Great Baltimore Fire of 1904, more than 110 years later
The Great Baltimore Fire of 1904 started at 10:50 a.m. on Feb. 7 and raged on until 5 p.m. the next day.
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- Looking east from Light Street Wharf. Judge Carroll T Bond photo.
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- The airy glisten of iron fronts, as shown here in some vanished specimens from the corner of Charles and Baltimore streets, still decorate parts of lower Manhattan and some West Coast ports, and are newly stylish. But of about 1,500 Baltimore structures of this type estimated to be standing in 1904, we have probably fewer than a dozen heavily re-modeled survivors today. These are the fabled “iron fronts” that blossomed just before the civil war. The 1851 Sun Iron building, a pioneering iron-front venture in its day, was featured on the cover of sheet music and widely admired, but melted in the 1904 fire along with dozens of its iron-front neighbors. By the 1970s, high-ceilinged loft living and flow-through rooms with natural lighting were back in style- but it was too late.
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- Baltimore and Chase streets before the fire of 1904
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- Looking West on Baltimore from about Fredrick St. Maryland Historical Society, photographer unknown.
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- These bottles were uncovered during the excavations for the new office building of south Balto’s plant of Koppers Company’s metal products division. They date back to the great fire of 1904/ Koppers Advertising Department.
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- Baltimore city fire 1904, photographer and publication date unknown.
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- Miss Ethel Taylor preserved this view of the first building going up after the 1904 fire.
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- Firemen certainly put the cold finger on this building while they wee fighting our most spectacular blaze back in 1904. And no wonder. It was the Anderson and Ireland hardware store at Light and Pratt streets, and the firefighters knew that there was a whole cellar full of gunpowder, kerosene and other inflammable stuff. So they gave it plenty of water. The freeze followed but the fuel was safe. The picture comes from the collection of J.E.Henry.
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- Baltimore city fire 1904, photographer unknown.
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- Its all gone – and not with the wind – was the cryptic comment of one Baltimore merchant after the big fire of 1904. The sign was erected on top of a pile of debris, some of it still smoldering after the fire ceased to rage in the downtown sector. However, the business man was not to be outdone. For he, like many others stated further in his advertisement that ” with health, friends and Providence, we’ll win again.” But the merchant was more fortunate than others since his merchandise was less flammable than most. The owner of this particular establishment in front of which National Guardsman is patrolling dealt in slate, tiling, monuments and headstones. At that he moved only three doors away. Photographer unknown.
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- Duggans Wharf on Pratt Street presented this picture of devastation after the flames had roared through on their sweep eastward toward Jones Falls. Photographer unknown.
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- West side of Jones Falls. Judge Carroll T Bond photo, no publication date.
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- Foot of South Street, Judge Carroll T Bond, publication date unknown.
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- Light and Pratt Streets from the southeast. Judge Carroll T Bond photo.
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- Pulling down the wall of a wholesale house on Hopkins Street. Judge Carroll T Bond photo.
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- Alexander Brown and Sons Building, Looking S.E from Calvert Building. Hughes Co Photo.
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- Baltimore city fire 1904. Photographer and publication date unknown.
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- On Lombard Street near Cypress Alley, Guardsmen warm themselves at a fire built of wreckage. Morning of February 11. Photographer unknown.
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- Baltimore City Fire 1904. Photographer unknown.
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- Baltimore City Fire 1904. Photographer unknown.
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- A squad of men marching to take up their stations. The littered scene here is Lombard Street close to Hanover. Photo from Julian Fenlkel, Catonsville. Photographer unknown.
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- John E Hurst Building Pearle Museum, Photographer unknown.
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- This was the south side of the 100 block of West Lombard street on the afternoon of February 10, with two fashionably dressed young women on tour. 109 and 111 W Lombard St . Photographer unknown.
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- Hurst’s pulling down wall opposite of ruin of National Exchange Bank. Publication date unknown.
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- Looking from German and Sharp streets toward Baltimore Street. Judge Carroll T Bond photo.
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- Photograph made at 3am. photographer unknown.
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- Sun Library, photographer unknown.
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- Baltimore Street, Pratt Library Photo.
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- Great Baltimore Fire 1904
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- Baltimore Street east from Liberty Street. Photographer unknown.
According to the Fire Museum of Baltimore, some 1,231 and 1,200 National Guardsmen were needed as part of the effort. In about 30 hours, 140 acres of downtown Baltimore had burned, taking down 1,526 buildings and 2,500 businesses in its fury.
More coverage: The Baltimore Sun’s Jacques Kelly speaks last year on the fire that ravaged and destroyed parts of downtown Baltimore.
Feb. 9, 1904 Sun front page after the fire
Fire Museum in Lutherville recalls Great Baltimore Fire of 1904
Great Fire is history that did not go up in smoke
Methodist feels historical bond with Great Fire of 1904
Anniversary of The Great Baltimore Fire
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Viewing Baltimore from above
linda barber
Mar 29, 2014 @ 07:20:52
Loved these pics always been interested in this disaster of Baltimore since i grew up there and went to school downtown. in Baltimore city! Thanks for allowing us to view part of history. Linda
Joe White
Feb 09, 2014 @ 21:19:10
I am amazed at all of the telephone poles that survived the fire.
The Great Baltimore Fire | No Vice & No Virtue
Feb 09, 2014 @ 21:11:32
[…] 2: My mother-in-law pointed out this wonderful collection of photos posted by the Baltimore Sun on the anniversary. I’d never seen a lot of these. Thanks, […]
Mauricio Moller
Feb 07, 2014 @ 16:31:14
Great for the Darkroom. I am out of country, but have always been interested on American History, and your way of life.
I will try in the days to come to visit some places of these photographs to have an actual look (view) through Google maps.
Regards to the staff of The Baltimore Sun.