Valentine’s Day is most often thought of as an age old cliche — a time of infatuation, gifts, and heartache. Historically, however, this was not always the case.

On February 14th, 1929, Chicagoans and their sweethearts were sent reeling into a state of confusion and fear. Sometime after, the day would become notoriously known as the Saint Valentine’s Day massacre. On the morning of Valentine’s Day 1929, six men affiliated with Chicago’s North Side Irish gang were brutally murdered in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. A panic broke out in the city as the bodies were found and the investigation began. Police quickly discovered that the execution-style murders were committed by those affiliated with the South Side Italian gang led by Al Capone

The massacre intensified the bitter rivalry between the North and South Side gangs. Over the decades, the site of the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre has been converted into a mere parking lot; however, bricks and items from the original building have been auctioned to various museums and buyers.

The Massacre remains a pivotal point in Chicago’s criminal gang history. So next time you’re celebrating a holiday, you may want to dig a little deeper into its history and famous occurrences; you may be surprised by what you find.