922: The Lincoln Park Boat Club swept the top rowing events in the first annual Chicago Water Carnival, which was sponsored by the Tribune.
1925: Chicago’s Union Station held its grand opening.
There were formal and casual dining facilities, staffed by the famed Harvey Girls, who waited on tables in what is considered the nation’s first restaurant chain at train stations across the country.
The Woman’s Waiting Room had stairs leading down to a nursery. A doctor, a nurse and a matron were present at all times.
There were two jail cells for offenders being taken to prison, a morgue for travelers who died on a train and a chapel for those feeling spiritually needy. One hospital handled customers’ medical emergencies. Another cared for railroad employees.
1975: The City Council passed “Burke’s Law,” an ordinance proposed by the 14th Ward alderman that outlawed nudity in massage parlors. The nickname was inspired by a popular television detective show from that time.
Arlington International Racecourse: History of one of the ‘world’s most beautiful racetracks’
1981: Gov. James Thompson signed a bill into law allowing wagering on out-of-state races. Arlington Park became the first Illinois track to use the new bill when it simulcast the Travelers Stakes late that summer.
2009: Chicago White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle threw a perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays. The White Sox won 5-0. It was also the 18th perfect game in major-league history.
White Sox pitchers have thrown more no-hitters than any other American League team.
Want more vintage Chicago?
Subscribe to the free Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter, join our Chicagoland history Facebook group, stay current with Today in Chicago History and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicago’s past.
Have an idea for Vintage Chicago Tribune? Share it with Kori Rumore and Marianne Mather at krumore@chicagotribune.com and mmather@chicagotribune.com
