This then-and-now photo pairs a modern street view with a dramatic historical scene at the corner of Franklin St and Hayes St. In the older image, a group of business-dressed men in hats stands in the foreground while thick smoke rises from a building behind them, capturing a tense moment of a city fire as it unfolds.
The composition draws your eye to the contrast between calm observers and the chaos of flames and smoke, with a young child also visible near the crowd. Details like the wood-fronted facades, window trim, and overhead utility lines give the historic half of the image a strong sense of place and everyday street life interrupted by disaster.
On the contemporary side, the intersection is clearly marked with Franklin and Hayes street signs, traffic lights, crosswalks, and storefronts, showing how the corner looks today. Together, the two views create a compelling piece of urban history, highlighting how the Franklin Street and Hayes Street intersection has changed while still remaining recognizable in the city streetscape.