This is the town of St. Pierre in February of 1902.

The colonists that originally settled built a cathedral, churches, an indoor theatre, and an outdoor amphitheater. The growing city of St. Pierre had reached a population of 26011 by 1902. It was a bustling port and commercial centre exporting sugar, rum, coca, and coffee. Mont Pelee was experiencing some volcanic activity including emissions of sulphurous gas, and local earthquakes.