Historic Blizzard Of 1967 Dumped Record 23 Inches

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CHICAGO (CBS) -- Wednesday's extreme cold is certainly rough to deal with, but it's probably still better than facing the historic blizzard that slammed Chicago 55 years ago today.

On Jan. 26, 1967, snow started falling on Chicago, and didn't stop until more than a day later, after there were 23 inches on the ground. It's the worst snowstorm on record in Chicago.

This Jan. 30, 1967 photo shows abandoned autos littering South Lake Shore Drive near the 18th Street footbridge, hampering cleanup. This view looks north onto the southbound lanes of South Lake Shore Drive with the City in the background. (Credit: Ralph Arvidson/Chicago Sun-Times)

People went to work and school like normal that morning, but by noon eight inches of snow were on the ground, shutting down O'Hare International Airport.

Some businesses and schools let out early, but cars and buses got stranded in the heavy snow.

This was taken during the 1967 snow at the corner of Erie and Fairbanks when I was Staff Photographer at CBS2. (Credit: Thanks Donald Smetzer) Send Us Your Photos At 780photos@gmail.com

About 800 CTA buses and 50,000 cars were abandoned on city streets and expressways.

The city didn't really dig out until two days later, thanks to a workforce of 2,500 people, and 500 pieces of equipment to clear streets.

This was taken during the 1967 snow at the corner of Erie and Fairbanks when I was Staff Photographer at CBS2. (Credit: Thanks Donald Smetzer) Send Us Your Photos At 780photos@gmail.com

A total of 26 Chicagoans lost their lives, including a man run over by a snow plow and a girl caught in crossfire between police and looters.

Schools cancelled classes for days as the city tried to return to some semblance of normalcy.

This was taken during the 1967 snow at the corner of Erie and Fairbanks when I was Staff Photographer at CBS2. (Credit: Thanks Donald Smetzer) Send Us Your Photos At 780photos@gmail.com

Kids made snow forts and jumped from windows and rooftops onto massive snow drifts, while parents worried about making sure their families had enough food.

Fortunately, snow removal is a lot of different now than it was then.

The main difference is technology, of course

But back then, the city didn't have more than a 1,000 remote cameras helping officials more effectively direct snow trucks. Also, snow trucks did not have GPS systems, cell phones, and automatic transmissions.