Contributed by Hose 5 Fire Museum
Description
Fire at Wingate Hall at the University of Maine in Orono, Feb. 16, 1943.
"The third oldest building on campus, Wingate was built in 1892 on the same site as White Hall, the first building on campus. Wingate was designed by noted Bangor architect, Frank Kidder '79. Perhaps foretelling, White Hall burned down in 1890. Wingate suffered a similar fate on February 16, 1943.
"At the time of the fire, Wingate housed civil engineering, engineering drafting, physics, the Technology Experiment Station, and the offices of the Dean of Technology, Paul Cloke.
"Fourteen at the time, son Paul [Cloke] remembers that his father had gone to lunch at Merrill Hall, after working all morning on an important speech. On coming out of Merrill, he saw smoke and immediately recognized that it must be Wingate. One of his first thoughts was that his morning work was literally "up in smoke." To his surprise, the engineering students had moved everything from his office to Lord Hall, and carefully placed his speech back on his desk, just like he had left it! Others were not so fortunate. Civil engineering alum, Russ Bodwell '44, recalls that spouse Barbara (Higgins) Bodwell '45, lost her drafting tools in the fire and had to borrow his for the rest of the year."
--UMaine Engineering-Cloke Plaza Project webpage.
About This Item
- Title: Wingate Hall fire, Orono, Feb. 16, 1943
- Creation Date: 1943-02-16
- Subject Date: 1943-02-16
- Location: Orono, Penobscot County, ME
- Media: Photographic print
- Dimensions: 17 cm x 21 cm
- Object Type: Image
Cross Reference Searches
Standardized Subject Headings
- Fires--Maine--Orono
- Universities and colleges--Fires and fire prevention
- University of Maine at Orono--Fires, Feb. 16, 1943--Photographs
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For more information about this item, contact:
Hose 5 Fire Museum247 State Street, Bangor, ME 04401
(207) 945-3229
This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. No Permission is required to use the low-resolution watermarked image for educational use, or as allowed by the applicable copyright. For all other uses, permission is required.
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