More Great Fires

Today is Independence Day, it is bitter sweet day for Ellensburg, as it is the date of the Great Fire.  Anyone who has spent much time in E-burg knows the wind blows and July 4, 1889, was no exception.  It is believed fireworks were the cause of the blaze that started in J.S. Anthony's Grocery Store on the east side of Main Street.  Within hours most of the town lay in ruins, ten downtown blocks and 200 homes wasted.  Also wasted was Ellensburg's opportunity to be the state capital.  Oddly it wasn't until the late 1990's did fireworks finally get banded in the town.