The Great Brant Rock Fire of 1941 (Event Over)

On Monday, April 21, 1941 a firestorm, driven by unseasonably high winds, engulfed 446 homes, 96 garages, 12 stores, 2 hotels, a casino, a post office and a church in Brant Rock, Massachusetts. Miraculously, due to the heroics of several police and fire departments (who were aided by local volunteers), not one life was lost. But in the aftermath of the inferno, many things changed in Marshfield: the landscape of Fieldston, Brant Rock and Ocean Bluff, the subsequent building codes, the firefighting methodology, the retail district, the resorts and the way of life of many year-round and summer residents of Marshfield. Exactly 66 years later to the day, New England folklorist and historical fire researcher John Horrigan will present a slide show and lecture that will bring you back to that blustery night through photographs and newspapers accounts of the period. He will show you the spot where the conflagration was sparked and the area where it was halted. Did you know that there is a beautiful little park that is dedicated to the Great Fire? Mr. Horrigan will also give a brief overview of the great fires in Massachusetts' history. At the conclusion of the presentation, you are invited to share any memories that you may have of the event and enjoy refreshments courtesy of the Ventress Memorial Library. The lecture takes place on Saturday, April 21st, 2007 at 2:00 PM at the Ventress Memorial Library, located at 15 Library Plaza in Marshfield. The phone number is (781) 834-5535 or online at www.ventresslibrary.org. They are a member of the Old Colony Library Network (OCLN)