1881 Texas State Capitol Fire -- Austin TX - Famous Fires on Waymarking.com

The Smith-Clark-Smith House is located at 504 W. 14th Street in Austin TX. It was built with bricks salvaged from the devastating 1881 Texas State Capitol fire.

The historic marker in front of the house reads as follows:

"Smith-Clark-Smith House

When the State Capitol burned in 1881, Scottish-born James Baird Smith (1843-1907) cleared the site and erected a temporary statehouse nearby. Salvaged bricks and stone, which he used to build this rent house about 1886, probably came from the burned capitol. The first tenant was noted Banker John G. Palm (1846-1927). Later owner (1924) and occupant (1925-43) Lucille Clark, of a prominent Austin family, sold the property in 1959 to Mr. and Mrs. Homer D. Smith, who restored it.

Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1975"

From the Austin Fire Museum: (visit link)

"Texas’ first permanent Capitol Building was built in 1853-55. As the years went by, the building became worn and dilapidated. By the late 1870s, the Texas Legislature had already begun the process of drafting up plans for a new Capitol Building.

On November 9, 1881 a state employee requested a wood burning stove for his office due to the incoming winter weather. The stove pipe was connected to an existing flue in the office. Unfortunately, the technician did not investigate the existing flue for damage, he just assumed it was safe and complete. On the first lighting of the stove, a fire developed in the walls of the old, dry, wooden interior of the structure.

The 1853 Capitol Building resided on the same hill as the current Capitol, but the nearest fire hydrant was 700 feet downhill from the Capitol. By the time the members of Washington Fire Company #1 and Colorado Fire Company #2 laid their lines the hose streams were a mere trickle. Fortunately, members of the legislature saved many important, historical paintings and documents of Early Texas History. On the other hand, many other documents and artifacts of history were incinerated within the building. Several ranking members of the Volunteer Austin Fire Department were on scene within minutes, including John Bremond, Jr., because they worked several hundred feet away in the Texas General Land Office.

Capitol Fires have plagued the Texas buildings throughout their history. The building that served as the Temporary Texas Capitol Building from 1881-1887 while the current Capitol was being built, burned to the ground in 1899. In 1983, the current Texas Capitol Building had a devastating fire that almost risked loosing the whole building and resulted in a civilian fatality."

Type of Structure: Public building Construction Date: 01/01/1852 Fire Date: 11/09/1881 Structure status: Gutted building Cause of Fire: accident caused by improper venting of a wood-burning stove Documentation of the fire: [Web Link] Other: Not listed

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.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   08/28/2016 Benchmark Blasterz visited it