THE GREAT NEW YORK CITY FIRE OF 1845

The Great New York City Fire of 1845

The Great New York City Fire of 1845 broke out on July 19, 1845. The fire started in a whale-oil and candle manufacturing establishment and quickly spread to other wooden structures in the neighborhood. It reached a warehouse on Broad Street where combustible saltpeter was stored and caused a massive explosion that spread the fire even farther.

The fire started at about 2:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 19, 1845, on the third floor of J. L. Van Doren, Oil Merchant and Stearin Candle Manufacturer, known as a seller of whale oil, at 34 New Street in Manhattan, and spread quickly to adjoining buildings. The City Hall alarm bell began to ring at about 3:00 a.m., summoning firefighters.

More information: Revolvy

Firefighters from the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY), at that time a volunteer organization, arrived under the command of Chief Engineer Cornelius Anderson. As the fire grew, the FDNY personnel were joined by retired fire chiefs from the city and firefighting crews from Brooklyn, Newark, and Williamsburg. Firemen battling the blaze were aided by water flowing from the Croton aqueduct, which had been completed in 1842. The fire either weakened in intensity or had been subdued by firefighters by 1:00 p.m. that day.

During the ten and a half hours that it burned, the fire had destroyed buildings from Broad Street below Wall Street to Stone Street, up Whitehall Street to Bowling Green, and up Broadway to Exchange Place. Four firefighters and 26 civilians lost their lives, and buildings were reported destroyed on Broadway, New Street, Broad Street, Exchange Place, Beaver Street, Marketfield Street, Whitehall Street, and South William Street. 

The Great New York City Fire of 1845

There were multiple reports of looting during the fire and in its aftermath, both of businesses and private residences. At least two elderly women reported being approached by young men who offered to help them move their belongings from their damaged buildings, only to have their valuables stolen.

The Great New York City Fire of 1845 was the last of three particularly devastating fires that affected the heart of Manhattan, the other two occurring in 1776 and 1835. While very destructive, the 1845 fire confirmed the value of building codes restricting wood-frame construction. In 1815, city officials had banned new construction of wood-frame structures in the densest areas of the city. The 1845 fire demonstrated the efficacy of these restrictions, as the progress of the fire was checked when it spread toward areas rebuilt after the 1835 fire with such materials as stone, masonry, and iron roofs and shutters. In spite of general improvements, the 1845 fire prompted public calls for a more proactive stance in fire prevention and firefighting.

More information: Untapped Cities

To strengthen the city's firefighting capabilities, the city established a reserve unit called the Exempt Fireman's Company, so called because it was made up of firemen who were exempt from militia and jury duty. The company was led by veteran fireman Zophar Mills, who had helped stop the great 1835 fire from crossing Wall Street.

Nature is impersonal, awe-inspiring, elegant, eternal. 

It's geometrically perfect. It's tiny and gigantic. You can travel far to be in a beautiful natural setting, or you can observe it in your backyard or, in my case, in the trees lining New York City sidewalks, or in the clouds above skyscrapers. 

Gretchen Rubin