Milton, North Carolina, Fires

 Milton Fires

In 1856, the editor of the Milton Chronicle newspaper, Charles Napoleon Bonaparte Evans, appealed to the citizens of Milton, North Carolina, to obtain a fire engine. He was ignored, and it is amazing that  Milton has the buildings it does today, as the town continued to rely upon bucket brigades to fight fires. Milton did not have a volunteer fire department until the late 1950s.

So, when in November 1917 a fire broke out in the W. L. Thomas store was Milton prepared? No. The flames spread to the home of Mrs. K. D. Watkins and destroyed it. Milton had the railroad depot send a telegram to Danville for help, but a derailed train blocked the route.

Greensboro Daily News (Greensboro, North Carolina), 5 November 1917. Click image to see a larger version.

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List of Milton Fires (partial)

1. 1880: Hatcher & Stamps Tobacco Factory

2. 1906: Milton Roller Mills completely destroyed.

3. 1917: Thomas store extensively damaged and Mrs. K. D. Watkins house destroyed.

4. 1920s/1930s: Lewis Walker House

5. 1932: "Glenburnie" destroyed.

6. 1938: WPA Sewing Room, Clyde Jones Building, W. T. Oliver Store, Smith Brandon Store.

7. 1940 (around): Gordon Saloon building burned, along with other buildings

8. 1940s: Archibald Murphey School 

9. 1944: Milton Roller Mills (burned again)

10. 1951: Milton Hotel completely destroyed.

11. 1989: Thomas Day House/Union Tavern

12. 2013: "Longwood" completely destroyed.

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A number of tobacco factory/warehouse fires are not listed.