Walking Tour Guide for the Great Carthage Fire of 1884

Note: this walk is designed to begin at the Jefferson Street exit to the West Carthage Elementary School. If possible, take it in mid October, the same time of year as the actual fire.

As you leave the school, become aware of the condition of the leaves that are underfoot and think about the part they played in the spread of the fire that fateful day in October 1884. As we proceed along High Street toward Champion, remember that we are moving in the same direction as the wind was quartered that morning.

From the point where High Street enters Champion Street, you become aware of the islands. It was from the small factories that huddled on the shore that the wind was able to carry burning embers and flaming leaves first to Champion Island then to the Devil Island, from where the flames hop-scotched to Guyot and Furnace Islands and then on to the Carthage (eastern) shore of the Black River.

While crossing the State Bridge, look again at the islands and see how completely they "cross" the water if your imagination "jumps" from one to another.

Continue down Riverside Drive; Guyot Island is at the foot of Furnace Street. The three mills owned by the three Guyot brothers were lost, as well as the Guyot family home on the corner of Furnace and Mechanic Streets.

The New York Central Railroad Depot: Charles Brownell's brother Hiram arrived on the morning train and firemen from Watertown, Lowville and Booneville unloaded men, horses and much need equipment there in the afternoon.

At the foot of Brown Street is Furnace Island. Once the home of Ryther and Pringle Foundry (possibly the largest employer in the village at the time of the fire) it is now used mainly by Les Card for storage and the Water Treatment Plant has some apparatus there. It is frequently called "Card's Island" by local people.

Continue up Brown Street and cross Church Street to the corner of Fulton and School Streets where the Carthage Elks Club now stands. On the rise of grass next to the white cement-block building of the now defunct Burdick Motors, is the site of Charles Brownell's home. Turn and face State Street: everything you see had to be rebuilt after the fire.

The Elks Club occupies the site of the Carthage Academy (equivalent of middle and high school) where Chuckie attended and his sister taught. The school burned,but neighbors were able to save the Brownell's brick home next door.

Cross the Elk's parking lot heading NE towards James Street. This is the route Chuckie and his dad took with the horse and wagon loaded with family goods. We, like Chuckie, are headed for Rock City.

Continue up Fulton Street toward the N.Y. State Armory (note: 613 Fulton Street belonged, as recently as the 1960's, to Parker Brownell, a direct descendant of Chuckie) As you cross N. Clinton Street, realize that few houses were in this area at the time of the fire. We are almost "out in the country".

As you stand on the corner of N. Washington and Fulton Streets and gaze at the red bricks of the Armory, think of Chuckie who all day sat "on the highest rock in Rock City" and watched Carthage burn. Turn and look and try to imagine the thoughts that filled his head that day. He says (in his book They Called Me Chuckie) a neighbor brought him something to eat and that his dad came several times to check on him. Each time, his question was the same; "Is our house still there?"

Walking up Washington Street, imagine this as the sparsely settled outskirts of the village it was in 1884. At the corner of North Washington and State Streets, turn right and proceed to Monument Park, the easternmost limit of the fire. "Saved by a Graveyard" the newspapers said and it was true. With little here to support the fire, it was finally contained at this point. Take a minute to sit and reflect on this. Perhaps you might also take the time to examine some of the very old stones here: Abigail, Laura, little Julia who died at three, Wm. Peck - the names are our history and our heritage. Just remember your manners and treat the graves and markers with respect.

Continue down State Street. A few things on the left were endangered by a shifting wind, but the devastation on the right was complete: nothing here predates the fire. (The Methodist Church was saved but later was rebuilt.) Look right as you cross North James Street - all this was gone.

Now, begin looking for cornerstones. They will help you figure out when congregations were able to rebuild their churches.

It is easy to see why the wide lawn of St. James Roman Catholic Church became the repository for both goods and people during and after the fire.

The building on the corner of State and Church Streets, currently housing the offices of Dr. DeCosta, was partially destroyed by the fire. A detour down Church Street will bring you to several points of interest. The Savings and Loan parking lot next to the diner is the site of the former home of Mary Brownell. This lady was Chuckie's grandmother and he fondly recalls time he spent there.

Next door is the site where the original Budd Homestead stood. This house was burned in the fire and replaced the following year with the house pictured here. This gracious home was occupied for many years until it too burned in 1997.

In the white house next door we see some of the original stonework of the Remsen Brown House. The home was destroyed, but the walls that remained standing were used in the rebuilding.

Returning to State Street, we note that much of the old downtown section remains even today and much of the credit for this must go to Watertown Fire Chief Cole. On his arrival, he found that the wells and cisterns had been drained in fighting the fire and so positioned a pumper on the shores of the Black River at the foot of State Street to relay water to a second pumper about 1000 feet up State Street, thus bringing water to the center of town. It was a time, even as today, that communities relied on the manpower and equipment of neighboring towns for help.

As you walk back toward the bridge, try to picture the scene more than a hundred years ago: wind driven flames, desperate men fighting against great odds, people fleeing on foot with hurriedly gathered possessions, animals wild with fright - and marvel again at the "Town That Would Not Die".