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The Great Fire of 1875

The Great Fire of 1875

The Great Fire of 1875 Overview

The origins of the fire lie within fifty feet of this marker.

On October 26, 1875, a coal oil lamp was knocked over in a nearby boarding house and burst into flames. Strong winds spread the blaze and thirty-three blocks of structures were leveled.

Category

Event

Marker Type

Concrete marker

Nevada Historical Marker Number

The Great Fire of 1875 is Nevada Historical Marker #228.

Click here to view the full list of Nevada State Historical Markers.

County

Storey County, Nevada

GPS Coordinates

39.310530, -119.650957

Nevada Historical Marker Transcription

The most spectacular calamity to befall Virginia City had its origins within fifty feet of this marker.  Early on the morning of October 26, 1875, a coal oil lamp was knocked over in a nearby boarding house and burst into flames.  Strong winds spread the blaze and thirty-three blocks of structures were leveled.  The losses included St. Mary in the Mountains Catholic Church, the Storey County Courthouse, Piper’s Opera House, the International Hotel, city offices and most of Virginia City’s business district.  The offices and hoisting works of nearby mines were also destroyed.

After the fire, Virginia City established a new hydrant system and erected a number of new hose houses including this structure.

STATE HISTORIC MARKER NO. 228

DIVISION OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND ARCHAEOLOGY

LIBERTY ENGINE COMPANY NO. 1

References Used

The Great Fire of 1875