University founder Rev. Edward Sorin and the president at the time Rev. William Corby immediately planned for the rebuilding of the structure that had housed virtually the entire University . Donations for the rebuilding of the college came from the Congregation , alumni , people of Saint Mary 's College , South Bend , and Chicago ( where Notre Dame students had staged a benefit concert after the Chicago Fire of 1871 ) . General William Tecumseh Sherman , whose sons had attended Notre Dame , sent army tents and supplies for the emergency and Chicago mayor Carter Harrison Sr. presided over a fund-raising to benefit the new building . Maurice Francis Egan published his book '' Prelude : An Elegent Volume of Poems '' and donated the royalties to the building fund . The entire University administration and community engaged in fund raising throughout the summer of 1879 to replace the Main Building
Chicago Fire of 1871
Great Chicago Fire
Main Building (University of Notre Dame)