Nason Lumber Yard Fire by Pete Zizka 1-7-2023

Today it’s the site of the new Senior and Recreation Center but it has an interesting history. Many people today still remember when the sprawling layout of the Willimantic Lumber and Coal Company occupied the area. Some may still remember, or, at least, will have heard stories about the disastrous September, 1940 fire that destroyed the company’s buildings and stock. But the Willimantic Lumber and coal wasn’t the first lumber company to sit on that corner nor was it the first to experience such a devastating fire. In 1861, Hyde Kingsley and Silas Loomer established what would be Willimantic’s first lumber company and located it on Valley Street between Church and Temple Streets. The venture was a profitable one and soon after, Kingsley built a mansion on Prospect Street. He then leased the lumberyard to George Nason who then purchased the yard when Kingsley died in 1886. Under Nason’s ownership, it became the largest lumberyard in Eastern Connecticut. In 1888, Nason  began construction on a huge lumber storage building that faced Valley Street. In the early morning hours of February 13, 1894, a fire that would eventually consume the whole lumberyard and several adjacent buildings was discovered. (Today’s colorized photo shows the lumber yard before the fire) In those days, the police station was nearby on Church Street and the police walked beats on Main Street and Valley Street. It was believed that the policemen on the Valley Street beat had just passed by the location only minutes before a citizen noticed the blaze. The fire department was alerted and responded quickly to the fire even though there was a blinding snowstorm with gale winds and almost a foot of snow on the ground. The firefighters were praised for their response and efforts and it was noted that the alarm bell had rung “only a few strokes before the hose trucks were on their way to the fire”. People who had heard the alarms (the fire bell and train whistles) began to assemble and they assisted the firefighters to the extent that not only did the hose trucks arrive at the scene quickly despite the snow, but the firefighters were able to direct nine streams of water on the fire. Within two hours, the fire was brought under control. However, the lumber company’s buildings and stock were destroyed and the nearby W.L. Williams livery stables badly damaged. A small saloon on Temple and Valley Streets was also completely burned. The fire was believed to have been set and a reward of $200 was offered,” for the detection and conviction of the incendiary”.  Nevertheless, despite the amount of damage, the fire department was rightly praised for its efforts. A report said, “The greatest praise is due to Chief Leonard and the entire department for the vigorous and persistent fight and although a volunteer department, the city is prouder of them than ever”. Another positive note was that the city’s water system proved to be more than adequate for any emergency. Still, while the fire department was receiving accolades, the police department was beset by rumors that it was not “attending to business”, that it was citizens, not the police, who discovered the fire and that it took nearly fifteen minutes before the fire bell was rung. Immediately, Mayor Harrington was quick to defend the police and, “satisfied himself that the police were just where their instructions required them to be.” But he asked the Common Council to instruct the Police Committee to look into the allegations and prepare a report. By the end of March, 1894, the committee had completed its investigation. The report was quite detailed and showed that the committee had held four hearings and had examined seventeen witnesses. The most persistent criticism had been that it was not a policeman who discovered the fire, but a citizen. The report stated that while no fault could be assigned to the department, “it would have been greatly to the credit of the department had some of the members given the first alarm”. Witness testimony, in general, indicated that the fire was discovered just before 2 A.M. and the train whistles and fire bell began sounding shortly after. A police officer at High and Valley Streets saw the reflection in the sky and rang alarm box 22 but the system malfunctioned due to several alarm boxes being activated simultaneously. The report then exonerated the police department and said there was, “not sufficient grounds for censure”. Log on to threadcity.us for more photos and articles and to discover more facts about Willimantic, Windham and surrounding towns. Click on photo for larger version

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