HomeCollections and ResearchThemed CollectionsThe Great Seattle Fire of 1889

The Great Seattle Fire of 1889

Logos of the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Washington State Library.

On June 6, 1889, a simple carpenter’s glue pot in a cabinet shop boiled over, and the foamy mass on the stovetop ignited wood shavings and containers of paint and turpentine. In moments, the building at the corner of Madison and Front Street (now First Avenue) was in flames. Over the course of the next 18 hours, the fire swept southward across over 100 acres of Seattle’s business district and waterfront, decimating buildings, docks, and wooden sidewalks. Just three weeks after the fire, the Seattle City Council passed the city’s first comprehensive building code, and new stone or brick buildings were soon constructed on top of the fire’s remains.

Some of the items shown below were added to MOHAI’s online collection thanks to a grant supported with funding provided by the federal 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.

Image of Revolver burned in the Great Seattle Fire, 1889
Image of Seattle Fire Department employees, wagons, and engine houses, 1898
Image of Pitcher picked up after Seattle Fire, ca. 1880s
Image of Moses R. Maddocks posing in studio, Seattle, circa 1875
Image of Fireman's belt worn by Josiah Collins, 1885-1895
Image of Susan Maddocks posing in a studio, Seattle, circa 1875
Image of Melted wine glasses from the Seattle Fire of 1889
Image of Bird's-eye view of Seattle, 1879
Image of Fire chief's hat worn by Seattle Fire Chief Josiah Collins, ca. 1880s
Image of Letter from Henry McClure after Great Seattle Fire, June 7, 1889
Image of China pitcher that burned in the Seattle Fire of 1889
Image of Orion Denny and John Pritchard outside Denny Clay Mine, Taylor, circa 1895
Image of Leather fire bucket, ca. 1889
Image of Queen City Hose Team members posing for tournament, 1889
Image of Leather fire bucket, ca. 1889
Image of Damage to Seattle business district after Great Fire, June 6, 1889
Image of Cast iron spool rack and thread, 1889
Image of Great Seattle Fire at 1st and Union, June 6, 1889
Image of Seattle Fire Department bell, 1890
Image of The start of the Great Seattle Fire, June 6, 1889
Image of Early fire hose nozzle, ca. 1850
Image of Financial district, 2nd Ave. and Columbia St., Seattle, 1925
Image of China plate and cup that were in the Seattle Fire of 1889
Image of Men with horse team on First Avenue, Seattle, circa 1890
Image of Revolver,.22 calibre, ca. 1870
Image of Columbia St. from Yesler's wharf, Seattle, circa 1875
Image of Mural of 1889 Seattle Fire, painted in 1953
Image of Southwest view of Seattle after fire, July 1889
Image of Hand-forged cleaver made by blacksmith August Joseph Wenzel, ca. 1890
Image of South-facing view of Seattle after fire, July 1889
Image of Pan from the Great Seattle Fire of 1889
Image of Businesses on Yesler Way near Occidental Ave S., 1967
Image of Blue cape with long fringe from J.S. Graham, 1924
Image of Men posing outside Jewel Saloon after Great Seattle Fire, June 1889
Image of Oil portrait of Jacob Furth by unknown artist, ca. 1900
Image of Exterior of Chicago Boot & Shoe Store before Great Seattle Fire, circa 1889
Image of Poster distributed by Seattle-based real estate and financial brokers, Crawford and Conover, featuring illustrated scenes of the Great Seattle Fire of 1889
Image of Women modeling latest MacDougall & Southwick fashions, probably in Seattle, circa 1924
Image of Soda fountain chair from Seattle's main Post Office once located at 3rd and Union, ca. 1892-1910
Image of MacDougall & Southwick, Seattle, circa 1929
Image of Two silver spoons melted together from the Seattle Fire of 1889
Image of The start of the Great Seattle fire, June 6, 1889
Image of Stack of melted saucers from the Seattle Fire of 1889
Image of The start of Seattle's Great Fire, June 6, 1889
Image of Painting of the Great Seattle Fire and Mount Rainier by B. J. Harnett, 1889
Image of Seattle Post-Intelligencer's temporary building after Great Fire, 1889
Image of Ballot box with 29 white marbles and 8 black marbles, ca. 1880
Image of Letter from Selden Burrows to his sister, Lillian, about the Seattle Fire, June 7, 1889
Image of Purple velvet hat from MacDougall & Southwick, ca. 1905
Image of Studio portrait of George Frederick Frye, Seattle, circa 1910
Image of Rust-colored felt hat from J.S. Graham, 1921
Image of Map of Seattle, 1889, with Great Fire area drawn on top, circa 1990s
Image of Dynamo mechanism, said to be the first to cross the Rockies, melted in the Seattle Fire of 1889
Image of Seattle and Environs, Eighteen Months after the Great Fire, 1891
Image of China doll found by Frank H. Davidson during the Seattle Fire of 1889
Image of View from First Hill toward Elliott Bay, Seattle, circa 1885
Image of White china coffee mug that burned in the Seattle Fire of 1889
Image of View of Pioneer Square showing construction of Pioneer Building, circa 1890
Image of Cupels used for assay work that melted together from the Seattle Fire of 1889
Image of Denny Clay Company receipt, December 6, 1893
Image of Silk ribbon program for the Dedication Concerts at Seattle's New Opera House held May 15-16, 1962
Image of Post-Intelligencer, Seattle, June 7, 1889
Image of Wooden kitchen bowl or tray, 1860-1900
Image of The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, June 8, 1889
Image of Pot scrubber used by Frances Mercer McCallister, ca. 1880-1900
Image of Post-Intelligencer, Seattle, June 9, 1889
Image of Printing block with image from Great Seattle Fire, 1889
Image of Post-Intelligencer, Seattle, June 10, 1889
Image of Printing block, image of tents after Great Seattle Fire, 1889
Image of Post-Intelligencer, Seattle, June 11, 1889
Image of Box made from wood from Yesler's Mill, ca. 1909
Image of Post-Intelligencer, Seattle, June 12, 1889
Image of Glass crystal paperweight in the shape of a pyramid from the Frye Opera House, 1889
Image of Seattle Morning Journal, June 7, 1889
Image of Locker room door from old Seattle Armory, ca. 1888
Image of Morning Globe, Tacoma, June 7, 1889
Image of Cup and saucer burned in Seattle Fire of 1889
Image of The Daily Times, Seattle, June 10, 1889
Image of Opium scale found in Seattle street, ca. 1880s
Image of The Daily Times, Seattle, June 12, 1889
Image of Fire alarm telegraph, ca. 1890
Image of Seattle Weekly Times, August 15, 1889
Image of Fireman's speaking trumpet, ca. 1900
Image of Seattle Daily Press, June 8, 1889
Image of Fifty cent pieces fused together from the Seattle Fire of 1889
Image of Seattle Daily Press, June 10, 1889
Image of Chief Battalion 7 fireman's helmet presented to Olympic Hotel manager Frank Hull, 1936
Image of Facing north on Commercial Street, Seattle, circa 1895
Image of Porcelain pitcher recovered from the Great Seattle Fire of 1889
Image of Exterior of post-fire location of Toklas, Singerman & Co., Seattle, circa 1890
Image of Black and white leather gloves sold at MacDougall & Southwick in Seattle, ca. 1910-1950
Image of Isaac and Isabelle Bechtel letter about Great Seattle Fire, June 24, 1889
Image of Sewing frame for binding newspapers, ca. 1880
Image of Great Seattle Fire Reunion program, Seattle, June 6, 1917
Image of Set of four liquor bottles from the Our House restaurant and hotel in Seattle, ca. 1898-1958
Image of Arthur Denny's Renton Coal Company stock certificate, August 7, 1875
Image of Cup burned in the Great Seattle Fire of 1889
Image of Exterior of Minor-Collins home on First Hill, Seattle, circa 1900
Image of Chiffon and taffeta dress from MacDougall & Southwick, ca. 1915
Image of Members of Seattle Volunteer Fire Company No. 1, 2nd and Columbia, Seattle, 1883
Image of Beige high-top leather boots, ca. 1900-1910
Image of Men inside Dexter Horton Bank, Seattle, 1882
Image of Rose pink cloche sold at MacDougall & Southwick in Seattle, 1920s
Image of Photo of map of Seattle before fire, 1889
Image of Cast iron decorative plate recovered from the Great Seattle Fire, ca. 1880
Image of Ruins of Dexter Horton Bank building after Great Fire, Seattle, June 1889
Image of Doll purchased from a tent after the Great Seattle Fire, 1889
Image of Man guarding a safe after Great Seattle Fire, June 6, 1889
Image of Collection of marbles that melted in the Great Seattle Fire of 1889
Image of Businesses on Second Avenue after the Great Fire, Seattle, July 1889
Image of Various coins melted in the Great Seattle Fire of 1889
Image of Crowd watching parade on Madison Street, Seattle, May 30, 1884
Image of Metal relic from the Great Seattle Fire, 1889
Image of National Guard of Washington officers posing after the fire, Seattle, June 1889
Image of Child's milk mug that burned in the Seattle Fire of 1889
Image of Firemen posing outside Seattle Fire Department, November 1889
Image of Ceramic spoon that was burned in the Seattle Fire of 1889
Image of Great Seattle Fire burning at waterfront, June 6, 1889
Image of Stack of dishes melted in the Great Seattle Fire, 1889
Image of Members of the Washington National Guard in Seattle, June 1889
Image of Melted pile of marbles from the Great Seattle Fire, 1889, once belonged to Amos Burgert, a Seattle hardware store owner during the time of the fire
Image of Men posing in front of tent near Jacob Furth home, 1889
Image of Post Hotel sign, ca. 1930s
Image of Seattleites posing with goods salvaged from the fire, June 1889
Image of Key fob from the Palace Hotel on 1st Avenue in Seattle, ca. 1950
Image of August Wenzel in front of his blacksmith shop at 7th and Pike, Seattle, 1889
Image of Upholstered wooden chair from the Frye Opera House, ca. 1885
Image of Officers of last Volunteer Fire Department, circa 1889
Image of Pen and ink drawing of Pacific Northwest natural scene by Rudolph Franz Zallinger, 1940
Image of Key for room 315 at the Hotel Butler, Seattle, WA, ca. 1920
Image of Wool evening coat sold by J. S. Graham, ca. 1890
Image of Glue pot that started the
Image of Black straw hat, 1919

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