 Richmond, Virginia, theatre fire of 1811 | |
| Date | December 26, 1811 |
|---|---|
| Venue | Richmond Theatre |
| Location | Richmond, Virginia, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 37°32′20″N 77°25′48″W / 37.538902°N 77.429876°W |
| Type | Fire |
| Deaths | 72 |
The Richmond Theatre fire occurred in Richmond, Virginia, United States, on Thursday, December 26, 1811. It devastated the Richmond Theatre, located on the north side of Broad Street between what is now Twelfth and College Streets. The fire killed 72 people, including Virginia's governor George William Smith, former U.S. senator Abraham B. Venable, and other government officials in what was the worst urban disaster in U.S. history at the time.[1] The Monumental Church was erected on the site as a memorial to the fire.[2]
- ^ "The Richmond Theatre Fire of 1811: A Case Study of American Disaster as Evangelical Opportunity". European Social Science History Conference. Retrieved December 15, 2010.
- ^ "Monument to the Victims of the Richmond Theater Fire". Historic Hampshire. Retrieved December 15, 2010.