New York Crystal Palace Fire, 1858


Lithograph entitled and captioned: "Burning of the New York Crystal Palace on Tuesday, October 5th, 1858, during its occupation for the annual fair of the American Institute." New York Crystal Palace was an exhibition building constructed for the Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations in New York City in 1853. The building stood in Reservoir Square between Fifth and Sixth Avenues on 42nd Street, in what is today Bryant Park. It had the shape of a Greek cross, was crowned by a dome 100 feet in diameter and constructed from iron and glass. The fire began in a lumber room on the side adjacent to 42nd Street. Within fifteen minutes its dome fell and in twenty-five minutes the entire structure had burned to the ground.


Size: 4319px × 2880px
Photo credit: © Photo Researchers / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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