What Happened On February 14th?

Love is always supposed to hang heavy on February 14th. But on Valentine’s Day in the year 1929, Chicago instead saw the complete opposite. In the ‘Windy City,” a gangland showdown like no other became a grim symbol of Prohibition-era America. As a ruthless power play, the ruthless execution claimed 7 lives.

For years, the contentious rivalry between the North Side Gang and Al Capone’s South Side Outfit made various parts of Chicago dangerous and unsafe. Streets became battlegrounds as gang members fought over bootlegging profits. On this Valentine’s Day in 1929, seven men were lured into a garage on North Clark Street under the pretense of a deal, but were actually met with cold-blooded killers disguised as police officers.

All of a sudden, tommy guns were sprayed rapidly, leaving five gang members, an associate, and an innocent mechanic sprawled on a bloodstained floor. “Bugs” Moran, the intended target, escaped by sheer luck, arriving late for the deadly rendezvous.

Besides the city of Chicago, the entire nation read newspapers in horror, and public outrage simmered. After recent recovery from the fire in 1871, the last thing that people needed in Chicago was more tragedy. More than just a gangland hit, the massacre became a moment where people all around the country became concerned about gang violence and their overall public safety.

Despite fervent investigations, no one was ever officially convicted. The lack of witnesses and concrete evidence covered the truth in a fog of whispers. Yet, the massacre reminds us of the violence that festered beneath the facade of the Roaring Twenties.

Questions, Comments, Concerns?

Not to takeaway the happiness and love that Valentine’s Day should bring, but this incident should remind us to be aware of our surroundings at all times.

On a lighter note, what are you doing for Valentine’s Day?!

If you don’t have any plans, check out more events below!