Great Fire of Portland 1866

E59329

The Great Fire of Portland 1866 was a devastating conflagration that swept through much of Portland, Maine on July 4, 1866, destroying large portions of the city’s downtown and waterfront and becoming one of the most destructive urban fires in 19th-century America.


Statements (47)
Predicate Object
instanceOf disaster
historical event
urban fire
alsoKnownAs Great Fire of Portland
Portland fire of 1866
areaDestroyed about 1800 buildings
about 55 acres
cause Fourth of July celebrations
fireworks accident
commemoratedOn historical markers in Portland, Maine
country United States
day July 4, 1866
destroyed Portland City Hall (original building)
Portland’s commercial district
many churches in Portland, Maine
many warehouses on the Portland waterfront
documentedIn Maine historical society publications
Portland city records
contemporary newspaper accounts
endDate 1866-07-05
followedBy reconstruction of Portland in brick and stone
hasEffect destruction of large parts of Portland waterfront
destruction of much of downtown Portland
homelessness for thousands of residents
major rebuilding of Portland, Maine
historicalSignificance largest urban fire in Maine history
one of the most destructive urban fires in 19th-century America
influenced adoption of stricter building codes in Portland, Maine
shift from wooden to brick construction in Portland
locatedIn Portland, Maine NERFINISHED
locatedInAdministrativeTerritory Maine
locatedInTime 19th century
numberOfDeaths approximately 2
numberOfHomeless approximately 10000
numberOfInjured dozens
partOf history of Portland, Maine
history of urban fires in the United States
pointInTime 1866-07-04
relatedEvent Great Boston Fire of 1872
Great Chicago Fire
relatedTo Fourth of July celebrations in the United States
significantPlace Commercial Street, Portland, Maine
India Street neighborhood, Portland, Maine
Munjoy Hill area, Portland, Maine
Portland peninsula
startDate 1866-07-04
timePeriod Reconstruction era

Referenced by (4)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Great Fire of Portland 1866 ("Great Fire of Portland")
Great Fire of Portland 1866 ("Portland fire of 1866")
alsoKnownAs
Portland, Maine ("Great Fire of 1866")
notableEvent
Portland Observatory
survived

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