A Town Built Entirely of Wood With No Fire Department: What Could Go Wrong?

On July 30th, 1899, a small fire and a steady wind erased nearly two-thirds of Tupper Lake, NY in a single night.

In this episode of the Yore Town Podcast, we travel back to the late 19th century in the Adirondacks. Tupper Lake was a boomtown built for loggers, mill workers, and railroad laborers. It was fast, practical, and constructed almost entirely of wood. But it had one fatal flaw: No fire department.

We break down the timeline of the disaster, from the first spark behind King & Page’s store to the "continuous roar" of collapsing buildings that followed. We explore how 169 buildings—including homes, churches, and hotels—were lost, and the incredible decision the town made the very next morning: To stay and rebuild from the ashes.

In this episode:

Why Tupper Lake was a "tinderbox" waiting to explode.

The chaos of a town fighting a massive blaze with only buckets.

The morning after: How a town survives losing everything.

The transition from a temporary logging camp to a permanent community.

About Yore Town Podcast: Exploring the local legends, forgotten history, and true stories of the towns you think you know.

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#TupperLake #AdirondackHistory #YoreTownPodcast #GreatFire1899 #NYHistory #SmallTownHistory #DisasterHistory #TupperLakeNY

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Chapters

00:00 The Calm Before the Fire
02:46 The Birth of Tupper Lake
05:57 The Fire Ignites
08:28 The Devastation Unfolds
11:18 Survival and Rebuilding
14:03 Lessons Learned from Disaster
16:44 Tupper Lake Today
19:08 The Legacy of Resilience

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📌 Listen to Full Episodes & Clips

➜ Beard Laws Network Shorts:    / @beardlawsnetwork  

➜ Main Beard Laws Channel:    / @beardlaws  

📢 Follow on Socials

TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and more → https://linktr.ee/beardlaws

👍 Support the Show

Like, comment, and share this episode — it helps the Network grow a TON!