Shortly after midnight on November 1, 1905, a massive fire erupted along the western side of the first block of South Palafox Street, just south of Garden Street. The fire completely destroyed every building on the block, including the four-story Blount Building, the Osceola Gentleman’s Club, and the Bruce Sporting Goods Store.

Authorities believed the fire originated in the Osceola Club, but officials could never agree on an official cause. Some suspect that two youths slipped passed the night watchman and set the fire as a prank and subsequently alerted the authorities, perhaps out of remorse for what they had done and fear that the fire would rage out of control.

By the time firefighters arrived on the scene, the blaze had spread well beyond the Osceola Club. Complicating matters, the Bruce Sporting Goods Store contained a large amount of black gunpowder and ammunition. While firefighters fought the fire, several loud explosions sent shards glass and debris flying across Palafox Street.

Despite high winds that evening, the fire did not spread south of Palafox’s intersection with Romana Street, meaning that the fire was contained to the first block. This was due in large part to the efforts of local firefighters, who undoubtedly saved the downtown district from complete destruction. Even more astounding is the fact that no one was seriously injured.

Larger fires in the 1880s and 1890s had previously destroyed much broader sections of the city. These fires reinforced the city’s need to invest in a professional firefighting brigade, which ultimately limited destruction of the Halloween Night Fire of 1905.

Credits and Sources:

UWF Historic Trust Archives