The Great Fire Of 1901 Was One Of The Greatest Tragedies In Florida’s History

A lot of tragedies have befallen the state of Florida throughout the years. For instance, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge collapse that took place in the 1980s was detrimental to the community of Tampa, Florida. Another great tragedy to take place in Florida that many residents may not even know occurred took place in 1901 in Jacksonville and easily became one of the worst disasters to ever happen in Florida.

On May 3, 1901, one of the worst tragedies to take place in Florida history occurred in Jacksonville.

Considered the third largest urban fire in the United States, the Great Fire of 1901 was a day that will forever live in the shadows of Florida’s history.

Back in 1901, Jacksonville consisted primarily of wooden buildings with shingled roofs that were also made of wood, which was seemingly a recipe for disaster.

Jacksonville had been suffering for a while from a prolonged drought, which made the city and the surrounding buildings dry and prone to fires.

It was stated that the fire began when sparks from a chimney near Beaver & Davis streets felt onto a pile of Spanish moss that was laid out to dry.

Factory workers from the Cleaveland Fibre Factory who were on lunch break tried to put the fire out with a few buckets of water, but the wind soon picked up from the east and things became dire.

When the northwest winds picked up as well, the fire spread from house to house at a speed that was faster than anyone could’ve imagined.

Within eight hours, the fire has destroyed over 2,300 buildings, burned 146 city blocks, and left nearly 10,000 Jacksonville residents without homes.

It was said the glow of the flames was seen from Savannah, Georgia and the smoke was seen from Raleigh, North Carolina.

Florida Governor William S. Jennings declared martial law, and the reconstruction efforts were put into effect to rebuild the city, but the Great Fire of 1901 claimed the lives of seven people and left a dark stain on both Florida and Jacksonville’s history.

Did you know about the Great Fire of 1901? Share with us your stories in the comments section.