Library of Congress burns in Washington, D.C.

The Fire. On December 24, 1851, the largest fire in the library's history occurred. It destroyed 35,000 books, representing two-thirds of the library's entire collection. Specifically, two-thirds of Thomas Jefferson's original transfer were lost. This event severely reduced the library's holdings, necessitating subsequent efforts to replace the destroyed materials.

Aftermath. Following the fire, Congress appropriated $168,700 in 1852 to replace the lost books, though not to acquire new materials. The fire's aftermath marked the start of a conservative period in the library's administration under librarian John Silva Meehan. By 2008, librarians had found replacements for all but 300 works documented in Jefferson's original collection.