Hidden beneath the modern architecture and paved streets of almost every city is the history of a catastrophic fire. At a time when cities were constructed largely of wooden buildings, a fire could wipe entire neighborhoods in one night. Portland’s was The Great Fire of 1873. Starting at a furniture store and quickly spreading, the fire destroyed 22 blocks in Downtown Portland before being put out. The city came together to rebuild. Refusing help from San Francisco & the East Coast, the city instead chose to use only local resources. After the fire the downtown area shifted to the West, where it has been ever since.
