The Great Atlanta Fire of 1917 was a catastrophic event that reshaped the city of Atlanta, Georgia. On May 21, 1917, a fire broke out in the Old Fourth Ward, fueled by hot temperatures and strong winds. This blaze would go on to destroy 1,938 buildings, displace over 10,000 people, and cause damages estimated at $5 million. The fire burned for nearly 10 hours, leaving a lasting impact on the city and its residents.
The Start of the Fire
The fire began just after noon on a clear,
warm, and sunny day. It was not the first fire of the day, as there had already been three other calls in the span of an hour. The initial call for the Great Fire came at 12:46 PM from a small warehouse north of Decatur Street. Firefighters arrived to find a stack of burning mattresses but lacked the equipment to extinguish the flames. By the time reinforcements arrived, the fire had already begun to spread rapidly.
The fire quickly moved north, reaching Edgewood Avenue and spreading through the main residential areas of Sweet Auburn. The area between Decatur and Edgewood was densely packed with shanties and lean-tos, providing ample fuel for the fire to grow stronger and move faster. The fire created a corridor of destruction, burning due north between Jackson and Boulevard, with significant damage occurring at Highland and just south of Ponce de Leon Avenue.
Fighting the Blaze
As the fire raged on, firefighters struggled to contain it. Around 4:00 PM, they began using dynamite to destroy homes along Pine, Boulevard, and Ponce de Leon in an attempt to create firebreaks. Despite their efforts, the fire continued to spread, crossing Ponce de Leon by nightfall and heading north through recently developed neighborhoods.
In total, 22 million gallons of water were pumped over the course of 11 hours to combat the fire. Additional fire trucks were sent from nine Georgia towns, as well as from Chattanooga and Knoxville in Tennessee, to assist in the firefighting efforts. Despite these efforts, the fire ultimately destroyed 1,938 buildings over 300 acres, spanning 73 city blocks.
The Aftermath
The Great Atlanta Fire of 1917 left a lasting impact on the city. In the days following the fire, smoldering ruins continued to burn, and the city was left to grapple with the extensive damage. In response to the fire, Atlanta quickly passed an ordinance banning wood shingles for new construction, and by 1931, all older buildings had replaced them. The fire also led to significant changes in the city's landscape, with new commercial strips and housing developments emerging in the years that followed.
The Great Atlanta Fire of 1917 was a pivotal moment in the city's history, reshaping its physical and social landscape. The resilience of the city's residents and their determination to rebuild laid the foundation for the Atlanta we know today.
