Brockville Museum: On This Date – 50 Years Ago – Revere Hotel Fire

Brockville – On this date #OTD 50 years ago, the Revere Hotel was destroyed by fire.

The Revere Hotel was located on the corner of King Street and Market Street West, across from City Hall. The hotel was built c1849 and was first known as the Willson House, then as the Revere House in 1873 (later changing to Revere Hotel).

By the late 1960s, the hotel was being used primarily as a residence for seniors and its primary clients were transient workers.

On November 6th, 1974, at 9:20 p.m., the Revere Hotel caught on fire. The fire spread quickly, causing many to suspect arson, though the investigation concluded that it was caused by faulty wiring.

Despite the work of local firefighters, two elderly women who lived in the hotel lost their lives (78 other occupants managed to escape). The estimated cost of the damage was $1.5 million, forcing the owners to decide to demolish what was left of the landmark hotel.

Of note, the fire department was able to keep the fire from spreading to the New York Restaurant and the Record and Times newspaper buildings located next door!

For more, check out our Brockville Blazes video series available on our YouTube Channel and website or our virtual exhibit, Pieces of Brockville, also available on our website (browse under the tab, Digital Museum). You can also browse our online database using a keyword search for “Revere” to check out some hotel souvenirs and more!

The museum’s website: https://brockvillemuseum.com/

The museum’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebrockvillemuseum