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In the early morning hours of Dec. 8, 1922, fire tore through Oregon’s oldest city.
Astoria’s fire likely began near 11th Street and quickly spread through the downtown business district.
Despite a drizzle of rain and light snow, the blaze jumped from building to building. Within an hour of the first alarm, an entire block turned to ash. Newspapers described it as an “inferno.”
“The heat was terrible,” the Oregon Journal reported. “In the path of the on-coming flames people ran through the streets carrying children and what few goods they could gather.”
Astoria’s fire likely began near 11th Street and quickly spread through the downtown business district.
Despite a drizzle of rain and light snow, the blaze jumped from building to building. Within an hour of the first alarm, an entire block turned to ash. Newspapers described it as an “inferno.”
“The heat was terrible,” the Oregon Journal reported. “In the path of the on-coming flames people ran through the streets carrying children and what few goods they could gather.”
Astoria’s Great Fire of 1922
Posted from opb.org
Astoria
American History
Posted >1 y ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
"At about 2 a.m. on December 8, 1922, a fire began which destroyed up to 30 blocks in central Astoria, Oregon. Approximately 2,500 residents lost their homes, with one death, and damages exceeded hundreds of millions of dollars.[1] The fire is considered to be one of the worst in Oregon's history.[2]
A 1922 report attributed:[2]
... the rapid spread of the fire had been caused by flames eating their way beneath the paved streets, attacking the creosoted pilings which provide the support for the pavement. To this honeycomb ... is attributed the amazing speed with which the flames traveled, breaking through in myriad places.
Astoria had major fires in July 1883 and December 16, 2010.[2]"...
"At about 2 a.m. on December 8, 1922, a fire began which destroyed up to 30 blocks in central Astoria, Oregon. Approximately 2,500 residents lost their homes, with one death, and damages exceeded hundreds of millions of dollars.[1] The fire is considered to be one of the worst in Oregon's history.[2]
A 1922 report attributed:[2]
... the rapid spread of the fire had been caused by flames eating their way beneath the paved streets, attacking the creosoted pilings which provide the support for the pavement. To this honeycomb ... is attributed the amazing speed with which the flames traveled, breaking through in myriad places.
Astoria had major fires in July 1883 and December 16, 2010.[2]"...
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