The Great Jacksonville Fire of 1901

[Metro Jacksonville]

The Great Jacksonville Fire of 1901



In just over eight hours on May 3, 1901, a small fire, started in a LaVilla mattress factory, would sweep through 146 city blocks of Jacksonville, destroying over 2,000 buildings, taking seven lives, and leaving almost 9,000 people homeless in the process.


Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2009-oct-the-great-jacksonville-fire-of-1901

[fsu813]

very good over view of the course, before & after, etc of the fire. The picture of the Klutho building presentation & the map of the burning are very interesting as well.

[JeffreyS]

Something every local resident should know. Good job.

[Wacca Pilatka]

Where is that historical marker located?

[Ernest Street]

Local legend tells about some residents with Dynamite going around "Putting out the fires" But they were a little too enthusiastic...

[fsu813]

I'm pretty sure there is a historicl marker at the Landing, though the opne pcitured didn't seem to be it.

The sculpture is outside the Hyatt, i think.

[thelakelander]

The marker is in Hemming Plaza.

[Wacca Pilatka]

Thanks Lake.  I don't know how I've missed it repeatedly but I'll look for it next time I'm in town.  For some reason I had it in mind that it was near the monument by the Hyatt.

[Cliffs_Daughter]

In the legend of the Fire Area map, there's something called "Market Street Horror"

Anybody know what that was about?

[fsujax]

I have the book on my coffee table and actaully attended the dedication ceremony in Hemming Plaza on that hot May day in 2001 for the 100th anniversary of the fire. I love reading the about the Great Fire.

[Raysfan16]

Wow, nice article. I wonder what the ratio is of buildings destroyed in the Great Fire to buildings destroyed by 'urban renewal'.

[Lunican]

I think a lot of people assume that areas like Brooklyn and LaVilla are non existent today as a result of the fire, which is not true.

[blanchard]

Market St horror is described in detail in 'Acres of Ashes' which is availible at the library, as well as online. In fact, I believe that map is from that book.

Anyway, it is indeed where the fire cornered dozens of people. If my memory serves me correctly, they all boarded a sailing vessel that was tied to the Pier, and tried to depart. Because of the fire, there was an incredible amount of wind being sucked into the fire, actually causing the boat to be sucked back into its berth. There was also reports of a water spout being caused. I believe the boat was then hooked up to a steam powered Yacht that tried fruitlessly to pull it out of the birth, before the vessel capsized.

This is all off the top of my head, so i may be off on some points.

[Cliffs_Daughter]

Wow. That just puts more of an emotional element to it. Truly horrible.   

[Charles Hunter]

I have heard that commercial fishermen, from downriver, came in their fishing boats to ferry people away from the fire.  I would guess their smaller boats wouldn't be as effected by the "fire storm" winds as a sailing vessel.