The Great New Orleans Fire of 1794, destroys 212 structures in the area now known as the French Quarter on December 8, 1794; from Burgundy to Chartres Street, adjacent to the Mississippi River.
Just 6 years before, in 1788, 856 buildings had been destroyed in the First Great New Orleans Fire. Both of these events led to strict Spanish building codes, promoting brick construction that shaped the Quarter's iconic look. More