Tour Through Time: Historic fires in Carlisle
This week’s Tour Through Time takes a look at images from historic fires in Carlisle.
Additional information is provided on the the ruins of Bowman’s Department Store fire taken Dec. 9-10, 1962, by James Steinmetz. The building was located on the lot where Comfort Suites Carlisle now stands. Investigators determined that the fire was arson, probably started by thieves who used a torch to cut a hole into the building’s walk-in safe, according to the Cumberland County Historical Society
Tour Through Time runs Saturdays in The Sentinel as a joint project with the Cumberland County Historical Society. Each week features a look at Carlisle or the surrounding area through the years.
Contact the Cumberland County Historical Society at 717-249-7610 or email rtritt@historicalsociety.com with any information pertaining to these images. Please send future ideas or suggestions to mbupp@cumberlink.com.
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View taken from the rear of the Bowman’s building when the fire was still burning. On the left is the Kronenberg Building and an Army Surplus store was on the right in the alley.
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On Jan. 25, 1954, the Grand View Hotel at 1510 N. West St. was destroyed by fire. This hotel, built in the mid-1940s, was near the original Carlisle exit of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Photo by James Steinmetz.
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This is a view of buildings located on the east side of South Hanover Street at the time of the McCrory’s fire in May 1956. Image was captured by James Steinmetz.
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View from the back of the ruins of the Bowman building looking toward South Hanover Street and the Molly Pitcher Hotel in Carlisle. Note the icicles on the exposed beams of the Bowman building.
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On Jan. 25, 1954, the Grand View Hotel at 1510 N. West St. was destroyed by fire. The hotel, built in the mid-1940s, was located near the original Carlisle exit of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Photo by James Steinmetz.
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View of the ruins of the Bowman building as well as the McCrory’s 5 & 10 store next door. The surviving building is the Cochran & Allen hardware store.
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There was an afternoon fire at the McCrory’s 5 & 10 in May 1956. This view shows its location on South Hanover Street between Cochran & Allen and Bowman’s Department Store. The building survived this fire but was destroyed in the 1962 Bowman’s fire. Image was captured by James Steinmetz.