The Great Boston Fire of 1872
What Happened?
November 9th and 10th, 1872, was a bad weekend for Bostonians. Around 7:00 am on Saturday, November 9th, a fire broke out for an unknown reason in the basement of a building on the corner of Summer and Kingston streets. The building was in the typical style of the time period with a wooden mansard roof and a granite façade. After the fire started, it quickly went out of control but it took a long time to find the person who had the key to the fire alarm box so there was a delay in notifying the fire department. Since there was an inadequate water supply with small pipes,low water pressure, and few hydrants, the firemen couldn’t stop the fire.
In the later stages of the fire, there was a second eruption of fire from gunpowder. Next to the buildings that initially caught fire, gunpowder used to demolish buildings to create firebreaks caught fire and ruptured gas mains, creating a more flammable environment. After the midnight explosions, Boston had to shut off the gas mains. The fire eventually stopped around 6am on Sunday on Washington Street by draping damp blankets and clothes around the buildings.
$75 million in Damages
The fire destroyed 776 buildings and more than 60 acres, killing 12 firefighters and 16 civilians. Fortunately for South Street, the fire only reached half of the 13 - 73 parcel but still affected businesses with more than 20,000 people jobless. There were 32 closures of insurance companies because they went bankrupt from trying to cover the losses of the 999 displaced businesses. The heat was so intense that the granite built into the building’s walls exploded creating more destruction. Most of Boston’s dry goods and woolen dealers were completely burnt out. However, the commercial district as well as the leather district rebuilt quickly because capital was available.
What the Boston Fire Tells Us About the Parcel
Before the Civil War, upper class houses occupied the area until it was converted into commercial space to house dry good firms. This includes buildings housing wool, leather, and boot and shoe trades. All of these materials are dry goods which makes them more likely to catch on fire. Building codes either did not exist or were not up to date and after the fire new regulations were initiated. Streets were widened, larger water mains installed and better fire hydrants strategically placed around the city.
Response
Economy
The Great Boston Fire affected the local economy of the Leather District by changing the usual business patterns of the surrounding businesses. Between 1872 and 1875, the number of boot and shoe dealers increased from 409 to 430, along with leather dealers increasing from 236 to 246 and dry goods dealers from 121 to 130. Movement with trade included stretching the southern region of the High Street center over Summer Street onto South Street.
Relocate
There was a general eastern movement toward the harbor. South Street businesses were forced to move because of the damage on the northern side. Alex Moseley & Co. owned the buildings from 43 to 47 South Street, varied addresses on different maps, and the fire forced this business to move further down the street to 98 South Street.
Rebuild
Fortunately for South Street businesses there was enough capital available in the commercial district to rebuild quickly. South Street leather dealers, such as Converse & Stanwood, E. B. Hull & Co., Alex Moseley & Co., and Dewson, Williams & Co., could use High Street as a stable geographical center for their trade until South Street was rebuilt. These companies took the opportunity to construct the buildings with larger rooms and more conveniences. The boot and shoe dealers Claflin & Thayer, Belcher Geo. W & Co. and Howard Edgar had to move to remote neighborhoods after the fire.
Citations
Allen, E. L. 1872. Panorama of the "Burnt District" of Boston. New York: New York Times.
Bacevich, Andrew. 2009. The Limits of Power: The End of American Exceptionalism. N.p.: Henry Holt and Company.
"BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT.: ANNUAL REPORT OF THE FIRE COMMISSIONERS --INTERESTING FUCTS." 1881.Boston Daily Globe (1872-1922), Jun 28, 2. https://holycross.idm.oclc.org/login?auth=cas&url=https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/boston-fire-department/docview/492349456/se-2.
"BY BAD WIRE.: FIRE IS STARTED AT 128 TREMONT ST. HEAVY DAMAGE FROM SMOKE AND WATER RESULTS. LOSSES OF $5000 EACH AT SOUTH AND WINTER STS. LOSS OF $5000 IN WINTER ST. FIRE IN SOUTH ST, LOSS $5000." 1904.Boston Daily Globe (1872-1922), Jun 26, 5. https://holycross.idm.oclc.org/login?auth=cas&url=https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/bad-wire/docview/500262419/se-2.
Davis, Thomas W., surveyor. "Plan of the burnt district." Map. Boston: s.n., [1900–1999]. Norman B. Leventhal Map & Education Center, https://collections.leventhalmap.org/search/commonwealth:js956k590 (accessed December 11, 2022).
"Display Ad 3 -- no Title." 1872.Boston Daily Globe (1872-1922), Nov 14, 2. https://holycross.idm.oclc.org/login?auth=cas&url=https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/display-ad-3-no-title/docview/491852856/se-2.
Seasholes, Nancy S., ed. 2019. The Atlas of Boston History. N.p.: University of Chicago Press.
Tufts Digital Library. 1865. Houses on South Street. Boston: Hawes, Josiah Johnson.