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| The Franklin Hotel, Assiniboia, burned down on December 16, 2008. Photo by Landon Ullrich |
Another small-town Saskatchewan hotel went up in flames this past weekend. Carol MacCallum, the owner of the Choiceland hotel and bar, vows to rebuild the hotel. “This is a great town, these are great people” MacCallum told the Saskatoon StarPhoenix. “They need a bar. The bar is a community centre.”
Many hotels that once commanded the corners of Railway and Main have burned to the ground over the years. It didn’t take much – a live cinder drawn up the chimney by a strong wind and igniting the flat tar roof; the explosion of a coal oil stove – to set these rambling old wooden buildings ablaze.
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Queen’s Hotel fire, Macrorie, 1957.
From Jubilee Reminiscences:
A History of Macrorie (1957)
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Hotel fires caused death and destruction. In 1912, the hotel in Antler, Saskatchewan, caught fire after an explosion of the gas works which provided the building’s light and heat. According to the town’s history book (1983), the guests in the front part of the hotel escaped unharmed, but it was a different story for staff members in the back of the building. “Two chambermaids were saved by the Chinese cook, who forcibly threw these two frightened girls over the hole, and they escaped unhurt. Dan Morrison, who was also in the back part, had his hair and face badly burnt. Fred Brown, a man of German descent, a carpenter and resident of the hotel, died in this event. He was found with his mattress still under him; evidently he died of smoke inhalation, never waking. They had held a birthday party for him the day before the fire.”
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Aftermath of the Macoun Hotel explosion, 1914.
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One of the most tragic hotel fires in Saskatchewan’s history occurred in Macoun on a windy April day in 1914. Thirteen people died and many were injured when an acetylene lighting plant in the hotel basement exploded. It was lunch time, and the hotel dining room was filled to capacity. The owner’s son smelled gas and decided to go down to the basement to investigate – with a lit cigar in his mouth. As soon as he opened the basement door, the place exploded. The entire building was thrown about thirty feet in the air, and then crashed back down. The young man with the cigar survived with only a few bruises, singed hair and eyebrows. Everyone else caught in the conflagration – save two – perished in the fire, or died later as a result of their injuries.
In the early days, few of Saskatchewan’s small towns had the means to extinguish the flames of a big fire. A disastrous hotel fire prompted many a town council to buy firefighting equipment. Other town passed bylaws mandating the construction of firewalls between adjacent buildings. Roofs had to be made of incombustible materials. The front verandas and covered balconies that once graced most old hotels had to be removed as they added to the fire hazard. In 1933, the town of Radville passed a bylaw forcing every hotel to provide fire escapes, signs leading to theses escapes, fire extinguishers on each floor, and a rope for each guest room. The minute book of the town of Webb records Hotel Bylaw No. 19: “Every public hotel shall be provided with one cotton rope at least three-quarter inch in diameter to be firmly fastened at least two feet above the windowsill in each bedroom.”
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Firefighting demonstration, Comstock Hotel, Halbrite, n.d.
Plowshares to Pumpjacks (1984)
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Not everyone was sad to see the town hotel burn down. When the women of Clavet heard that the hotel was on fire in 1915 - the year Prohibition was introduced in Saskatchewan, it is reported they said, "Hell is burning."
Small-Town Saskatchewan Hotels Destroyed by Fire (list in progress):
Small-Town Saskatchewan Hotels Destroyed by Fire (list in progress):
- Aberdeen: Aberdeen Hotel, March 3, 1997
- Abernethy: King Edward Hotel, May 27, 1909
- Aneroid: Aneroid Hotel, June 3, 1953
- Antler: Antler Hotel, 1912 [started in the hotel gas works; several injured, one killed]
- Ardill: Ardill Hotel, October 1965
- Asquith: Asquith Hotel, October 24, 1911 [explosion; four injured]
- Assiniboia: Franklin Hotel, December 16, 2008
- Atwater: Atwater Hotel, 1927
- Avonlea: King George Hotel, 1916
- Balgonie: Balgonie Hotel, November 7, 1909
- Beechy: Closes Hotel, December 1948
- Bengough: Bengough Hotel, 1978
- Biggar: Eden Hotel, July 13, 1982
- Broadview: Broadview Hotel, Jan. 1956 [$100,000 fire; and café]
- Brownlee: City Hotel, June 30, 1929 [smaller hotel built in its place]
- Cadillac: Vendome Hotel, December 27, 1923
- Cadillac: Cadillac Hotel, 1946 [rebuilt]
- Carnduff: Clarendon/Queen’s Hotel, 1921 or 1924
- Carrot River: Carrot River Hotel (Derniuk’s), 1933
- Ceylon: Ceylon Hotel, December 25, 1911
- Chamberlain: Chamberlain Hotel, June 21, 1942
- Chaplin: Chaplin Hotel, September 1933
- Chaplin: Chaplin Hotel, October 1956 [$80,000 damage]
- Choiceland: Choiceland Hotel, Feb. 19, 2011
- Clavet: French Hotel, 1915
- Craik: Craik Hotel, January 31, 2003
- Craven: Iroquois Hotel, 1908
- Craven: Empress Hotel, 1961
- Cudworth: Cudworth Hotel 1973
- Debden: Debden Hotel, 1926
- Debden: Debden Hotel, early 1930s
- Debden: Debden Hotel, early 1960s
- Delmas: Delmas Hotel, 1912 [at least one person killed]
- Disley: Disley Hotel, July 1954
- Earl Grey: Hotel Grey, 1924
- Eastend: Cypress Hotel, March 1916; rebuilt
- Eldersley: White (Tice) Hotel, December 1927
- Elrose: Elrose Hotel, September 12, 1993
- Elstow: Elstow Hotel, 1916 or 1918 [two people killed]
- Estevan: Estevan Hotel, Feb. 27, 1936 [hospital also destroyed]
- Fairlight: Fairlight Hotel, 1978
- Fielding: Fielding Hotel, July 22, 1922
- Fiske: Fiske Hotel, May 27, 1919
- Flaxcombe: Silver Hotel, January 26, 1929
- Fort Qu’Appelle: Fort Hotel, Feb. 1974 [$250,000 damage]
- Gainsborough: Queen’s Hotel, between 1900-1905
- Glen Ewen: Glen Ewen Hotel, 2007
- Goodeve: Goodeve Hotel, January 19, 1982
- Govan: Silver Plate Hotel, 1960
- Govan: Govan Hotel damaged, February 1978
- Gravelbourg: Cecil Hotel, August 12, 1926
- Gravelbourg: Gravelbourg Hotel, May 1972
- Grenfell: King’s Hotel, 1927
- Gull Lake: Lakeview Hotel, June 12, 1921
- Harris: Commercial Hotel, 1924
- Hazel Dell: Hazel Dell Hotel, October 2, 1978
- Herbert: Commercial Hotel, 1918
- Herschel: Herschel Hotel, December 25, 1979
- Hoey: Hoey Hotel, 2004
- Hudson Bay: Etoimamie Hotel, 1935
- Hudson Bay: Red Deer Motor Hotel, February 1979
- Humboldt: Humboldt Hotel, 1923
- Indian Head: McIntosh Hotel, early 1890s
- Indian Head: Indian Head Hotel, 1993
- Ituna: Carlton Hotel, 1925
- Jasmin: Jasmin Hotel, 1920
- Kandahar: Lakeview Hotel, 1925 or 1926
- Kelliher: Grand Trunk Hotel, December 22, 1931
- Kinistino: Kinistino Hotel, March 1950 [two killed]
- Kuroki: Kuroki Hotel, April 30, 1922 [one man killed]
- Laird: Laird Hotel, August 1915
- Lampman: Lampman Hotel, January 24, 1932
- Lancer: Lancer Hotel, 1958
- Lanigan: Lanigan Hotel, October 25, 1958
- Laura: Laura Hotel, November 1, 1966
- Leask: Hotel Windsor , Feb. 9, 2011 [arson suspected]
- Lebret: Lebret Hotel, October 5, 1916 [and dance pavilion]
- Lebret: Lebret Hotel, September 6, 1927
- Limerick: Dickenson Hotel, early 1920
- Lockwood: Lockwood Hotel, March 9, 1951
- Loverna: Vernon Hotel, 1960s
- Lumsden: Maple Leaf Hotel, February 23, 1909
- Lumsden: Lumsden Hotel, Sept. 1977 [caused by smoking; people killed]
- Lumsden: Lumsden Hotel, Nov. 21, 1998 [damages in excess of $600,000]
- Macleod: Commercial Hotel, July 13, 1891
- Macoun: Macoun Hotel, April 20, 1914 [13 people killed]
- MacNutt: MacNutt Hotel, 1924; rebuilt
- Macrorie: Queen’s Hotel, January 31, 1958
- Manitou Beach: Manitou Beach Hotel, 1943
- Manor: Manor Hotel, 1910
- Margo: Margo Hotel, November 5, 1954
- Maryfield: Arlington Hotel, 1945; rebuilt 1946
- McGee: Van Alstyne’s Hotel, 1915
- Meath Park: Meath Park Hotel, October 22, 1995 [arson?]
- Meota: King Edward Hotel, 192
- Melville: Killaly Hotel, November 11, 1981
- Melville: King George Hotel, February 17, 2010 [arson]
- Milden: Milden Hotel, 1985
- Moosomin: Queen’s Hotel, 1905
- Moosomin: Moosomin Hotel, Jan. 19, 1969 [one man dead, two missing]
- Neilburg: Golden Oak Inn / Pitt's Bar & Grill, April 23, 2011
- Nipawin: Anderson Hotel, 1923
- Nipawin: Nipawin Hotel, 1933
- Nipawin: Park Hotel, May 17, 1979
- Nokomis: Patricia Hotel, May 25, 1926
- Nut Mountain: Mountain House Hotel, November 22, 2006
- Ogema: Little Amego Inn, April 20, 1958
- Otthon: Otthon Hotel, March 1925 [$20,000 loss]
- Oxbow: Palace Hotel, August 1907 [rebuilt as Alexandra Hotel]
- Parkbeg: Temperance Hotel, August 1919
- Parkside: Parkside Hotel, 1961
- Paynton: Paynton Hotel, 1915
- Paynton: Leland Hotel, 1920
- Penzance: Penzance Hotel, May 18, 1941
- Piapot: Piapot Hotel, January 15, 1932
- Plato: Rymal’s Hotel, 1919
- Plenty: Plenty Hotel, 1981 [rebuilt by same owner]
- Ponteix: Windsor Hotel, 1929
- Ponteix: Ponteix Hotel, June 26, 193
- Portreeve: Portreeve Hotel, February 1919 or 1920
- Prelate: Prelate Hotel, August 10, 2009
- Prud’homme: Flanders Hotel, 1957 [rebuilt the same year]
- Punnichy: Glenrose Hotel, December 14, 1955
- Qu'Appelle: Queen's Hotel, 2003
- Ravenscrag: Ravenscrag Hotel, 1954
- Redvers: King’s Hotel, 1951
- Riverhurst: Riverhurst Hotel, 1975
- Rosthern: Klondike Hotel, 1906
- Rosthern: Occidental/National Hotel, August 26,1928
- Rosthern: Queen’s Hotel, 1961
- Rush Lake: Rush Lake Hotel, October 5, 1926
- Ruthilda: Boon’s Hotel, summer 1926
- Shaunavon: Empress Hotel, December 17, 1914
- Shell Lake: Shell Lake Hotel, 1956
- Shellbrook: Former Tynen Hotel, January 18, 1943.
- Somme: Somme Hotel, 1943
- Sonningdale: Sonningdale Hotel, March 19, 1995 [cooking oil to blame]
- Sovereign: Sovereign Hotel, 1915
- Spalding: Spalding Hotel, 1922
- Speers: Speers Hotel, December 7, 1989
- Spy Hill: Spy Hill Hotel, 1940
- Stoughton: King Edward Hotel, February 1, 1905
- Sturgis: Hotel Sturgis, March 1926
- Swift Current: Empress Hotel, December 25, 1931 [$100,000 loss]
- Tantallon: Tantallon Hotel, December 5, 193
- Tisdale: Imperial Hotel, February 7, 1933 [seven died in fire]
- Turtleford: Glenhavon Hotel, February 1, 1922
- Tway: Tway Hotel, April 5,1996
- Vidora: Vidora Hotel, Feb. 19, 1925 [also pool hall and a store; $14,000 loss]
- Vonda: Vonda Hotel, 1924
- Walpole: Walpole Hotel, 1923 or 1924
- Wapella: Wapella Hotel, June 1890 [two arsonists convicted of setting fire]
- Webb: [Weere’s] Hotel, January 1962
- Willow Bunch: European Hotel, November 11, 1959
- Willow Bunch: Willow Bunch Hotel, Feb. 1995 [caused by electrical short]
- Wolseley: Windsor Hotel, 1905
- Wolseley: Leland Hotel, October 5, 1923
- Wynyard: Wynyard Hotel, March 6,1932
- Yellow Grass: Yellow Grass Hotel, November 13, 1994 [arson]
- Young: Young Hotel, November 13, 2011
© Joan Champ, 2011
Amazing list of hotel fires.
ReplyDeleteRB
Nipawin had four hotels burn down! I'm thinking of changing the masthead to read, "The fact that Saskatchewan’s tenacious old hotels still stand on the corners of Railway and Main is a testament to the fact that nobody has lit a match to them yet!"
ReplyDeleteWhat year was the lastest Hotel Fire in Flaxcombe,Sask
ReplyDeleteMy only source for Flaxcombe is the local history book, Little Town in the Valley, published in 1984. The hotel was still standing at that date, owned by Herve and Judy Michaud. I haven't found any news stories about the second Flaxcombe hotel burning down. Do you have any information?
ReplyDeleteLaird Hotel, Laird, Saskatchewan owned by Joseph Le Claire; burned August 1915. There are pictures of its interior and exterior in the local cafe (former Bank of Commerce building). The hotel had two floors of wrap-around balconies and a magnificient dining room.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I'll add Laird to the list of hotel fires. I don't have any research on the Laird Hotel - all I have is a photo taken of the existing hotel on a cloudy winter day in 2005.
ReplyDeleteThe Plenty Hotel burned down in 1981 owner B. Armstrong rebuilt in 1982 same owner .
DeleteJoan, Thank you for a fascinating read on a what-is-chilly-to-us night in Athens, Georgia... it's 46 degrees F. outside!
ReplyDeleteWholeheartedly, Ort. Carlton.
Glad you enjoyed reading my hotel blog! Do you have any connection to Saskatchewan?
DeleteNone whatsoever! But your stories of these places are fascinating. It makes a person want to come visit.
ReplyDeletePlease do visit us -- summer is the best time!
ReplyDeleteI think some dates are switched around in the Nipawin fires. The Park Hotel burned in 1979. I lived in Nipawin at the time.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this clarification. My notes were somewhat uncertain. I will change the date to 1979.
ReplyDeleteWe have a family history story of my wife's grandfather Stephen Allan Raymond who, along with his wife Margaret, ran a hotel at Indian Head from 1905 to around 1907-08. We have been told it then burned down leaving them almost destitute. they then left to homestead in Nokomis in 1908. There is no fire listed for Indian Head for those years or anywhere close by. Have you any thoughts on this info? Thanks for all your work.
ReplyDeleteRobert Condon, Drumheller, Alberta
In 1905 my wife's grandfather Stephen Alan Raymond and his wife Margaret moved to Indian Head and ran one of the hotels there. In 1907 or 1908 it burned down forcing them to leave for Nokomis to homestead. We cannot see this fire on the list and wonder if you know any more information.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your work,
Robert Condon Drumheller, AB
Hi Joan;
ReplyDeleteI hate to add to this list, but the 1884 Queen's Hotel in Qu'Appelle also burned down (2003). It briefly accommodated General Middleton while he was en route to Batoche in 1885. A very similar hotel, also known as the Queen's and erected in the early 1880s, reportedly still stands in Battleford.
Frank Korvemaker, Regina, Sask.
Thanks for letting me know, Frank. I'll add this to my list. I haven't written anything yet about the hotels in Qu'Appelle, but hope to someday!
ReplyDelete