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. In this image men pose in front of a tent set up after the fire during regrading operations, in which streets were raised up to 22 feet in places, helping to level the hilly city. The house on the right edge of the frame belonged to Jacob Furth and was located at 402 Ninth Avenue, near the present day site of Harborview Hospital. Jacob Furth (1840-1914) was a key developer of Seattle's public transportation and electric power infrastructure, as well as the founder of Puget Sound National Bank of Seattle. He was known to put the city before his own business interests, loaning money to those in need during the crisis of the Great Fire of 1889 and at other times.
Caption information source: https://www.Seattle.gov/cityarchives/exhibits-and-education/digital-document-libraries/the-great-Seattle-fire-of-1889 Caption information source: The Seattle Daily Times, June 3, 1914, page 1
ID Number: SHS1359
Date: 1889
Physical Description: 1 photographic print mounted on cardboard: b&w ; 4.25 x 7.5 in.
Additional Information: Digital copy of this item available thanks to funding from a 2016 Institute for Museum and Library Services grant. Metadata updated as part of a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services administered by the Library Services and Technology Act, through the Washington State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State.
