Cathedral of St. John and St. Finbar
Bishop Reynolds raised money for construction of a new cathedral through the Cathedral Building Fund. The cornerstone was laid in 1850 near the corner of Broad and Friend (presently Legare) Streets.
Architect Patrick Keely was hired to construct the new cathedral. He intended the building to be 156 feet long, 72 feet wide, 54 feet high and made out of Connecticut sandstone. The initial cost estimate was $41,000. However, at the completion of the cathedral in 1854, the final amount was $103,600 (approximately $3.4 million today).
In December of 1861, a fire engulfed a large portion of the peninsula. It began at the intersection of East Bay and Hasell Streets and spread across the peninsula in a southwesterly direction. Pressed by high winds, the fire moved with speed and intensity. It burned over 540 acres, 575 homes, numerous businesses, and five churches. By the time it was out, a third of the city had burned.
Among the destruction was the Cathedral of St. John and St. Finbar. Many state that Bishop Lynch let the insurance policy lapse a week before the fire started. However, records indicate that the Cathedral was insured; although it was likely significantly underinsured.