Aftermath of Great Fire at Haverhill, MA, 1882

View of the Ruins of the Great Conflagration at Haverhill, Mass. February 17 and 18, 1882. P.W. Tennant (American, active 1870s - 1880s). Albumen silver print. In the early morning hours of February 17, 1882, a massive fire destroyed much of Haverhill's mill section, in a blaze that encompassed over 10 acres (4.0 ha). Firefighting efforts were hampered by not only the primitive fire fighting equipment of the period, but also high winds and freezing temperatures. The nearby water source, the Merrimack River, was frozen, and hoses dropped through the ice tended to freeze as well. A New York Times report the next day established the damage at 300 businesses destroyed and damage worth approximately $2M (in 1882 dollars)

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Aftermath Catastrophe Catastrophic Conflagration Devastation Haverhill Mama Maternal Momma Mommy Motherhood Mothering Tennant

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