Newspapers and Explosions in 1878 August 07 2015
This is the third installment in our series of posts comparing significant events from a year in United States history with a few of our unique architectural plans from the same period. 1878, the topic of this installment, marks the third year of the American Architect and Building News' existence.
Click on the pictures to find the plans below in our store!
In January, Yale University students found The Yale Daily News. The News is still celebrated today as the oldest daily college newspaper within the country, but not without contest. A number of colleges, including Harvard, Rutgers, Dartmouth, California and Cornell, all lay stake to their own claim of the oldest newspaper. However, Yale's tends to be the most frequently recognized as the holder of the crown. Regardless, newspapers were how the majority of Americans stayed on top of things at the time, as evidenced by this 1878 building for the Cincinnatti Gazette by an unknown architect. Be sure to also take a look at our collection of Yale plans.
May of 1878 saw a tragedy in the midwest of country. The Washburn "A" Mill, located on the west bank of the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota, exploded, killing 18 workers. A loose spark caused the highly flammable floating flour particles to combust, creating a gigantic explosion that leveled the mill. Today, the ruins of the mill still stand and can be explored via a museum built around them. Nearby, this house at Dellwood for Mr. A Kirby Barnum in Saint Paul, Minnesota was built based on a design by the legendary Cass Gilbert.
