Primary document
The great fire of the city of New York, 16 December 1835
Library of Congress
Where this source supports the record
Each entry separates the article’s editorial relevance note from its exact, section-level claims. A bibliography link without a direct claim is labeled plainly.
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Fires · 16–17 December 1835Open article references →
The Great New York Fire of 1835
Hanover Square and the burned commercial district · United States
Why editors use it hereCataloged contemporary print preserving the date, geography, and visual scale of the burning district.
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Quick read
On the bitterly cold night of 16 December 1835, fire spread through New York's densely packed commercial district near Wall Street and the East River.
Reviewed 26 July 2026 -
Trigger and conditions
A fire discovered in a Merchant Street warehouse grew beyond the first companies' control.
Reviewed 26 July 2026 -
Uncertainty
Sources give slightly different totals for buildings and monetary loss because the fire crossed property and accounting boundaries.
Reviewed 26 July 2026 -
Why it matters
The fire was a systems failure produced by weather, urban form, stored commodities, water infrastructure, and institutional capacity.
Reviewed 26 July 2026
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Quick read