The Great Fire of Ellensburg begins on…

The Great Fire of Ellensburg begins on July 4 in the late evening.

The flames are first noticed by people attending a Knights of Pythias dance at the Johnson House Hotel.

The fire department responds promptly, but strong northeast winds prevent them from halting the advance of the conflagration.

The fire lasts from 10:30 P.M. to 3:30 A.M. the next morning, and destroys over two hundred homes and buildings, including ten blocks in the heart of the city of four thousand.

Nearly half of the destroyed buildings had been constructed in the previous two years.

Observers who had toured Seattle after its recent fire will say the Ellensburg fire destroyed more property in less space.

Losses are estimated to be more than $2,000,000 (equivalent to $52,070,755 in 2018).

The sole surviving building in the downtown area is the Lynch block.

Built by John Nash in 1888 for $20,000, it is still standing.

The city courthouse survives, being upwind from the flames.

The city will rebuild the downtown area rapidly in the following months.