Great Fire of 1907

Front inscription

This site was the starting point of the Great Fire of 1907, one of the worst disasters in the history of Beaufort. On Jan. 19, a fire started around 1:30 p.m. in F.W. Scheper’s barn south of here and moved into a large store at this corner. The fire moved west along Bay Street, while strong winds scattered embers over much of downtown. Flames spread up Carteret Street and to the northeast, burning buildings as far as ½ mi. away from this location.

Reverse inscription

Companies of black and white volunteer firemen struggled to extinguish the flames, which overpowered their equipment. By the time the fire subsided, at least forty buildings had been damaged or destroyed. The event prompted new local ordinances governing the materials and location of new buildings. Despite the destruction, the only death occurred when William Bennett, a member of the well-known African American Allen Brass Band, was shot by a soldier on patrol.