Great Wenonah Fire AGAIN!

Historical Society Repeats Standing-Room-Only Program

February 28, 2012       Leave a Comment
By: Stephen Kent

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"You better send everything you got cause it's really going". Those words from the audio recording of police radio traffic riveted the audience at the Bay County Historical Society's "Second Saturday" program in January.

That program was received by a standing room only crowd and about 30 people were turned away at the door.

By popular demand the free program will be repeated this Saturday, March 3, at the Delta College Planetarium in downtown Bay City. Scheduled for Space Explorer's Hall, there will be room for significantly more people. The program will run from 1:00 to 3:00 pm. Second Saturday programs are free to the public.

The first program was presented by Robert Davey, a 30 year veteran fire fighter and former battalion chief. Joining Mr. Davey will be former Fire Marshall Michael Halstead and former Bay City Times photographer Richard VanNostrand. "Together they will present a timeline of the tragic event, with actual log transmissions and award-winning photographs" said Ron Bloomfield from the Museum.

At one time, the 400 room Wenonah Hotel was the center of Bay City's business and social life. Built in 1907 to replace the former Fraser House, which burned around 1908, the Wenonah was advertised on opening as "the only completely fire proof hotel west of New York".

In later years the once majestic hotel fell on lean times and by the time it burned it had become an apartment hotel and home to a few downtown businesses. The interior was cheaply remodeled in a way that was far from fireproof. That work contributed to the Great Wenonah Hotel fire, which occurred on December 10, 1977.

The fire on that cold December day marked one of the great tragedies in the history of Bay City. Many people remember both the grand hotel of former days and the great fire that marked it's end. Saturday's program, with dozens of historic photos and eyewitness accounts promises to be a riveting event for many in Bay City.

When: Saturday, March 3, 2012
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 pm
Where: Delta College Planetarium - Explorers Hall
Cost: FREE

Read More about Wenonah Hotel Fire. Click for articles by Dave Rogers and Steve Kent

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Stephen Kent
Steve Kent and his family have lived in Bay City for 40 years. He is VP of Technical Services at MMCC which produces MyBayCity.Com. Kent is active in many Bay City civic organizations. More from Stephen Kent

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