The Great Boston Fire of 1872 was Boston's largest urban fire, and still ranks as one of the most costly fire-related property losses in American history.
The conflagration began at 7:20 p.m. on November 9, 1872, in the basement of a commercial warehouse at 83-87 Summer Street.
The fire was finally contained 12 hours later, after it had consumed about 65 acres (26 ha) of Boston's downtown, 776 buildings and much of the financial district, and caused $73.5 million in damage. At least 30 people are known to have died in the fire.
Here a collection of 46 vintage photos showing the terrible ruins of buildings in Boston after the fire.
(Photos: Boston Public Library)
The conflagration began at 7:20 p.m. on November 9, 1872, in the basement of a commercial warehouse at 83-87 Summer Street.
The fire was finally contained 12 hours later, after it had consumed about 65 acres (26 ha) of Boston's downtown, 776 buildings and much of the financial district, and caused $73.5 million in damage. At least 30 people are known to have died in the fire.
Here a collection of 46 vintage photos showing the terrible ruins of buildings in Boston after the fire.
 |
| Photographic panorama of the 'Burnt District' of Boston, after the Great Fire, November 9, 10, 1872 |
 |
| Post office building after the fire |
 |
| Post office from Milk Street |
 |
| Post office on left |
 |
| Rear of old post office |
 |
| Remains of Claflin Larrabee building |
 |
| Remains of Donahoes block, Franklin St. |
 |
| Ruins of Centaur Liniment near City Hall |
 |
| Ruins of the Great Fire |
 |
| Ruins of Trinity Church, Old South Church, new post office |
 |
| Sargent Brothers' store, Winthrop Square |
 |
| State St. block, Pearl St. walls, Sailors' Home |
 |
| Summer St. cor. Washington |
 |
| Summer Street south side, looking toward Broad St. |
 |
| Trinity Church |
 |
| Washington St. looking north |
 |
| Washington St. north from Winter (Old South Meeting House in background) |
 |
| Washington St., east side |
 |
| Bachelder's Wharf, Federal St. |
 |
| Bank of North America |
 |
| Boston in ruins |
 |
| Building remains |
 |
| Burr, Taft & Co. Devonshire St. |
 |
| Cor. High and Summer St. |
 |
| Cor. Pearl & Milk St. to Oliver |
 |
| Cor. Washington & Milk St. |
 |
| Corner of High and Summer Streets |
 |
| Corner of Milk and Federal Streets |
 |
| Federal St. (H. M. Williams 42 India St.) |
 |
| Federal St. (post office . . . fire engine) |
 |
| Federal Street, Hunt and Company |
 |
| Franklin St. (Old South Meeting House in background, tents and men in foreground) |
 |
| Franklin St. north side |
 |
| Franklin St. |
 |
| From the Sailors' Home (Fort Hill) |
 |
| Looking up Milk St. to Washington |
 |
| Milk St. (edge of burned area) |
 |
| Milk St. edge of fire |
 |
| Milk St. looking north |
 |
| New post office, Milk St. |
 |
| On Milk St. |
 |
| Part of Boston Harbor and Summer St. |
 |
| Part of the view of a panorama of Fire |
 |
| Pearl and Milk Streets looking southwest. |
 |
| Pearl St. (with people) |
 |
| Liberty Square, Water Street, cor. Kilby Street, facing State Street. Claflin Guards, Newton, Co. C., 1st Regt., Mass Militia |
(Photos: Boston Public Library)
0 comments:
Post a Comment