Remembering the Burning of Old Main
View all the tweets in the real-time Twitter reenactment of the burning of Old Main, BVU's first campus building, sixty years ago.
Buena Vista University, in collaboration with the University's archivist, Joan Curbow, tweeted a real-time reenactment of the tragic fire that burned down BVU's first campus building, "Old Main," on the evening of Sept. 27, 1956.
Below is the story of that evening told in tweets and collected in one place.
#60YearsAgo tonight on Sept. 27, 1956, #BVU students in the men's dorm noticed a fire in the upper floor of #OldMainpic.twitter.com/AW0z9KMosZ
— BVU (@BuenaVistaUniv) September 28, 2016
Students Wally Boysen, Bill Bennett, and Vernon Kowalke attempted to douse the flames with fire extinguishers. #60YearsAgo#OldMain
— BVU (@BuenaVistaUniv) September 28, 2016
#OldMain had just been re-roofed two weeks before. Here's a view of Old Main as it stood before that unfortunate night. pic.twitter.com/DU2ftqHBV3
— BVU (@BuenaVistaUniv) September 28, 2016
Storm Lake fire chief at the time, Harold Stanton, received the alarm. #OldMain was on fire. #60YearsAgo
— BVU (@BuenaVistaUniv) September 28, 2016
#BVU students removed books from the bookstore and grabbed college records. Items were stacked on the lawn. #OldMainpic.twitter.com/LvJXhaEs3V
— BVU (@BuenaVistaUniv) September 28, 2016
Office furniture, filing cabinets, band instruments and other items of value were carried out of #OldMain. #60YearsAgopic.twitter.com/Rwv73BSIuR
— BVU (@BuenaVistaUniv) September 28, 2016
As fire trucks arrived, smoke and flames were spewing from the north roof. #OldMain#60YearsAgopic.twitter.com/HcKB4LzOur
— BVU (@BuenaVistaUniv) September 28, 2016
Then #BVU president John Fischer rushed home from Okoboji, where he had been attending a conference. #OldMain#60YearsAgopic.twitter.com/qSrwMWTPjK
— BVU (@BuenaVistaUniv) September 28, 2016
#BVU students threw rocks and stones to help break #OldMain's windows so that the fire hoses could do their job. #60YearsAgopic.twitter.com/xoqQRMf5Yd
— BVU (@BuenaVistaUniv) September 28, 2016
Bob Ruliffson, then mayor of Storm Lake, helped load and carry books to Victory (Edson) Hall. #OldMain#60YearsAgo
— BVU (@BuenaVistaUniv) September 28, 2016
Many band instruments were saved, but eight pianos could not be moved. #OldMain#60YearsAgo
— BVU (@BuenaVistaUniv) September 28, 2016
Question on Facebook re: #OldMain location. Sat abt where chapel is now. See photo. Smith & Swope are to the left. Old Main to the right. pic.twitter.com/O0M8kdXALj
— BVU (@BuenaVistaUniv) September 28, 2016
The fire continued to burn. #BVU students watched events unfold from the windows of Swope Hall. #60YearsAgo#OldMainpic.twitter.com/9WKzLJDXLN
— BVU (@BuenaVistaUniv) September 28, 2016
President Fisher and administrators gathered in prayer as the fire fighters continued to try to drown the blaze. #60YearsAgo#OldMain
— BVU (@BuenaVistaUniv) September 28, 2016
#BVU profs and admins met to discuss where to hold classes and to set up temp offices so that classes could continue that day. #OldMainpic.twitter.com/F27k4GCesT
— BVU (@BuenaVistaUniv) September 28, 2016
The fire was subdued on the north side, but reappeared on the south roof. #60YearsAgo#OldMainpic.twitter.com/C4QmzP06hL
— BVU (@BuenaVistaUniv) September 28, 2016
#60YearsAgo a couple reported they saw flames from Spencer, IA (about 40 mi north of Storm Lake) #OldMainpic.twitter.com/dkSem17n1R
— BVU (@BuenaVistaUniv) September 28, 2016
The roof of #OldMain eventually collapsed. Lower floors began to burn. #60YearsAgopic.twitter.com/JpicNXThz2
— BVU (@BuenaVistaUniv) September 28, 2016
Some time in the early morning hours, the fire was finally out. #OldMain's thick stone walls still stood. #60YearsAgopic.twitter.com/2w279DHu9O
— BVU (@BuenaVistaUniv) September 28, 2016
Classes were relocated & held @ Victory Hall, Smith Hall, and space provided by the Presbyterian & Methodist churches. #OldMain#60YearsAgo
— BVU (@BuenaVistaUniv) September 28, 2016
Coffee and sandwiches were provided to the Storm Lake, Alta, and Newell firemen who worked through the night. #OldMain#60YearsAgo
— BVU (@BuenaVistaUniv) September 28, 2016
Telephones were installed in Victory Hall, site of the relocated Business Office. #OldMain#60YearsAgo
— BVU (@BuenaVistaUniv) September 28, 2016
2 important items survived: a Christian flag that hung in the chapel & the honor scroll that hung in the south entrance #OldMain#60YearsAgopic.twitter.com/AT1dMdk5ju
— BVU (@BuenaVistaUniv) September 28, 2016
Students sorted through the debris in the basement, salvaging books and other items. pic.twitter.com/brxXxEy8PX
— BVU (@BuenaVistaUniv) September 28, 2016
Two views of the fire's aftermath #OldMain#60YearsAgopic.twitter.com/qTreMoxmMS
— BVU (@BuenaVistaUniv) September 28, 2016
#60YearsAgo, our #OldMain burned in a tragic and traumatic event for #BVU and Storm Lake, but our spirit would not be broken. pic.twitter.com/tkPnfUD2u6
— BVU (@BuenaVistaUniv) September 28, 2016
As we celebrate our #BVU125, let us remember w/ respect, honor, & amazement the story of #OldMain & the courage of those who came before us. pic.twitter.com/epKjUHzscb
— BVU (@BuenaVistaUniv) September 28, 2016
S/O #BVU's Archivist Joan Curbow who made this happen! Source for many accounts & photos: Oct. 2, 1956 issue of the Storm Lake Register pic.twitter.com/oVQ2gz6j00
— BVU (@BuenaVistaUniv) September 28, 2016