On Tuesday, February 18, 1975, the Northern Hotel burned–from the roof down. Someone took snapshots, and Norm made color photocopies, and I scanned them. Just so you could see it 34 years later:
This shows the view from Walnut street looking toward College. If you’re having trouble getting oriented, it’s because Old Town Square isn’t there yet. The building that today houses The Right Card should be in front of that Police car.
Or maybe you’re just disoriented by businessmen in plaid pants standing in the middle of the street. I miss that about the old days, too.
I like this photo best of all …
The spray from the firehose makes a rainbow. I like to think of it as God’s promise that despite the 20 years of disrepair and condemnation that will come to the Northern Hotel because of this fire, someday a man with a bucket of very white paint will come make it all better.
In all seriousness..
The Northern was a single room occupancy hotel in the 1970s, much like it is today, and I know a man died in this fire. But I can’t tell you anything else about him.
I’ve noticed that the Northern Hotel has an interesting history of accidental deaths–Shriners falling from windows, that kind of thing. But that’s another post.