The Great Fire of 1805 occurred on June 11, 1805, in the city of Detroit, in the Michigan Territory of the United States.[1] The fire destroyed almost everything in the city.[2]
 Flag of Detroit, depicting the fire (center left) and displaying the motto Speramus meliora; resurget cineribus ('We hope for better things; it will rise from the ashes') | |
| Date | June 11, 1805 |
|---|---|
| Location | Detroit, Michigan Territory, United States |
| Type | Fire |
The motto of the city, Speramus meliora; resurget cineribus ('We hope for better things; it will rise from the ashes'), was written after this fire.[3]
Development of the fire
editThe fire started on the morning of June 11, 1805. It is presumed that it started in or in the immediate vicinity of the stables of John Harvey, a local baker. One of the first buildings that were set alight was a nearby barn, from which the flames were able to easily spread to other flammable wooden structures. The city at the time was nowhere near its current size, being the home to only about 600 people, thus the settlement lacked adequate firefighting equipment, mainly relying on bucket brigades.
While there were no casualties from the disaster, the whole city was razed to the ground, leaving only Fort Lernoult, an old British fort on a hill above the city, and a warehouse near the river.[4]
Cause of the fire
editNo official cause was ever determined. However it was heavily rumored that John Harvey, while in his stable, accidentally knocked hot ashes from his pipe. As the day was hot and windy, the ashes were blown into a pile of hay, starting the fire.[citation needed]
Aftermath
edit
After the fire, territorial judge Augustus Woodward argued that the city was badly planned, and thus should not be rebuilt the same way. He proposed a street plan based on Paris and subsequently Washington D.C., featuring hexagon-based layout with diagonal streets radiating from the city's center. The hexagon-based proposal of Woodward proved to be too complex, however parts of his plan can be seen in the city to this day in the form of Gratiot, Michigan and Grand River Avenue.[5]
References
edit- ^ "No city has fire flaring up in its history quite like Detroit | Local News | Detroit | Detroit Metro Times". October 24, 2020. Archived from the original on October 24, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
- ^ "No city has fire flaring up in its history quite like Detroit | Local News | Detroit | Detroit Metro Times". October 24, 2020. Archived from the original on October 24, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
- ^ Lee, Ardelia (August 19, 2016). "What Does Detroit's Motto Mean, Anyway? And Is It Still Relevant Today?". Daily Detroit. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
- ^ "Great Fire of 1805 | Detroit Historical Society". detroithistorical.org. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
- ^ "Detroit Historical Society - TEACHER RESOURCE - THE GREAT FIRE OF 1805 - LESSON PLAN" (PDF). Detroit Historical Society.
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