Excerpted from the US NARA timeline
http://www.archives.gov/about/history/milestones.html

1800 - Fires damaged records of the War Office and the Treasury
Department from 1800-1801
1877 - Fire destroyed top floor of Patent Office Building and led
General Meigs to propose a fireproof Hall of Records
1911 - Fire in New York State Capitol destroyed much of New York state's
archives
1921 - Commerce Department fire destroyed census records of 1890 

As shown, fires have had a large impact on the loss of valuable records
within the US and State governments.  Not sure if any of these qualify
for the top 20, but they might.



Lee Michael, CRM

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