It’s been 40 years since the Lexington Fire tore through the hills above Los Gatos. The blaze, which started near the reservoir, burned nearly 14,000 acres and destroyed 42 structures before it was contained. Fortunately, the flames never reached downtown.
Los Gatos was plagued by a different breed of fire in its early years. Instead of starting in the hills, fires originated in the middle of town. Almost all buildings at the time were made of wood and lit by gas. The addition of hot dry winds in the summer created a perfect recipe for disaster. A dozen major fires started in the downtown business district between 1891 and 1901.
Los Gatos originally relied on volunteer bucket brigades, but they were no match for rapidly spreading blazes. In 1888 the newly incorporated town created a dedicated fire department with two volunteer hose companies — one on each side of the Main Street bridge—and a hook and ladder company. Unfortunately, the so-called “terrible red monster” still could not be contained.
On Sunday evening July 26, 1891, a ferocious blaze destroyed most of the businesses on East Main St. Nicknamed the “Cartridge Fire” for the shells that exploded in the H.J. Richardson Hardware Store, it expanded dramatically after it reached gunpowder stored in a nearby tunnel.
Both of the town’s new fire brigades responded to the call, but there was insufficient water to stop the conflagration. Within three hours, the most popular businesses were gone.
When it came time to rebuild, brick was used to replace many of the fire-prone wood buildings in order to limit future blazes. The Beckwith Block (now home to Southern Kitchen and Epernay Bistro) is one such building that rose from the ashes of the Cartridge Fire. Other businesses that burned to the ground chose to move to the West side of town, only to suffer the same fate ten years later.
In 1901, the most devastating fire of all — the “Livery Stable Fire” — ravaged both sides of West Main St. between the bridge and the railroad tracks, leveling nearly 60 buildings. As one newspaper stated, “The entire business section of the town was wiped out.” The fire might have consumed the Hotel Lyndon as well as many of the buildings on N. Santa Cruz Ave. had it not been for an easterly breeze and the open space around the train depot.
The blaze began in a bakery during the middle of the night on Oct. 13, 1901 and spread quickly to Tisdale’s Stables on Front Street (now Montebello Way). There were no casualties other than eight horses, but many people were injured either by flame or in one of the numerous explosions.
Telephone messages and telegrams pleading for help were sent to San Jose and San Francisco, but it was early Sunday morning and no response was received. Hot dry winds fanned the flames, and the fire travelled quickly up University Ave. Ironically, it leveled the tall wooden tower that held the town’s fire bell. It also claimed the Episcopal Church and almost destroyed the schoolhouse. The school was saved, as was the wooden Main Street bridge, but everything in between lay in ruins. The winds continued to spread ash for days after the fire burned itself out.
The terribly destructive fire of 1901 provided the impetus for the development of the commercial district along N. Santa Cruz Ave., which many now consider to be the “main street” in town.
Alan Feinberg is a local historian and founder of the LOST Gatos Project (lostgatos.com). Since 2015, his mission has been to generate enthusiasm among Los Gatos residents for remembering and preserving our town’s unique character and historic treasures before they’re lost forever. For more stories about Los Gatos history, download the free mobile app Discover LOST Gatos by Alan Feinberg, Peggy Conaway, and Sandy Decker and take a self-guided walking tour through our historic downtown.
