Cridersville Great Fire of 1918 - Cridersville, OH
Posted by: 
graylling
N 40° 39.189 W 084° 08.647
16T E 741454 N 4504176
This is the site of the town pond that was drained during the fire.
Waymark Code: WM5AKB
Location: Ohio, United States
Date Posted: 12/08/2008
Views: 27
From the historical marker:
"The Village of Cridersville was founded in 1856. With the discovery of oil in 1885 the village prospered and grew quickly. It's business district developed along Main Street in the first block east of the railroad. The Town Pond Reservoir was constructed here in the 1890's to provide water in the event of fire. At 3:00 pm on May 2, 1918, a rubbish fire was started across the street from this pond and blew out of control. The fire ignited a nearby barn, and with the aid of strong winds, soon carried to the business district on East Main Street. Wood frame construction and wooden shingles allowed the fire to spread rapidly. Within an hour both sides of Main Street were ablaze and the village had but a single hand pumper to fight the fire.
other side: The Lima and Wapakoneta Fire Companies were notified at once, Upon arrival, they began to pump fromt his pond and within an hour it was dry. Boy Scouts and soldiers from Lima also came to help fight the fire. The column of smoke could be seen for miles and the heat was so intense that trains could not pass through town. By 6:00 pm Cridersville's downtown was gone. Only the cast iron safe of the Home Bank remained among the embers. In all, 32 structures were destroyed and 50 people rendered homeless. Fortunately no one was seriously injured in the fire. Before the development of municipal water systems, modern fire fighting equipment and fireproof building materials, disastrous fires like this were all too common in communities of every size in America. "
Today there is no sign of the fire other than the historical marker. However the town has built their fire department within a stones throw of the town pond, which now seems to be used as a fishing hole and recreation area.
Type of Structure: other
Other: the downtown area of Cridersville
Fire Date: 05/02/1918
Structure status: Plaque
Cause of Fire:
A rubbish fire was started and blew out of control.
Documentation of the fire: [Web Link]
Construction Date: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
Give a narrative of your experience. Did you learn anything after reading about the fire in the waymark? Photos are always welcome too. Please no virtual visits.