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Wednesday, March 27th -Please note, the Museum’s Bruce Gallery (Thread of the Story exhibit) will be CLOSED.

EASTER WEEKEND HOURS

Friday March 29 – Good Friday – Closed
Saturday March 30 – Open
Sunday March 31 – Closed
Monday April 1 – Easter Monday – Closed

Please note: The Museum’s historic outdoor structures are closed for the season!

Museum Hours

Monday 10 AM - 5 PM
Tuesday 10 AM - 5 PM
Wednesday 10 AM - 5 PM
Thursday 10 AM - 5 PM
Friday 10 AM - 5 PM
Saturday 10 AM - 5 PM
Sunday Closed

Archives Hours

Monday 10 AM - 4:30 PM
Tuesday 10 AM - 4:30 PM
Wednesday 10 AM - 4:30 PM
Thursday 10 AM - 4:30 PM
Friday 10 AM - 4:30 PM
Saturday 10 AM - 12 PM and 1 PM - 4:30 PM
Sunday Closed

General Admission

Individual $8.00 + HST
Children (4-12) $4.00 + HST
Student $6.00 + HST
Senior $6.00 + HST
Archives $6.00 + HST
Children (3 & under) FREE

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Enjoy the many benefits of Membership. Not only will you receive FREE admission for a whole year, but so much more!

 

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Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre​

33 Victoria Street North (in the town of Saugeen Shores)
Southampton, ON Canada N0H 2L0

Toll Free: 1-866-318-8889 | Phone: 519-797-2080 | Fax 519-797-2191

museum@brucecounty.on.ca

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The Chesley Fire of 1888

Home | Stories & Artefacts | The Chesley Fire of 1888

If you wish to use or purchase any of these images, please contact archives@brucecounty.on.ca

Chesley streetscape after fireOn the night of June 9, 1888, downtown Chesley suffered a devastating fire that ravaged through several blocks on both sides of the street.  Many businesses, buildings and homes were total losses.  The fire began in Thompson’s Furniture Store and spread quickly with the help of accelerants such as coal oil, the frame building itself, and a stiff south westerly wind which flew sparks and brands onto the roofs of nearby buildings and houses.  The fire raged for over two hours before it was extinguished.

 

Found in the scrapbooks part of the Krug family fonds are several firsthand accounts of the fire from citizens present at the time including Charles Smellie, R.S. Follis, R. J. Follis, and C.J. Halliday.

 

Recollections

 

Charles Smellie

 

Charles Smellie, who lived south of Chesley, remembers coming home with his brother late in the night, and noticing the glow in the sky.  They immediately rode to town and arrived after midnight to find both sides of the street aflame.  Charles mention that people were running around in just their trousers (scantily clad according to Charles) covered in soot fighting the flames.  When the bookstore next to Dr. Stewart’s office and residence caught fire, Charles and his brother helped to push the wall away from Stewart’s and managed to keep it from also catching.  Charles mentions that after the fire, the people of Chesley were “all-out” for fire protection and they established deep wooden tanks through town which were kept filled.

 

R.J. Follis

 

In his recollections, R.J. Follis lists the businesses that were total losses including:

  • T. Cowan – Harness maker
  • James Cairns – Gunsmith & Locksmith
  • J. Dobbie – Merchant
  • D.M. Halliday – Postmaster
  • G.H. Golding – Druggist
  • Wm. Herriot – Merchant
  • Stanley & McLaggan – Hardware
  • Halliday & Co. – Merchant
  • H.W. Brown – Butcher
  • D. McNaughton – Shoe Merchant
  • Miss Brown – Milliner
  • J.W. Keith & Son – Jeweller
  • Jas. Clark – Grocer
  • McDonald House – Hotel
  • T. Graham – Tailor
  • Dr. Bonnar – Physician
  • M. Schroeder – Merchant
  • J. Connor – Bookstore
  • Commercial Hotel
  • Mrs. Kilborn – Fancy Store
  • H.R. Carter – Hardware
  • D. Montgomery – Merchant
  • J. McCannel – Grocery

Articles from the Chesley Enterprise, also found in the Krug family fonds scrapbooks, mention that most of these businesses took up temporary locations while the downtown was being rebuilt and planned to re-establish themselves.

 

C.J. Halliday

 

Molten Keg of NailsAt the time of the fire C.J. Halliday was twelve years old.  His home, located across the street from the McDonald House hotel, caught when the wind brought sparks from one roof to another and could not be extinguished.  Anything that they saved was taken across the river in a flat bottom boat.  Anything too large to put in the boat was dragged behind.  C.J.’s job was to keep things damp. This he did using a silver urn.  He could hear powder kegs exploding, walls falling, and shingles were blowing everywhere.

 

After the fire, C.J’s family dug through the remains of their home and salvaged coins from their piggy bank.  He mentions that the fire burned so hot downtown, that coins in cash register tills melted together and that kegs of nails melted into one large molten blob.  Within the museum’s collection is this molten blob of nails, shaped like the wooden keg they were stored in, that was taken from one of the hardware stores attesting the fire was indeed that hot.

 

 

Post Fire

 

After the fire, remaining churches and hotels opened themselves to the citizens of Chesley, who also took no time in pulling themselves up and rebuilding.  Businesses not affected shared their spaces with those that lost theirs.  R.J. Follis mentions that before reconstruction began, town council took the opportunity to improve Chesley’s downtown infrastructure and approved a new plan with proper sidewalk and sewer levels and a wider main street.  Town council also prohibited the building of frame buildings as measure to prevent a fire of this magnitude reoccurring.  The citizens rebuilt Chesley by Christmas of 1888, just six months after the fire occurred.

To discover more about the Chesley Fire in the online collection Click Here

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