Most Astoria history buffs know there were two major fires, one in 1883 (pictured), and one in 1922. However, there was also a fire on June 2, 1877. 

It would probably have been lost to history if not for the Clatsop County Historical Society’s archivist, Liisa Penner, finding a description of this “first fire of consequence” in the June 9, 1877 edition of the Weekly Astorian.

The fire started at 2 p.m. on June 2, underneath the ‘49 Saloon on Astor Street. The owner had no bucket, and no bucket was nearby, so he dashed off and grabbed an iron pot, filled it with water … but he spilled the water on his way back to the fire. 

By then it was too late, anyway; the blaze was already spreading rapidly to the surrounding buildings and along the waterfront, burning from Fifth and Astor streets up to about Eighth Street.

“The old hand pumper fire engine got into … place,” the paper said, “and at 3:45 p.m. … the old Gray house was on fire, but there was a stream of water upon it … Also buckets of water from a swamp were passed along Seventh Street, and five minutes later, the fire was under control.”

The fire caused considerable damage — $20,000 to $30,000 then, about $609,000 to $914,000 now. There were only two injuries:  Ned O’Connor had a burned eye, and Mr. Sheppard stepped on a rusty nail.

“But for that fire engine, that had been condemned and offered for sale,” the article said, “Astoria might now possibly be in ashes.” (Photo: old300.org/astoria.htm)