The historic fire that almost killed a developing Denver

Although Colorado gets plenty of snow, there's no doubt that Denver has a dry climate. The dry climate, flammable buildings, and weather created the perfect storm for a fire to engulf the city. The "Great Fire of 1863" almost burned Denver's downtown district to the ground.

According to the Denver Public Library, a small fire broke out in the early morning of April 19, at the rear of Cherokee House, an entertainment establishment on the southwest corner of Fifteenth and Blake.

Due to a strong wind and an abundance of flammable buildings, the fire grew quickly. The blaze destroyed almost every downtown building, even though "every able-bodied man" in Denver worked to stop the fire. The Denver Fire Department wasn't established until 1866. However, Denver had one hook and ladder company and two bucket companies to firefight in 1862.

According to the Denver Firefighters Museum, the fire destroyed over 70 buildings and 115 businesses. The fire also caused an estimated $200,000 to $350,000 in lost property. The Denver Public Library states that most of the property owners didn't carry insurance, and the loss of inventory was devastating. Prices doubled overnight for almost every item that could be purchased in a store.

But Denver rebounded fast, as many property owners began rebuilding right away. The downtown area was back in business, but this time with more fire-resistant brick buildings. A new law mandated every building be built with bricks, and Denver began to resemble the true, permanent city it is today. The aftermath of this historical fire shows the Mile High City's resilience and ability to rebuild and thrive.