{"product_id":"the-richmond-theater-fire-early-americas-first-great-disaster-paperback","title":"The Richmond Theater Fire: Early America's First Great Disaster - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eMeredith Henne Baker\u003c\/b\u003e (Author), \u003cb\u003eRachel Beanland\u003c\/b\u003e (Foreword by)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn the day after Christmas in 1811, the state of Virginia lost its governor and almost one hundred citizens in a devastating nighttime fire that consumed a Richmond playhouse. During the second act of a melodramatic tale of bandits, ghosts, and murder, a small fire kindled behind the backdrop. Within minutes, it raced to the ceiling timbers and enveloped the audience in flames. The tragic Richmond Theater fire would inspire a national commemoration and become its generation's defining disaster. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eA vibrant and bustling city, Richmond was synonymous with horse races, gambling, and frivolity. The gruesome fire amplified the capital's reputation for vice and led to an upsurge in antitheater criticism that spread throughout the country and across the Atlantic. Clerics in both America and abroad urged national repentance and denounced the stage, a sentiment that nearly destroyed theatrical entertainment in Richmond for decades. Local churches, by contrast, experienced a rise in attendance and became increasingly evangelical. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn The Richmond Theater Fire, the first book about the event and its aftermath, Meredith Henne Baker explores a forgotten catastrophe and its wide societal impact. The story of transformation comes alive through survivor accounts of slaves, actresses, ministers, and statesmen. Investigating private letters, diaries, and sermons, among other rare or unpublished documents, Baker views the event and its outcomes through the fascinating lenses of early nineteenth-century theater, architecture, and faith, and reveals a rich and vital untold story from America's past.\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eMeredith Henne Baker holds a graduate degree in history from the College of William and Mary and is a Virginia Humanities Fellow. An educator and award-winning writer, she lives in the Richmond, Virginia area with her family.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 364\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.81 x 9 x 6 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIllustrated:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e April 01, 2022\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51759483355424,"sku":"9780807177082","price":34.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0974\/9764\/5344\/files\/680399ad02240ad3b8a4ac42861454e6.webp?v=1780154112","url":"https:\/\/ebocreations.com\/products\/the-richmond-theater-fire-early-americas-first-great-disaster-paperback","provider":"The E-Book Oasis LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}