1909 Fire Destroys Downtown Buildings

In the late 1800’s, the threat of fire was not much on the mind of Edmonds residents.

Population was sparse, and while wooden structures were subject to fire, they were not sufficiently dense to provide fuel for a major conflagration. But rapid growth in the last decade of the century quickly changed this situation.

The first wake-up call came in the early 1890’s, when George Brackett’s mill, adjacent to Brackett’s Wharf at the foot of Bell Street, was destroyed by fire (see Patch article “”). This was the first in a series of mill fires along the waterfront in that decade.

These early fires raised fears of a downtown fire, and in 1899 the Edmonds City Council considered installing fire hydrants along Main Street. This finally happened in 1904 after an upgrade to the water system provided sufficient pressure to operate them. The Volunteer Fire Department was formed that same year, and the City immediately purchased a hose cart and a bell to call them out in event of fire.

The early years of the new century saw rapid growth in population and commerce. Construction boomed, and the proliferation of wooden structures soon transformed Edmonds into a city of closely stacked wood and kindling. From the to Main Street’s wooden commercial buildings (see Patch articles , and ) to citizens’ wood frame homes and even to the wooden wharves and sidewalks, the young City of Edmonds was full of fuel. All that was needed was a spark to set it off.

The spark came in the early hours of July 8, 1909, near the southeast corner of Fourth and Main.

At 2:30 a.m., several citizens were awakened by the smell of smoke. The Volunteer Fire Department was called out, and made a run for the hose cart. Despite their best efforts, four businesses and the post office were destroyed at an estimated loss of $20,000.

In the wake of the destruction, Florance Roscoe (F.R.) Beeson, who had arrived from Indiana the previous year to set up a shoe business, saw his chance. He purchased the burned out property and announced his plan to erect a two-story concrete fireproof building.

The new Beeson Building opened in 1911. It still stands today at the corner of Fourth and Main, an architectural gem of our downtown core. Street level shops include the Edmonds Vision Center, Rebeka's clothing and accessories, Town and Country Jewelers, , and . The upstairs office space is occupied by several local businesses.