Midway Fire of 1911: Difference between revisions
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On July 16, 1911, a fire destroyed five (or seven<ref name="oakland">"Fire Causes Panic." ''Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) | On July 16, 1911, a fire destroyed five (or seven<ref name="oakland">[https://archive.org/details/oakland-tribune-1911-07-17/page/n3/mode/2up?q=%22Olentangy+Park%22 "Fire Causes Panic."] ''Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California).'' July 17, 1911. Page 5. Accessed through Internet Archive.</ref><ref name="times">[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-recorder-olentangy-park-burns/178439308/ "Olentangy Park Burns; Several Hurt in Panic."] ''The Times Recorder (Zanesville, Ohio).'' July 17, 1911. Page 1. Accessed through Newspapers.com.</ref>) attractions along the Midway at Olentangy Park, including the [[Ye Olde Mill (1)|Ye Old Mill]], [[The Destruction of Johnstown|Johnstown Flood]], the [[Temple of Mirth]], the [[Penny Arcade (Midway)|Penny Arcade]], [[Dear Old Coney Island|Coney Island]], and [[Wonderland]]. Park management and the fire department believed the fire was intentionally caused, and incendiaries were used. The loss was estimated to be {{Tooltip |text = $15,000 to $50,000|tooltip = $507,576 to $1.7 million in 2025 dollars}}. Two other fires were also found and extinguished the same evening.<ref>Photographs. ''The Columbus Evening Dispatch.'' July 17, 1911. Page 1.</ref> | ||
Two men, | Two men, James Andrews, 87, and Earnest Parsons, 19, were slightly burned that night when a fire broke out around 9:15 p.m. or 9:30 p.m. in the Old Mill attraction. The fire was believed to have been ignited from a discarded cigarette or incendiary. Andrews was on the second floor of the building when he panicked and jumped, landing on the steps below, which were already burning. Parsons was trampled while the crowds rushed to the exit before being rescued.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-zanesville-signal-fire-spreads-panic/178439742/ "Fire Spreads Panic at Columbus Park."] ''The Zanesville Signal (Zanesville, Ohio).'' July 17, 1911. Page 7. Accessed through Newspapers.com.</ref> They were taken to the Protestant hospital. Andrews could walk home after treatment, but Parsons's injuries were worse. Although rumors were spread that several people were injured and died, manager Dusenbury and the fire department believed that they were the only injuries, and no one died.<ref name="arson">"Suspect Arson in Destructive Fire at Olentangy Park." ''The Columbus Evening Dispatch.'' July 17, 1911. Page 1.</ref> However, some other publications reported that seven people were injured and at least 1,000 people fled in panic.<ref name="oakland" /> | ||
It was possibly arson due to other fires around the park that night. A band member discovered one of the other fires in one of the theater boxes at 6:30 p.m. and extinguished | It was possibly arson due to other fires around the park that night. A band member discovered one of the other fires in one of the theater boxes at 6:30 p.m. and extinguished the burning curtains with a chemical.<ref>"Amusement Park Visited by Fire." ''Springfield News-Sun (Springfield, Ohio).'' July 17, 1911. Page 2. Accessed through Newspapers.com [https://www.newspapers.com/article/springfield-news-sun-amusement-park-visi/178440558/ Clip 1] [https://www.newspapers.com/article/springfield-news-sun-amusement-park-visi/178440606/ Clip 2]</ref> However, State Fire Marshal Zuber investigated the fire and didn't think it was arson due to there being a large crowd on a Sunday night.<ref>"Olentangy Park Fire Not Work of Arsonist." ''The Columbus Evening Dispatch.'' July 18, 1911. Page 3.</ref> Some reports said the fire was believed to have been caused by faulty wiring.<ref>"Fire Panic in Park Resort." ''The New York Times.'' July 17, 1911. Page 18.</ref> | ||
The destroyed buildings were frame structures, and most of them were lined with burlap. The firefighters arrived too late to save the five buildings but were able to save the Dancing Pavilion, which was only partially burned. Its survival is partially attributed to its steel frame. The water damaged the dance floor. Manager Dusenbury said the buildings were not insured. Events for the week were not canceled.<ref name="arson" /> | The destroyed buildings were frame structures, and most of them were lined with burlap. The firefighters arrived too late to save the five buildings but were able to save the [[Dancing Pavilion (2)|Dancing Pavilion]], which was only partially burned. Its survival is partially attributed to its steel frame. The water damaged the dance floor. Manager Dusenbury said the buildings were not insured.<ref name="times" /> Events for the week were not canceled.<ref name="arson" /><ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-galion-inquirer-the-fire-at-olentang/157633162/ "The Fire at Olentangy Park."] ''The Galion Inquirer (Galion, Ohio).'' July 18, 1911. Page 4. Accessed through Newspapers.com.</ref> | ||
The debris of the destroyed buildings was cleaned up by July 22.<ref>"Olentangy Park." ''The Columbus Evening Dispatch | The debris of the destroyed buildings was cleaned up by July 22.<ref>"Olentangy Park." ''The Columbus Evening Dispatch.'' July 22, 1911. Page 10.</ref> | ||
==Buildings Destroyed== | ==Buildings Destroyed== | ||
* [[Ye Olde Mill ( | * [[Ye Olde Mill (1)]] | ||
* [[The Destruction of Johnstown|Johnstown Flood]] | * [[The Destruction of Johnstown|Johnstown Flood]] | ||
* [[Temple of Mirth]] | * [[Temple of Mirth]] | ||
| Line 23: | Line 23: | ||
[[Category:Destroyed by Fire]] | [[Category:Destroyed by Fire]] | ||
{{#seo:|description=In 1911 a fire destroyed five attractions along the Midway at Olentangy Park, including the Ye Old Mill, the Johnstown Flood, the Penny Arcade, Coney Island, and the Temple of Mirth.}} | {{#seo:|description=In 1911, a fire destroyed five attractions along the Midway at Olentangy Park, including the Ye Old Mill, the Johnstown Flood, the Penny Arcade, Coney Island, and the Temple of Mirth.}} | ||
{{#seo:|keywords=Olentangy Park, Olentangy Amusement Park, fire, fires, 1911 fire, destruction of johnstown, johnstown flood, coney island, dear old coney island, temple of mirth, funhouse, Arcadia, automatic vaudeville, arcade, penny arcade, Olentangy Park Columbus, Columbus amusement park, amusement park, Clintonville, defunct amusement park, midway}} | {{#seo:|keywords=Olentangy Park, Olentangy Amusement Park, fire, fires, 1911 fire, destruction of johnstown, johnstown flood, coney island, dear old coney island, temple of mirth, funhouse, Arcadia, automatic vaudeville, arcade, penny arcade, Olentangy Park Columbus, Columbus amusement park, amusement park, Clintonville, defunct amusement park, midway}} | ||
Latest revision as of 00:56, 5 October 2025
On July 16, 1911, a fire destroyed five (or seven[1][2]) attractions along the Midway at Olentangy Park, including the Ye Old Mill, Johnstown Flood, the Temple of Mirth, the Penny Arcade, Coney Island, and Wonderland. Park management and the fire department believed the fire was intentionally caused, and incendiaries were used. The loss was estimated to be $15,000 to $50,000$507,576 to $1.7 million in 2025 dollars. Two other fires were also found and extinguished the same evening.[3]
Two men, James Andrews, 87, and Earnest Parsons, 19, were slightly burned that night when a fire broke out around 9:15 p.m. or 9:30 p.m. in the Old Mill attraction. The fire was believed to have been ignited from a discarded cigarette or incendiary. Andrews was on the second floor of the building when he panicked and jumped, landing on the steps below, which were already burning. Parsons was trampled while the crowds rushed to the exit before being rescued.[4] They were taken to the Protestant hospital. Andrews could walk home after treatment, but Parsons's injuries were worse. Although rumors were spread that several people were injured and died, manager Dusenbury and the fire department believed that they were the only injuries, and no one died.[5] However, some other publications reported that seven people were injured and at least 1,000 people fled in panic.[1]
It was possibly arson due to other fires around the park that night. A band member discovered one of the other fires in one of the theater boxes at 6:30 p.m. and extinguished the burning curtains with a chemical.[6] However, State Fire Marshal Zuber investigated the fire and didn't think it was arson due to there being a large crowd on a Sunday night.[7] Some reports said the fire was believed to have been caused by faulty wiring.[8]
The destroyed buildings were frame structures, and most of them were lined with burlap. The firefighters arrived too late to save the five buildings but were able to save the Dancing Pavilion, which was only partially burned. Its survival is partially attributed to its steel frame. The water damaged the dance floor. Manager Dusenbury said the buildings were not insured.[2] Events for the week were not canceled.[5][9]
The debris of the destroyed buildings was cleaned up by July 22.[10]
Buildings Destroyed
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Fire Causes Panic." Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California). July 17, 1911. Page 5. Accessed through Internet Archive.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Olentangy Park Burns; Several Hurt in Panic." The Times Recorder (Zanesville, Ohio). July 17, 1911. Page 1. Accessed through Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Photographs. The Columbus Evening Dispatch. July 17, 1911. Page 1.
- ↑ "Fire Spreads Panic at Columbus Park." The Zanesville Signal (Zanesville, Ohio). July 17, 1911. Page 7. Accessed through Newspapers.com.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Suspect Arson in Destructive Fire at Olentangy Park." The Columbus Evening Dispatch. July 17, 1911. Page 1.
- ↑ "Amusement Park Visited by Fire." Springfield News-Sun (Springfield, Ohio). July 17, 1911. Page 2. Accessed through Newspapers.com Clip 1 Clip 2
- ↑ "Olentangy Park Fire Not Work of Arsonist." The Columbus Evening Dispatch. July 18, 1911. Page 3.
- ↑ "Fire Panic in Park Resort." The New York Times. July 17, 1911. Page 18.
- ↑ "The Fire at Olentangy Park." The Galion Inquirer (Galion, Ohio). July 18, 1911. Page 4. Accessed through Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Olentangy Park." The Columbus Evening Dispatch. July 22, 1911. Page 10.