The Great Paterson Fire of 1902: The Story of New Jersey’s Biggest Blaze

The Great Paterson Fire occurred on February 9th, 1902 shortly after midnight. It consumed nearly 500 buildings, devastating the downtown and Sandy Hill areas of the Silk City. Two lives were lost and several people were injured. It is estimated that the monetary loss of the Great Fire was nearly six million dollars. It stands today as New Jersey’s largest fire.
Attendees of the webinar will be transported back to the turn of the 20th century, a tune of great economic prosperity and desperate urban squalor in America’s “Silk City.” Professor Corbett leads attendees along the path of the Great Fire in the context of a rapidly growing city dealing with a growing immigrant population and an active international anarchist movement.
This lecture was presented as part of the Paterson Museum Foundation's Speakers Series. The program was presented by Foundation President, Professor Glenn Corbett, on December 21, 2021, via zoom.
The Paterson Museum Foundation is the non-profit partner of the Paterson Museum, working with the Museum to help further its mission. Programming, such as this, is one of the Foundation’s many projects. To learn more about the Foundation, and to donate, visit www.patersonmuseumfoundation.org

[@Chief205]

Thank you! What a great history lesson. I didn’t realize how important & beautiful Paterson was. 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@Quasar1953]

This is great! My family is all from Paterson...loved how detailed your presentation was.

[@lifeisgood15]

Thank you so much for the very informative program on the 1902 fire. My great grandparents, grandparents & my Mother were from Paterson. I spent some of my youth exploring parts of the city.

[@andrewmanzi2969]

Thank you for the presentation in story John stagg was my great-great-great grandfather. He had ties to Michigan because he was the commander Of company A of the first Michigan Calvary brigade. For what I know at first He was a regular private in the new jersey volunteers. But his brother Peter was a colonel in the Michigan Calvary and had John transferred To the michigan calvary

[@boob0813]

This is wonderful . I now understand why the area between Broadway and the new mall by PSE&G doesnt look much like the rest of Paterson .

[@gloriastroedecke2717]

I am so glad you made this. I was at the presentation at Lambert Castle in 2002.

[@WhiteFeather108]

Great presentation ! Thank you for sharing so much history 🙏

[@jenniferalbertfiner2977]

WOW great program! Loved all the historical photos. I love Paterson NJ!!!

[@carlburrows]

Thank you Glenn, bravo!👏

[@bnuttsgee]

I lived at 83 Washington st next to the First Baptist church . I miss my high ceilings and tall windows and the architecture but not the heating bill. Thanks!!! If you engage with the comments you will get more views!

[@jamese4706]

Well done, thanks for taking the time

[@GoGirl311]

I have 3 leather bound large books written by John Renton Emsley on the city and people of Passaic. With the letters to the editor. He was a prominant member of the community, hes a family member of mine. He was forman and Pres. of Volger Manufacturing Co

[@jamese4706]

I have Mary Browns small obituary, I will try and find her headstone in the spring at Mt. Nebo

[@SADtv_]

Wouldn’t be surprised if they started the fire. This land remembers. It’s collecting on karma. I see it in the great great grand kids.

[@avectour]

Hello Mr.Corbett, Do you think I could buy the book :The Great Paterson Fire of 1902? And if so, is it possible that you could send it to Santiago, Chile? P.S. Great lecture.Thanks so much. Signed: Mario.Proud former Patersonian

[@jamesbouse8232]

Isn't there a newsreel of the aftermath of the fire? I heard one exists. Do you know anything about that?

[@SADtv_]

They Rioted, Crusaded & had a Grand ‘Ol Time. Drive into Paterson coming off rt80…. Down by the Columbus statue

[@nickhomyak6128]

People in the industrial age were disenfranchised from nature even further from the enclosure period, forced from lands and an organic economy, to factory labor to make other rich, by their exploitation, and inequitable share in the wealth through loss of natural means, where money in many way was a minimum common denominator. Workers were paid, Slaves were not but the parallels are close.