On April 4, 1915, a fire sparked by faulty wiring tore through the Bryan Manufacturing Company’s factory located on Huron Street. The fire consumed the building, but fortunately, no lives were lost.

The bigger blaze came afterwards, in the days and weeks of public debate between the company’s owners and the town over what would rise from the ashes. Much of that drama played out in the opinion pages of local newspapers. 

Episode Picture:

Bryan Manufacturing Company’s newly constructed warehouse on the north side of Huron Street, 1894. [Collingwood Museum Collection, X972.8.1]

Research:

The Messenger, July 1915

The Messenger July 20, 1915

Enterprise Messenger August 1915

Commercial Directory, Collingwood Bulletin, 1906

Shaw, Melissa. Then and Now: Huron Street Business rises from ashes of 1915 fire. Collingwood Today, November 24, 2023. https://www.collingwoodtoday.ca/then-and-now/then-and-now-huron-street-business-rises-from-ashes-of-1915-fire-7874769

Canada Lumberman. March 15, 1935.

MacMurchy, J.T. THe Growth of the Town, Enterprise Bulletin, date unknown.

Links:

Tornaveen. Season3 Episode 5 https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/NvgROvOM3Wb

A Day of Tall Work and Many Tears. Season 1 Episode 10 https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/VNqrEITM3Wb