8. The Original Tile Company Replaced the Tile after the Fire
The extent of the fire at Central Synagogue cannot be overstated. The fire was in the center of the building and the roof ended up caving in. There was extensive fire damage and water damage from the rescue effort. Fortunately, Central Synagogue still had the blueprints from 1870 and used them to rebuild. It took longer to restore the place than it took to build it originally from the ground up.
One stroke of good luck was that the company that made the Victorian-style encaustic floor tiles is still in operation in England (operated by a successor company). The synagogue ordered 40,000 new tiles to replace the ones damaged in the fire.
