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
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