1904 Fires

May 1904 Fire

The Winslow Laboratory

The Winslow Chemical Laboratory, established in 1866, was dedicated to courses in general and analytical chemistry. The facility was designed and constructed under the guidance of Professor H.B. Nason, who led the chemistry department at the Institute. The building featured a metallurgical laboratory, a chemical laboratory, lecture and study rooms, as well as a library. The library housed various journals donated by John F. Winslow, after whom the building was named.

Damage and Aftermath

In 1884, the upper story of the laboratory was damaged by a fire, necessitating repairs and expansion the following year. However, the laboratory faced further devastation in the fire of May 1904. After this incident, it was repaired and continued to function as a laboratory until its conversion into a shop in 1907. Over the years, the building fell into disrepair and was boarded up in the early 1970s with plans for demolition . In an effort to preserve the structure, the Institute donated it to the City of Troy. The building was then leased to the Junior Museum from 2000 to 2004 until the Institute reclaimed it for use as departmental office space, where it continues to serve this purpose today. [1]

June 1904 Fire

The Main Building

The Main Building was the first structure specifically designed and built for the Institute. The four-story brick building consisted of various important spaces, including a library, assembly hall, lecture and recitation halls, drawing rooms, and laboratories. It also featured a collection of natural history specimens. Built on land gifted by Joseph M. Warren, who had been a trustee of the school since 1849, the building was completed in 1864 at the cost of $44,000. [2]

Destruction of the Main Building

In the early hours of Thursday, June 9, 1904, at approximately 2:45 a.m., patrolman Matthew Green was walking along Broadway when he noticed a column of smoke rising into the air. Upon the firemen’s arrival, the intensity of the blaze forced them to call for additional assistance. While the lower floors were flooded and the upper floors heavily charred, students entered the building in an effort to salvage valuable items. Due to these efforts, some records, manuscripts, and Polytechnic account books were saved. [3] However, the fire nearly destroyed the entire building, resulting in damages estimated at $50,000. [4] Although there were discussions around building a dormitory at that site, those plans were eventually abandoned. Instead, Edward F. Murray of Troy proposed a series of granite steps to connect the city to the Institute. The steps were completed at the cost of $40,000 in 1907, known as the Approach.

Aftermath

The fires of 1904 prompted a significant transformation at RPI. In the wake of the destruction, additional land was acquired, and new buildings were constructed, signaling the beginning of a new era. Alumni and benefactors played a crucial role in supporting the Institute’s recovery and expansion efforts. Key structures from this period include the Carnegie Building and Walker Laboratory, both completed in 1906, the Russell Sage Laboratory in 1909, and the Pittsburgh Building and the '87 Gymnasium in 1912. These developments not only restored the campus but also modernized it, setting the stage for future growth. [5]

References

[1] https://archives.rpi.edu/institute-history/building-histories/winslow-building.

[2] https://archives.rpi.edu/institute-history/building-histories/main-building.

[3] Burning of the Institute. (1904, June 23). The Polytechnic, 218–220. Accessed at https://digitalassets.archives.rpi.edu/do/1e1a9595-0350-4a0a-9617-418de1585874#page/26/mode/2up.

[4] Fourth Fire at R.P.I.: Troy’s History Technical School Destroyed in $50,000 Blaze. (1904, June 10). The New York Times, 10. Accessed at https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1904/06/10/120269228.html?pageNumber=10.

[5] Ricketts, P. C. (1934). History of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: 1824-1924 (3rd ed.) [Digital]. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. https://dspace.rpi.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/8acaa6b3-6a47-4cb7-a9aa-53aef4ea6dd7/content.