141 results for: Great Seattle Fire (1889)
Photograph
Men inside Dexter Horton Bank, Seattle, 1882
In 1870 Seattle pioneer Dexter Horton (1825-1904) opened the first business in Seattle dedicated to serving as a bank. Dexter Horton Bank was one of the corporate ancestors of Seattle First National Bank, which eventually merged into the Bank of America.This image taken of the interior of the Dexter Horton Bank at the northwest corner of Commercial Street (First Avenue…
ID Number:SHS338
Date:1882
Photograph
Waterfront from Beacon Hill, Seattle, circa 1898
The area south of downtown Seattle was originally made up of tidal flats; soil dredged from the Duwamish River and sluiced from the Denny triangle and Beacon Hill regrades was used to create this industrial area needed by area businesses and railroads. This image, taken between 1890-1900, shows what much of Seattle's waterfront looked like before the tidal flats were…
ID Number:SHS462
Date:Circa 1898
Photograph
Photo of map of Seattle before fire, 1889
Seattle in the 1880s was a rapidly growing city, aided in no small part by the 1883 connection with the Northern Pacific Railway Company. Lumber and coal were the primary industries, but the growth of fishing, wholesale trade, shipbuilding, and shipping also contributed to the town's economic expansion and population growth. The Seattle City Census of 1888 records population at…
ID Number:SHS483B
Date:1889
Photograph
Ruins of Dexter Horton Bank building after Great Fire, Seattle, June 1889
The Dexter Horton building was historical even in 1889. It was Seattle's first brick building, and it was the home of Washington Territory's first certified bank. After the 1889 fire destroyed the roof and interior, the bank's owners set up a temporary bank in the renovated ruins. At the same time, they started planning a large new building for the…
ID Number:SHS507
Date:1889
Photograph
Man guarding a safe after Great Seattle Fire, June 6, 1889
The Great Fire of June 6, 1889 was a significant turning point in Seattle's history and changed both the physical and political landscapes of the city. The fire started at 2:30 p.m. in a shop at Front Street (now First Avenue) and Madison Street and swept across 100 acres of Seattle's business district and waterfront. The fire left little standing…
ID Number:SHS511
Date:1889
Photograph
Businesses on Second Avenue after the Great Fire, Seattle, July 1889
Seattle's Great Fire, June 6, 1889, burned its way northwards to roughly Spring Street and Second Avenue. By July, businesses throughout the burned-out area had reopened in tents, houses, or wherever they could find space. This July 1889 image shows Second Avenue north of Spring Street. The large sign at the left boldly promotes "Tents Signs Printed Anytime". Signs visible…
ID Number:SHS514A
Date:1889
Photograph
Crowd watching parade on Madison Street, Seattle, May 30, 1884
In this photo, crowds line the dirt road along Front Street (now First Avenue) to watch the approaching parade, probably in honor of Memorial Day. The sign leading underground at lower left reads "People's Chop House. Meals At All Hours. 25 cents".This view looks north on Front Street from Madison Street, and all the buildings seen here would be destroyed…
ID Number:SHS675
Date:1884
Photograph
National Guard of Washington officers posing after the fire, Seattle, June 1889
The Great Fire of June 6, 1889 was a significant turning point in Seattle's history and changed both the physical and political landscapes of the City. 100 acres of Seattle's business district and waterfront were destroyed. The burned areas were guarded and patrolled by members of the Washington National Guard from Seattle, Tacoma, and Port Townsend until June 11, 1889.…
ID Number:SHS685
Date:1889
Photograph
Firemen posing outside Seattle Fire Department, November 1889
The creation of the Seattle Fire Department (SFD) can be traced back to July 6th, 1876, when the all-volunteer Seattle Engine Company No.1 was organized. In 1883, the City Charter was amended to create and fund equipment, but not staff, for a centralized municipal fire department. The volunteer-based system persisted until pressure from the insurance industry and citizens after the…
ID Number:SHS700
Date:1889
Photograph
Great Seattle Fire burning at waterfront, June 6, 1889
The Great Fire of June 6, 1889 was a significant turning point in Seattle's history and changed both the physical and political landscapes of the City. The fire started at 2:30 p.m. in a paint and woodwork shop at Front and Madison and over the course of the next 18 hours swept a southward across 100 acres of Seattle's business…
ID Number:SHS708A
Date:1889