Site #4- A Memorial to loss and to the rebuilding

"A fire still rages in Dixon, but it is of a kind that should not be quenched. It is the fire of enthusiasm, courage, enterprise, and indomitable energy, that fills the breasts of her citizens. Its flues vent in the never say die sentiments of Ed E. Leake, editor of the Tribune, who managed to save enough type from the disastrous blaze to issue a three-column half sheet on regular publication day last week." -Napa Register

A disastrous fire broke out in the Pearson House on Railroad Avenue on November 19th, 1883. "With the rapidity of lightning, the angry flames leaped across" to other buildings and "in an hour, not a thing was left standing in what was the business center of the town, save the brick walls of the postoffice and the walls of Vansants grocery store." This block, bounded by A, N. Main, B and N. Jackson Streets was in ashes.

The Union Hall, King's (and Brinkerhoff?) Hotel and George Gruenig's Livery were landmarks that were not rebuilt, and lost forever. The roads at that time were muddy and almost impassable. However, Dixon's citizens worked hard and worked together. Farmers came from out of town to help and the community took in those that lost their homes.

Leake published in the Tribune, "Every great disaster carries with it a lesson, and the late fire has demonstrated beyond the shadow of a doubt, that there is absolutely no protection for the business center of Dixon against the ravages of fire, except a solid brick block." The Town Trustees agreed and immediately passed an ordinance that no wooden structures could be rebuilt in the business center of town.

Most businesses rebuilt in a much more substantial manner, and most of them in brick.

On April 19th, 1892 at 2:45 am, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck Solano County. The terror-stricken people of town waited what seemed like hours for the vibrations to end. When calm and quiet settled in, the mournful tolling of the fire bell began as did the whistle of the water works, to announce more was to come. Multiple fires broke out in the ruins, but were soon extinguished by our heroic volunteer firemen. Crowds gathered outside to witness the devastation. Again, this block was the worst sufferer. Every building had either twisted, toppled over, crumbled or cracked. The wood frame buildings in the rest of town, faired well, except for their chimneys. "The work of repairing was begun and soon only the gaping holes in the ceilings, were left to tell the story". Yet, three days later, another shock of 6.2 magnitude rattled the town and left more destruction in its wake.

The face of our downtown has changed over time due to these tragedies. The 80 foot spire on the Baptist Church had to come down, the beautiful Union High School had to be torn down because it wasn't earthquake safe. More fires raged in later years that devoured the landmarks of The Arcade Hotel, The Arcade Livery, The Tribune Newspaper building, The Capital? (sp?) Hotel and the east side of N. Main Street.

Disease...

So many lost their lives to these dreaded diseases, especially children during the early days of our community.

Fire...

Just as the community was becoming established, healthy, wealthy and thriving... destruction hit.

Earthquakes...

Once the town had rebuilt what was lost in the fire in a more substantial manner, destruction hit again.

Diptheria, Typhoid Fever and Spanish Flu took many of our citizens in the early years, especially our young...

Just as the community was coming together, remembering, making changes for the town to be one of the healthiest in the county...

DIXON IN ASHES!!

This photo was taken in front of this site from the railroad tracks just west of North Jackson Street looking at the devastation of this entire block between North Jackson, West B Street, West A Street and North Main Street.

The buildings you can see are all on the east side of North Main Street

(now North First Street)

need to save photos of the pdfs from the other papers on the fire and post here

The citizens of Dixon hardly took a breath, cleaned up, rebuilt in brick or sheet metal, mandated by a new city ordinance in the downtown that no new building could be built of wood...

but then

What had been rebuilt in brick crumbled, especially again in this block... But the citizens of Dixon repaired and rebuilt again in a more substantial manner. However, some of our most significant structures were not earthquake safe and had to be "razed" (torn down). The 80 foot spire of the Baptist Church had to be taken down. Over the years the fronts of the gorgeous bricks had to be covered in stucco to fix bricks that kept breaking...

Walk behind all the buildings in downtown to see the original brick work...

need to save a better photo of this paper SF Call from the pdf