1831 - Cyrus Hall McCormick of Virginia invents a machine that comes to be called "The Reaper," which doubles plantings where it is used.

Cyrus Hall McCormick

1834 - McCormick patents the reaper and starts to sell copies from his home.

1846 - Less than 100 Reapers have been sold. McCormick meets Sen. Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois and visits the state.

1847 - Mr. McCormick relocates to Chicago and builds a factory (at the river, east of Rush Street) to mass-produce reapers. William Ogden (Chicago's first mayor) is McCormick's first investor.

1860 - Over 4000 reapers are built at McCormick Reaper Works.

1866 - National Labor Union passes a resolution that calls for an 8 hour work day.

1867 - Illinois passes an 8 hour work day law. It is ignored by employers.

1871 - McCormick Reaper Works is destroyed in the Great Fire. McCormick is in New York, but returns to rebuild a larger factory.

A copy of a photo of the McCormick Reaper Works during the Chicago Fire

Looking to the east of Rush Street from the south side of the river, today

1871 (post fire) - New McCormick Reaper Works is built in Canalport, at roughly 26th Street and Blue Island.

Entrance to the McCormick Reaper Works

McCormick Reaper Works

A stitched together shot - sorry for the 'ghost cars' - of the corner at 26th and Blue Island, today - I do not believe that any part of McCormick's (or International Harvester's) Reaper or Tractor Works is still standing - it closed in 1961.

1878 - Albert Parsons is made secretary of the Eight Hour League of Chicago.

1884 - McCormick, known for not smoking, drinking or cursing, and for his activity in Presbyterian causes and Democratic politics, passes away. His last words are, "Work, work, work!" Cyrus Hall McCormick, Jr. takes over the running of the company.

1884 - The Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Union announces a goal: Beginning May 1, 1886, 8 hours will constitute a legal day of work.

Exact Date Unknown - McCormick, Jr. begins mechanization - iron molding. The strongest of unions was the Iron Molders Union (largely Irish). The workers went on strike, and were largely supported by German and Bohemian Anarchists and Socialists

1886 - May 1 - 100,000 Americans strike for 8 hour work days. It is a peaceful day of protest in Chicago.

1886 - May 3 - August Spies speaks to demonstrators; police attack with clubs and bullets. Two demonstrators are killed.

The riot at McCormick Reaper Works

1886 - May 3 (continued) - August Spies witnesses the killing, races to his office on Wells Street, and writes a protest. He says to put a banner on it and circulate it in the morning. The unfortunate banner that is selected is "REVENGE." Another circular called a rally at Haymarket Square. Leaders of the 8 Hour Day movement meet - this is later called "The Monday Night Conspiracy" by prosecutors.

1886 - May 4 - Mayor Carter Harrison attends the rally and ensures that he is seen, so that things will remain peaceful. Police Captain Bonfield approaches the Mayor and asks what should be done with 'the rabble.' Harrison directs him to allow them to speak, since things are peaceful, and the crowd is small. Harrison goes home. Bonfield does send some of his police away. Parsons has left the rally.

During the earlier stages of the rally

Samuel Fielden is the last speaker, and he recalls the men killed at the McCormick Reaper Works. Bonfield considers him inflammatory and orders his men to march as Fielden is winding down his speech. Bonfield demands the rally to disperse. Fielden protests, "But we are peaceable." As the police continue to march, a bomb is thrown from the shadows.

In the riot that breaks out, seven police are killed - mostly by fire from other policemen. Learning of the violence after his departure, Parsons takes a train for Geneva, Illinois. The Chicago Times calls the workers, "rag-tag and bobtail cutthroats of Beelzebub from the Rhine, the Danube, the Vistula and the Elbe."

Officer Degan, killed by the bomb.

The following are photos of Haymarket Square, today:

A statue erected in 2004. (The location was made a Chicago Landmark in 1992.) Statue is by Chicago Artist Mary Brogger. It is located in the spot of the wagon which was used as a podium at the Haymarket Rally.

Plaques on the statue read:

SITE OF THE HAYMARKET TRAGEDY On the evening of May 4th, 1886, a tragedy of international significance unfolded on this site in Chicago's Haymarket produce district. An outdoor meeting had been hastily organized by anarchist activists to protest the violent death of workers during a labor lockout the previous day in another area of the city. Spectators gathered in the street as speakers addressed political, social, and labor issues from atop a wagon that stood at the location of this monument. When approximately 175 policemen approached with an order to disperse the meeting, a dynamite bomb was thrown into their ranks. The identity and affiliation of the person who threw the bomb have never been determined, but this anonymous act had many victims. From the blast and panic that followed, seven policemen and at least four civilian bystanders lost their lives, but victims of the incident were not limited to those who died as a result of the bombing. In the aftermath, the people who organized and spoke at the meeting, and others who held unpopular political viewpoints were arrested and unfairly tried, even though none could be tied to the bombing itself. Meeting organizers George Engle and Adolph Fischer, along with speakers August Spies and Albert Parsons were put to death by hanging. Activist Louis Lingg died violently in jail prior to his scheduled execution. Meeting speaker Samuel Fielden, and activists Oscar Neebe and Michaile Schwab were sentenced to prison, but later pardoned in 1893 by Illinois Governor John Peter Altgeld, citing the injustices of their trial. Over the years, the site of the Haymarket bombing has become a powerfuls symbol for a diverse cross-section of people, ideals and movements. Its significance touches on the issues of free speech, the right of public assembly, organized labor, the fight for the eight-hour work day, law enforcement, justice, anarchy, and the right of every human being to pursue an equitable and prosperous life. For all, it is a poignant lesson in the rewards and consequences in such human pursuits.

The statue has been updated with "official" updates

And with more spur-of-the-moment types:

Per one map I saw, the bomb thrower stood approximately where this lamp post is today

And threw the bomb in this direction

Haymarket 2 will be about the accused, the trial, and the first monument erected on the Haymarket site. Haymarket 3 will be about the Haymarket Martyrs Memorial.