<p>Fire was a constant danger in many cities of the late 1800s because so many of the buildings were built of wood. Seattle's 1889 Great Fire wasn't Seattle's first fire, but it was definitely the worst.
This photo was taken from the roof of a building at Pike Street and Second Avenue in mid-afternoon on June 6, 1889, about 45 minutes after the fire started. By nightfall, most of Seattle's business district had been destroyed.</p>
<p>Original copy negative.

Original photograph: June 6, 1889. Copied after 1902 by Webster &amp; Stevens</p>
<ul><li>Subjects (LCTGM): Disasters; Fires; Great Fire, Seattle, Wash., 1889</li></ul>
<div class="fn value">
Unknown author<span style="display: none;">Unknown author</span>; <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_start_of_the_Great_Seattle_Fire,_June_6,_1889_(MOHAI_9297).jpg" title="File:The start of the Great Seattle Fire, June 6, 1889 (MOHAI 9297).jpg">File:The start of the Great Seattle Fire, June 6, 1889 (MOHAI 9297).jpg</a>, also from MOHAI, appears to be the same photo, and is attributed to "A.J. Smith".</div>
1889<div style="display: none;">date QS:P571,+1889-00-00T00:00:00Z/9</div>
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://digitalcollections.lib.washington.edu/digital/collection/imlsmohai/search">Museum of History and Industry</a>