Editing Hamar (section)

===Fires, floods and other disasters===
In 1860, concerns about flooding were vindicated when a late and sudden spring caused the lake to flood, peaking around 24 June, when the street-level floor of the front properties was completely inundated. This was the worst flood recorded since 1789. By 9 July, the flooding had receded. In August, massive rainfall led to flash flooding in the area, putting several streets under water. This was immediately followed by unseasonably cold weather, freezing the potato crops and inconveniencing Hamar's residents. Then mild weather set in, and melted all the ice and accumulated snow, which lead to another round of flooding. By the time a particularly cold and snow-filled winter set in, there was mostly relief about getting some stability.

In 1876, the town was scandalized by the apprehension of one Kristoffer Svartbækken, arrested for the cold-blooded murder of 19-year-old Even Nilsen Dæhlin. Svartbækken was convicted for the murder and executed the following year in the neighboring rural community of [[Løten]], with an audience of 3,000 locals, presumably the majority of Hamar's population at the time.

In 1878, as the [[firefighting]] capabilities of the young town were upgraded, a fire broke out in a bakery. The fire was put out without doing too much damage. In February 1879 at 2:00 in the morning another fire broke out after festivities, burning down an entire building that housed many historical items from the town. This was followed by a series of fires that left entire blocks in ashes. The fires kept happening until 1881, when a professional fire corps was hired.

In 1889, there were riots in Hamar over the arrest of one of their own constables, one sergeant Huse, who had been insubordinate while on a military drill at the cavalry camp at [[Gardermoen]]. In an act of poor judgment, Huse's superior sent him to Hamar's prison in place of military stockades. Partly led and partly tolerated by other constables, the town's population engaged in demonstrations, marches, and other unlawful but non-violent acts that were effectively ended when a company of soldiers arrived from the camp at [[Terningmoen]] near Elverum.<ref name="Pederson">{{Cite book |last=Pedersen |first=Ragnar |title=Den adelige frie sedegård Storhamar (Fra Kaupang og Bygd) |publisher=Hedmarksmuseet og Domkirkeodden |year=1990 |isbn=82-990752-7-0 |language=no}}</ref>

Composer [[Fredrikke Waaler]] founded and directed the first orchestra in Hamar in 1893. She also directed a choir and wrote a song for the city.