Lincoln Park's porch collapse killed 13 people and injured more than 50 people

This is what happened in the Chicago area on June 29, according to the Tribune archives.

Are there any important events missing from this date? Send us an email.

Weather Records (From the Chicago National Weather Service)

• high temperature: 97 degrees (1954)

• Low temperature: 48 degrees (1989)

• precipitation: 2.81 inches (1933)

1889: The annexation resulted in Chicago's acquisition of 131 acres of land and more than 220,000 residents, making it the second largest city in the United States. There are 1.1 million residents in total, ranking second only to New York in the population.

The latest census data show that immigration has driven population growth in the Chicago area and Cook County.

Chicago – Napoleonville – Elgin Metropolitan Area is the third largest county, and Cook County is the second largest in the country.

1996: The soldiers fields were stuffy, with 69,000 men singing and shouting at the Promise Guardians’ first ever contest in Chicago.

2003: At a balcony porch party at an apartment building in 713 W. Wrightwood Ave., a third-floor porch holds party members to give way, sink into the second-floor porch below, and then pour it into the ground floor. 13 people died and more than 50 were injured at the scene just a few steps from Depaul University.

Although the city initially blamed overcrowding, it was later accused that the porch on Wrightwood buildings was larger than allowed codes, improperly built without permission. However, construction inspectors never cite these violations before they crash.

After the collapse, the victim’s family and injured survivors filed lawsuits against property owners, managers, porch contractors and the city, with the last state appeals court not liable for the last ruling. The lawsuit ended up a settlement with the property's insurance company, which totaled $16.6 million.

The city also fined the property owner $108,000 and the porch contractor $25,000. It clarified and strengthened building regulations and initiated inspections. Officials created 311 service request codes for porch complaints and developed a policy to inspect porch year-round rather than seasonal ones.

2006: Northwestern coach Randy Walker died of a heart attack at the age of 52. When he felt chest pain, he was at Wilmette's home at about 10 p.m. He was taken to Evanston Hospital but could not be resurrected.

Pat Fitzgerald was appointed head coach on July 7, 2006.

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