The worst fire in Nantucket’s history — the Great Fire — broke out on the night of July 13, 1846, in Geary’s Hat Shop on Main Street. With the aid of a fresh sea breeze, the fire quickly jumped from building to building, spreading west to Centre Street and north all the way past Broad Street to Ash and Sea streets. One third of the island’s buildings were destroyed, eight hundred islanders were left homeless, and all along the waterfront the fire, violently fueled by burning whale oil and tar, leveled wharves, counting houses, ropewalks, sail lofts, warehouses, and cooper shops. Afterwards, only a few brick sentinels remained, among them. In all, between 300 and 400 buildings were destroyed and over one million dollars’ worth of property lost.

Fire Engine No. 6 (Cataract) was deployed during the Great Fire to help douse the conflagration to no avail. It is now part of the collections of the Nantucket Historical Association and is on display at the Nantucket Whaling Museum.