Great Fire of 1911 facts for kids
The Great Fire of 1911 was a huge fire that happened in Bangor, Maine, United States. It started on April 30 and lasted until May 1, 1911. What began as a small fire in a shed in the downtown area quickly grew out of control. It ended up destroying hundreds of buildings, including homes and businesses.
How the Fire Started and Spread
The fire began on the afternoon of April 30, 1911, on Broad Street. Strong winds helped the flames spread very quickly. By 4:10 PM, the fire had reached a shed on Exchange Street and then the Universalist Church on Center Street. From there, it moved into the homes on Center Street Hill.
Years before, in 1907, fire experts had actually looked at Bangor's layout. They had warned that a big fire could easily spread from that exact area. Their predictions, sadly, came true.
Fighting the Flames
The fire grew so large that people could see its glow in the sky all the way from Belfast, which is many miles away! Firefighters worked tirelessly to stop it. They even called for help from other cities like Lewiston and Portland.
When the telephone company building caught fire, the wire chief bravely climbed a pole. He connected to a main phone line to call for more help. One team of firefighters from Boston, Massachusetts, was even sent to help. However, their train stopped in Portland, where they ended up fighting another fire there first!
People tried to slow the fire down by blowing up buildings in its path. This was meant to create gaps that the fire couldn't cross, but it didn't work. Luckily, a light rain started overnight, which helped a lot in bringing the fire under control.
The Damage and Recovery
The fire was finally brought under control on Monday morning, May 1, 1911. But before it was out, it had destroyed a large part of Downtown Bangor. Important buildings like the Post Office, the Custom House, and Norumbega Hall were lost. All three buildings of Bangor High School and the Bangor Public Library were also destroyed. It was amazing that City Hall survived, even though it was directly in the fire's path.
The library lost its entire collection of 70,000 books. A lot of historical items from the Bangor Historical Society were also destroyed. In total, the fire ruined 285 homes, 100 businesses, and 6 churches. The damage was estimated at $3.2 million, which was a huge amount of money back then. Hundreds of people lost their homes.
Amazingly, only two lives were lost in this massive disaster. One man from Brewer was caught in electrical wires while crossing a bridge. The other person was a firefighter.
After the fire, the destroyed area was quickly rebuilt. Many architects from New York and Boston, like Carrere and Hastings, helped design the new buildings. Local designers such as Wilfred E. Mansur also played a big part. A large section of the rebuilt area, which includes 43 buildings, was later recognized for its historical importance in 1984. It is now known as the Great Fire of 1911 Historic District.
