Painting of Peabody Square, Gideon Foster, Jr., 1828; before the Great Fire
On September 22, 1843 at 1am, Mr. Berry’s wheelwright shop on (now) Railroad Avenue was destroyed by fire. This set off a chain reaction that destroyed many of the buildings in Peabody Square. It is worth noting that Peabody was still considered part of the South Parish of Danvers, so in articles it was referred to as the Great Fire in Danvers.
The fire was started by a cigar, which was not disposed of properly. Gale winds were coming in from the northwest, which made extinguishing the fire that much more difficult.
At the time, the third South Church was being built on site. It was almost completed and had just been insured a few days prior, but was decimated in the fire. A number of other businesses and homes were total losses:
John Dodge’s blacksmith shop
Eben Eustis’ cabinetmaker shop
Mr. Lunt’s shoemaker shop
Southwick and Ferrin grocers
Lambert and Merrill grocers
Storehouse of goat skins belonging to Mr. Goodridge
The Simonds-Hoyt Tavern
The Essex Coffee House
The homes of Mrs. Very and the daughters of General Gideon Foster
Sketch of Peabody Square, 1848
Luckily, a number of important buildings were only partially damaged, including what is now 12 Peabody Square (then the Dustin Hotel), along with the Allen Block, which included the Warren Bank and the post office, as well as the Unitarian Church.
The fires were seen from Boston, and sparks and cinders were found as far as Lynn Beach, 6 miles away.
Boston Semi-Weekly Advertiser, September 27, 1843.
While the above article snip-it indicated looting, the fire was also a testament to neighbors helping each other. The fire departments from Salem, Lynn, Beverly and Marblehead assisted in the fight and were essential in stopping the fire from further destruction. A town committee was formed to gather donations for those who lost so much.
Salem Register, September 28, 1843.
References
John Wells. The Peabody Story, Essex Institute, 1972, page 334-336.
Boston Evening Transcript, September 22, 1843.
Boston Courier, September 25, 1843.
Salem Register, September 25, 1843.
Boston Semi-Weekly Advertiser, September 27, 1843.
Salem Register, September 28, 1843.
Newburyport Herald, October 2, 1843.
Salem Register, October 2, 1843.