The Great Fire of Pittsburgh

Background. By 1845, Pittsburgh's population topped 20,000 and was swelled by crews completing the new Pennsylvania Canal. These conditions left the city primed for the disaster that would strike in 1845. The dawn of April 10, 1845, brought a warm, windy day, and the fire that followed destroyed in a few hours the labor of many years, blasting the cherished hopes of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of citizens who that morning had been content in the possession of comfortable homes and busy workshops.

Destruction. The conflagration marched block by block between 2:00 and 4:00, affecting both poor and elite areas. It destroyed over a thousand buildings, melting the loftiest structures and collapsing brick and stone. Contemporary accounts described the scene as an overwhelming calamity that blasted the hopes of thousands who had possessed comfortable homes that morning.

Aftermath. Two people died, and damages were estimated at $12 million in 1845 dollars. The market for replacement homes and household articles invigorated local industries. Industrialists encouraged the attitude that the fire spurred the city to greater growth, turning disaster into victory. A historical marker on Smithfield Street denotes the border of the burnt district.