CDV PHOTOGRAPH FIRE IN ST LOUIS MISSOURI 1867 HOTEL LINDELL HOTEL BY A.J FOX

Description

CDV photograph, Fire in St. Louis Missouri, 1867. The Lindell Hotel Fire.
Photographed by A.J Fox.
Only a few years after opening, the Lindell Hotel succumbed to fire. On March 30, 1867, a fire erupted on the upper story and quickly spread through the roof and all sides of the building. Although the fire department arrived without delay, the height of the hotel prevented firemen from throwing water on the roof. The top of the hotel was completely engulfed in flames, which spread downward throughout the structure. Luckily, because the fire started around 8:30 pm, many of the hotel's four hundred guests had not yet gone to bed. It became clear that the hotel would not be saved, so furniture and other items were taken out, and many were saved. As the fire grew worse, firemen abandoned efforts to save the Lindell Hotel and focused their efforts on saving the surrounding buildings. Around midnight, the walls of the hotel fell resulting in about nine hundred thousand dollars of damage to the building and between two and three hundred thousand dollars of furniture lost.
Stones from the remains of the original Lindell Hotel eventually made their way to St. Louis' Tower Grove Park. The hotel fire occurred shortly before Henry Shaw deeded the land that would become Tower Grove Park to the City of St. Louis. Shaw saw potential for the limestone blocks that were salvaged from the fire. The limestone was brought to the park and restacked to resemble ancient ruins, according to a plan drawn up by Shaw and horticulturist James Gurney. This type of arrangement modeled on ancient ruins was common at the time, as European grand tours gained popularity
Condition: This photograph is nice and sharp, but there are a few apologies, one small tear in emulsion top right on edge, small tear right edge, one ding right corner, and one small tear bottom, right side on edge. Please see our large scans for an accurate representation of the image.
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