Grain Elevator On Fire At Night Real Photo Postcard By John P. Haynes

Barn fires were a devastating and unfortunately common occurrence in rural communities during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as captured in this nocturnal image. Often fueled by the spontaneous combustion of damp hay, faulty electrical wiring, lightning strikes, or accidents involving farm machinery and lanterns, these blazes could rapidly consume the large, timber-framed structures crucial to agricultural operations.