Hackensack Armory Fire, 1901

[Editor]

Hackensack, NJ Armory Fire, Feb 1901
(New York Times Article)
 
HACKENSACK ARMORY BURNED.

NATIONAL GUARD DANCE WAS IN PROGRESS WHEN FIRE STARTED -- BUILDING ALSO THE OPERA HOUSE.

Hackensack, N. J., Feb. 26. -- The Hackensack Armory, which was also the Opera House, was destroyed by fire tonight, and shortly after midnight the side walls began to tumble in. The building had been Hackensack's pride for a number of years, and when it was sold under foreclosure proceedings a couple of years ago, Company M of the Fourth Regiment was enabled to buy it through the liberality of the residents of the village.

Within an hour tonight the building, which was of brick, with two floors, but more than three stories in height, was swept away. The only property saved consisted of the rifles and the piano which belonged to the company. The scenery in the Opera House and the furnishings were all lost.

Company M held a drill tonight and a dance afterward. There were about seventy-five couples on the floor of the drillroom dancing when the flames started.

The ground floor was used as the drill room and ballroom. The auditorium was on the second floor. The stage was at the east end of the auditorium. The dressing rooms back of the stage were dropped several feet below the auditorium floor and hung down into the drill hall. It was in these dressing rooms the fire started. The cause is not known. There was no one in the auditorium tonight, and the place had been locked up all day.

The first the dancers knew of the fire was when the glass and wood which formed a side wall of the dressing room burst into flames and a great rush of fire and smoke filled the drillroom.

All the women screamed and some fainted. Their escorts hurried them out of the building and then set about saving what they could. The rifles and other equipment which belonged to the State were taken out of the building and a rope was procured, and although the flames were already playing about the piano, the rope was passed about it and the instrument was dragged out.

The firemen arrived within a short time, but could do little or nothing. The only State property destroyed, as far as known, was 1,000 rounds of ammunition, which was stored near the point where the fire broke out, and for which no one cared to risk his life.
The building and its contents are estimated to have been worth $27,000. Company M carried an insurance of $10,000.

The New York Times, New York, 1901-02-27

[Skipx219]

Anyone know where it was located ?

[BLeafe]

Anyone know where it was located ?

174 State St, which I think is the southeast corner of State and Mercer.

[Homer Jones]

That is the correct location. If I am correct, the City acquired a portion of the Armory property and used that land as part of Parking Area "A" which is just north of the parking garage and behind the buildings on the south side of Mercer Street.

[Editor]

Below is a picture of State and Mercer. 

The building on the right is now where the Armory/Opera House was.  Curiously, the brick building on the left (32 Mercer Street) is called "The Armor Building".  Why? Was it an annex?

[Homer Jones]

Sorry there Mr. Editor. The Armour Building is the old Armour meat packing building which has been renovated and converted to office use. Before the building was converted there was a meat hook which hung from the State street side of the building which would have been used to transfer cattle carcasses into the building.
I am sure that there must be some old photos of the building in its original state.
That was a busy area in the past. The Armory was on the south side of Mercer Street, the Armour operation which backed up to the RR tracks was on the north side and on the west side of State Street where the City operates a municipal parking lot, Public Service used to have a bus/trolley barn which was demolished in the early 1970's.

[Editor]

I see now it's Armour with a "u" (which is the British spelling of Armor). I also just found this: Armour and Company though there is no mention of a Hackensack operation.

So- just coincidence that The Armour Building was located next to the Armory, apparently.     

I forgot there was some dicussion about this here 7 years ago. Even our discussions about history are becoming historic.

Thanks Homer.  Welcome back.

[Top of the Hill]

I used to take the 80 bus to middle school, 40 years ago, when State street was a 2 way street. We would pass Armour and they would be unloading sides of beef from the train cars out back. I remember the bus barn/garage and a little diner that was caddy corner across the street from Armour. It may have been the J&M Diner??? Also I remember the Guaranty Market down the road. Close to the school was Espositos Market and further down the block was a Sinclair gas station. I seem to remember a dinosaur statue, but it may have just been a sign.

[dave]

The name of the diner was J&M Diner. My mother Margie worked there for several years. She was the M in J&M. I also remember the meat hooks hanging from the Armour building.