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 in its wake and caused an estimated at $20 million in losses and damages.
In this image taken after the fire, a man sits leaning against a safe, apparently guarding it from looters in the wake of the destruction.
SHS category: Fire - 1889
ID Number: SHS511
Date: 1889
Physical Description: 1 photographic print mounted on cardboard: b&w ; 7.5 x 9.5 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.
