Politics & Government

Mayor Driscoll Announces Great Salem Fire Events

The events will take place in June at locations across the city.

Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll today announced the official schedule of events that the City will hold to commemorate the 100thanniversary of the Great Salem Fire of 1914, which destroyed thousands of buildings and left one-third of the City’s population homeless. All events are free and open to the public. For more information about these events and others being planned throughout Salem, visitwww.salem.org/salemfire

Sunday, June 22

Noon – 4:00 p.m

Find out what's happening in Salemwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Derby Wharf

A free display of antique fire apparatus will take place on Derby Wharf throughout the afternoon. In addition to equipment from the period of the Great Fire, the City will also welcome the return of “Seaside 2,” an Amoskeag Steamer built in 1902 that was last in Salem in 1914 to fight the fire. Other antique fire trucks and equipment from the Massachusetts Antique Fire Apparatus Association and a number of private collectors will also be on display.

Find out what's happening in Salemwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Wednesday, June 25

1:15 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.

Boston & Bridge Street

Mayor Driscoll will offer a welcome from the City before a moment of silence will be observed at 1:37 p.m. to mark the time the conflagration began exactly one hundred years prior in the same location.

Wednesday, June 25

4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Lafayette Park

The official centennial ceremony will commence with a Fire Department Honor Guard. A speaking program will follow including Mayor Driscoll, Salem Fire Department Chief David Cody, Sara Peller – CEO of the American Red Cross of Massachusetts, Steve Coan – Massachusetts State Fire Marshal, and Lt. Colonel Tom Stewart of the Massachusetts National Guard. During the ceremony recognitions will be presented to the Boston Fire Commissioner and the Chiefs of the Fire Departments of Beverly, Everett, Gloucester, Lawrence, Lynn, Manchester, Marblehead, Newburyport, Peabody, Reading, Somerville, Swampscott, and Wakefield, all of which responded to the call to come to Salem’s aid during the fire. The ceremony will also include an unveiling and rededication of a memorial plaque first gifted to the City in 1915 on the one-year anniversary of the fire.

“I am honored to invite the public to join us for this important commemoration of an event that changed the face of Salem and impacted so many lives,” said Mayor Driscoll. “I look forward to welcoming Marshal Coan, Lieutenant Colonel Stewart, Ms. Peller, and all of the fire chiefs who will be in attendance to mark this significant occasion.”


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here