AUGUSTA –From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 19, Augusta will hold an event to to commemorate the 150th anniversary of  the great Augusta fire of 1865. The blaze devastated the town, destroying more than 100 structures.

Antique fire-fighting apparatus, including three pieces that actually fought the fire, will be displayed on Water Street. There also will be a demonstration of period firefighting by the Dexter Fire Department, using its vintage hand-pumper. A pipe-and-drum band, a chili cook off, lecture and slideshow about the fire,  as well as food concessions and a display of modern fire apparatus on Front Street,  which children will be encouraged to explore. Finally, the Colonial Theatre will be open for tours and providing live entertainment. 

The following information about the fire comes from James North’s “History of Augusta,” The Kennebec Journal centennial edition and an article by Anthony Drouin, retired state archivist:

On Sunday morning, Sept. 17, 1865, Ward Chase, who lived above the business he operated on Water Street, was awoken rudely by the smell of smoke and a furious fire that had started in the unoccupied building next door. 

The fire quickly spread to adjoining wooden structures on the east side of Water Street at the base of Oak Street. A prolonged dry spell and the wooden boardwalk that spanned the east side of the street, were believed to be contributing factors in the rapid spread of the blaze. Embers from the fire spread the flames rapidly under the wooden boardwalk and to buildings on the west side of Water Street igniting eventually 100 buildings ablaze.

Both Men and women fought the fire valiantly by staffing the pumpers and participating in a bucket brigade. And fire fighting equipment came from all around the area.

Damages from the fire were estimated at over $500,000 of which half that amount was recouped in insurance claims. 

The fire was believed to have been set by an itinerant lobster salesman who traveled to Augusta early that morning from China, after setting fire to a barn in that community. He was never charged for the crime of setting the fire, rather he was arrested in Portland the next day for setting fire to a structure there owned by a man who he accused of having trampled his cart with his team of horses.

The lobster salesman, George W. Jones, was believed to be insane and was committed to the Insane Asylum at Augusta, where he was determined to be of sound mind and therefore transferred to the State Prison at Thomaston where he later died of disease.