The Great Fargo Fire - Fargo, ND - Famous Fires on Waymarking.com

This first started in downtown Fargo in the summer of 1893. Near the southeast corner of Main Ave. and Broadway is a commemorative plaque that reads:

Fargo Fire of June 7, 1893

On this site, the afternoon of June 7, 1893, began what would later become known as The Great Fargo Fire. Originating at Herzman’s Dry Store, the fire spread its destruction north, east, and west from this location until it had consumed 31 blocks in the heart of the city. Aided by winds reaching 30 miles per hour, in less than five hours the conflagration had exhausted itself, and 160 acres of the proud, prosperous city of 12,000 souls lay in ruin. Witnesses told of seeing as many as 200 buildings burning simultaneously during the disaster.

The three existing Fargo volunteer fire companies charged with protecting the city lost both their stations, as well as much of their equipment. The comfortable quarters of the 30 members of the Yerxa Hose Company No. 3 was located on Northern Pacific Avenue and Roberts Street. Directly across Main Avenue, then front Street, from this site stood the station housing the horses and equipment of the 30-man Continental Hose Company No. 1 and the 30 Rescue Hook and Ladder No. 2 volunteers. This station became one of the early victims of the fire. The driver of the Continental Hose had been requested to sprinkle the dusty streets, and 2:15 this afternoon found him with his horses hitched to the city street sprinkler wagon in the vicinity of Broadway and the Great Northern tracks. Alerted to the fire, he unhooked the horses and raced back to the station across from Herzman’s store and hooked the horses to the hose wagon. The Yerxa Company and Rescue Hook and Ladder firefighters also answered the call, but their heroic efforts all proved futile. The fire quickly reached the uncontrollable stage. Volunteer companies from Moorhead, Minnesota, quickly came to Fargo’s aid, as well as units from the North Dakota cities of Casselton, Grand Forks, and Wahpeton. All their noble efforts could not stop the fiery monster. One of Fargo’s fire ladies, as the firefighters were affectionately refurred to, lost his life when W. H. Johnson of the Rescue Hook and Ladder succumbed to burns the following day.

By 7:00 p.m. the fire had completed its reign of destruction and burned itself out. Fargo’s main business district lay in complete ruin, a loss estimated between three and five million dollars. Six and one-half miles of wooden sidewalk were destroyed, 150 miles of telephone wires, three miles of poles, and most of the city records. Many housed in modern, three-story, brick buildings.

Ultimately, the disastrous fire had a “silver lining.” In that rubble from the destroyed buildings was used to fill low-lying land along Roberts Street that had bounded the growth of downtown. Building codes were enacted and enforced for the building boom that followed. In a year’s time 246 new buildings were constructed. Fargo’s population doubled in just eight years, tripling overall commercial activity.

In 1903, the dedicated, brave men of the volunteer companies were disbanded in favor of full-time, paid firefighters. Today’s members of the Fargo Fire Department still carry on the tradition of the brave volunteers of the early, formidable years of Fargo.

Several published accounts and photo essays of the Great Fargo Fire of 1893 are available from local libraries.


Parking is available on Broadway, south of Main Ave.

Type of Structure: other Other: Private and Public buidings Fire Date: 06/07/1893 Structure status: Plaque Cause of Fire: The Fargo Forum in a special edition the day of the fire, reported that the fire began when someone threw ashes from the rear of the Little Gem Restaurant on Front Street and started a fire in the rear of Herzman's Dry Goods Store at 512 Front Street. Another version of the fire suggested that Lily Herzman was burning cardboard packing cartons behind the store and the flames spread to the building. Documentation of the fire: [Web Link] Construction Date: Not listed

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