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Cripple Creek Fires, 1896

by Katie Rudolph on April 25, 2016

Images of two fires that nearly decimated Cripple Creek, Colorado, in April 1896.

View west across building remains from first fire on April 25, 1896 fire, Cripple Creek, Colorado; many commercial buildings still remain in business district; evidence of construction of new wooden framed buildings is in the foreground; Mt. Pisgah is on distant horizon.

Views of Cripple Creek (Teller County), Colorado, after a fire. Shows hotels, businesses, streets, pedestrians, horse drawn wagons, and the Bimetallic Bank. Shows fire damaged buildings under repair and rubble strewn streets.

View of two images: top image includes second fire on April 29, 1896, as it streaks across town and an explosion occurs from dynamite stored at El Paso Livery and Stable; lower image includes aftermath from second fire, debris and rubble and background view of partially destroyed Tutt & Penrose two-story commerical building with flat roof.

Brick rubble and partial walls of Palace Hotel, Bennett Avenue and Second (2nd) Street, destroyed by second fire of April 29, 1896, Cripple Creek, Colorado; smouldering debris.

Destruction on First Street caused by second fire, April 29, 1896, Cripple Creek, Colorado; remains include stone or cement block foundations, clustered groups of high-backed chairs, tables, stool, wood commode and wagon wheels; man walks down dirt street; one-story gabled and hipped roof residences are in background.

Smouldering remains along First Street from second fire on April 29, 1896, Cripple Creek, Colorado; three men inspect debris and destruction which includes the remains of a heating stove and two-story burned-out brick building; untouched one-story gabled roof residences on horizon.

View of smouldering remains from first fire on April 25th, 1896, Cripple Creek, Colorado; three men look over debris and one man sprays water over building remains; flat roof brick and wooden frame false front buildings and the Tutt & Penrose building are in the commercial district on Bennett Avenue; wood frame residences are on hillside in the background.

Fire-gutted exterior view of two-story, flat roof, single story brick commercial building, Bennett Avenue, caused by second fire of April 29, 1896, Cripple Creek, Colorado; decorative cornice.

View towards El Paso Livery Stable, Bennett Avenue between 1st (First) and "A" Streets, consumed in flames and smoke after explosion of stored dynamite at stable during second fire on April 29, 1896, Cripple Creek, Colorado; billows of black smoke cover view of town and numerous horse-drawn wagons packed with personal belongings are parked in front of wood frame buildings and residences; scence shows blurred images of moving wagons and unhitched carriages.

View of April 29th, 1896, fire and clouds of smoke from junction of Myers Avenue and "A" Street after explosion at El Paso Livery stable, Cripple Creek, Colorado; scene includes horse-drawn wagons with household goods or personal belongings parked in front of small wooden frame residences (probably cribs of infamous red-light district of Myers Avenue); men and women are in front of residences and on the dirt street.

Group of men inspect remaining bank safe amidst debris and rubble from second fire on April 29, 1896, Cripple Creek, Colorado; one man wears sherriff badge on overcoat.

Remains of First National Bank, 4th (Fourth) street and Bennett Avenue, Cripple Creek, Colorado, after first fire on April 25, 1896; men on wooden plankway inspect remains of brick vault; twisted corrugated metal and chain link fence (possibly original tellers cage) illustrate the devastation from the fire.

A large group of men, many firemen, survey the destruction caused by the first fire, April 25, 1896, near elevated portion of Bennett Avenue at 4th (Fourth) Street, Cripple Creek, Colorado; several firefighters wear helmets, raincoats and boots; two hold nozzles used to direct water spray; also includes horse-drawn wagon, crowd of people standing on elevated portion of Bennett Avenue and remains of commercial business district.

View west from Myers Avenue (probably) towards Bennett Avenue with Mt. Pisgah on horizon after first fire of April 25, 1896, Cripple Creek, Colorado; scene includes debris and remains from fire, construction of wood frame buildings and canvas tents and a distant view of numerous remaining wood frame and brick commercial buildings in business district; signs on buildings include: "Metropolitan House," "El Paso Livery," "Drugs," and "One price to All-King Cash-Our Motto-Weinberg Shoes & Clothing Co."

Heavy, black smoke and flames approach El Paso Livery Stable, Bennett Avenue between 1st (First) and "A" Streets, Cripple Creek, Colorado, during second fire, April 29, 1896; scene includes wood frame residences, two-story flat-roof commercial buildings and horse-drawn wagons loaded with personal possessions ; town residents watch the approaching smoke.

View towards El Paso Livery Stable, Bennett Avenue between 1st (First) & "A" Streets, as fire causes stored dynamite to explode during second fire on April 29, 1896, Cripple Creek, Colorado; actual blast pictured with roof debris in air, black smoke covering view of town, numerous wood frame residences and buildings in path of fire, and horse- drawn wagons packed with personal belongings; families watch approaching smoke and flames.

View northwest towards Bennett Avenue after destruction from second fire of April 29, 1869, Cripple Creek, Colorado; shows canvas tents on edge of debris, wood frame buildings under construction, people walking down street, crowd gathered at distant corner, and Mt. Pisgah on horizon.

View from junction of Myers and "A" Streets across rooftops during April 29th, 1896 fire, Cripple Creek, Colorado; huge black clouds of smoke billow in the sky; scene includes one and two-story wooden frame and brick, gable and flat-roof residences and commercial buildings; horse-drawn wagons loaded with personal belongings are parked in front of small wooden frame residences (actual cribs of infamous red-light district of Myers Avenue).

Views of Cripple Creek (Teller County), Colorado during the 1896 fire. Shows refugee housed in railroad boxcars and gathering their belongings, people fleeing as the Palace Hotel is dynamited to slow the fire, and a rescue train.

View of devastation after first fire on April 25, 1896, Cripple Creek, Colorado; undamaged log cabin with falsefront and gable roof is located on outside edge of devastated area; scene includes unhitched wagon, men standing in street and sifting through remains, and remaining section of commercial business district.

View of destruction caused by 1896 fire, Cripple Creek, Colorado; scene includes remains of twisted sheet metal, ashes and burnt timbers, and former business and commercial district; canvas tents are scattered amidst fire debris; remaining buildings and residences are in the distance on the hillside.

Rubble and destruction caused by second fire of April 29, 1896, Cripple Creek, Colorado; piles of twisted sheet metal, canvas tents amidst rubble, railroad tracks in foreground; view across fire devastated area toward distant view of remaining buildings; horse-drawn wagons and carriages on street.

Rubble and debris caused by second fire of April 29, 1896, Cripple Creek, Colorado; twisted sheet metal, chimneystack, canvas tents amidst rubble.

Destruction caused by second fire, April 29, 1896, Cripple Creek, Colorado; shows rubble, debris, twisted sheet metal, brick foundation, two-story wood and brick commercial buildings with false fronts in background.

Cripple Creek, Colorado, after first fire on April 25, 1896; possibly view southwest taken from hillside near Midland Terminal Station; possibly Myers Avenue area; many canvas tents amidst debris remain from destructive fire; residences and houses are on distant opposite hillside.

Bird's-eye view of Cripple Creek, Colorado after first fire on April 25, 1896; view possibly west of town taken from hillside near Midland Terminal Station; possibly Bennett Avenue area; many commercial business buildings still remain.

Aftermath of destruction caused by April, 1896 fire, Cripple Creek, Colorado; men, women and children stroll down street that has debris and rubble left from fire; foreground includes woman holding baby, boy drinking from fire hydrant, canvas tents amidst rubble, and stream of water sprayed on rubble.

Destruction caused by second fire on April 29, 1896, Cripple Creek, Colorado; blocks of destroyed buildings in the commercial district, only foundations and twisted sheet metal remain, distant view of remaining buildings and residences.

View of desolation caused by second fire on April 29, 1896, Cripple Creek, Colorado; stark remains, twisted sheet metal and debris cover the ground and smoke still rises from ashes; residence or building with hipped roof are in background.

Six men survey destruction from second fire on April 29, 1896, Cripple Creek, Colorado; five men have sherriff badges, some wear overcoats, and one man wears knee-high rubber boots and carries a lunch bucket.

Destruction on Bennett Avenue caused by second fire of April 29, 1896, Cripple Creek, Colorado; groups of men poke through smouldering remains and debris; scene includes burned-out two-story Tutt and Penrose building with flat roof and ornamental parapet.

Street and terrace view of one and two-story flat-roof brick commercial buildings on Bennett Avenue, Cripple Creek, Colorado; row of horse-drawn wagons are parked alongside sidewalk; scene includes fire hydrant, awnings, numerous signs attached to buildings, row of utility poles on both sides of street, and wooden stairway with metal railing alongside terrace.

View of destruction west on Bennett Avenue, Cripple Creek, Colorado, caused by second fire on April 29, 1896; groups of men and solitary men survey remaining debris; smoke still rises from ashes and utility poles with fallen wires border street; Mt. Pisgah and undamaged buildings are in background.

View of Bennett Avenue's desolation and total destruction caused by second fire of 1896, Cripple Creek, Colorado; destruction includes burnt telegraph or utility poles and scattered debris of timbers; groups of men survey remains and destruction; Mount Pisgah is on distant horizon.

Large group of men and on-lookers view destruction, debris and remains of two-story brick wall on Bennett Avenue caused by second fire on April 29, 1896, Cripple Creek, Colorado; mule-drawn wagon loaded with wooden barrels is parked along edge of street; men are lined along railing by the elevated portion of Bennett Avenue; Tutt-Penrose building and other commercial business buildings untouched by fire.

Destruction west on Bennett Street caused by second fire on April 29, 1986, Cripple Creek, Colorado; groups of men and two men on horseback in street survey rubble and remains of once thriving commerical business district; shows utility poles with fallen wires, chimneystack, remains of two-story brick building, Mt. Pisgah is on horizon and untouched residences are on hillside in background.

Remains of city jail demolished by first fire, April 25, 1896, Cripple Creek, Colorado; debris includes twisted corrugated tin metal, cage doors and cell block; one brick wall remains; buildings in commercial business district are in the background.

Destroyed corner section of Tutt and Penrose Building caused by second fire on April 29, 1896, Cripple Creek, Colorado; two-story commercial stone and brick building burned with corner demolished to rubble; remaining structure includes cornice with parapet and decorative crown, arched windows, wooden floor and beams, circular light hanging from coursework.

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