Winecoff Fire 77th Anniversary Today

 

Atlanta, Georgia: In the early morning hours of December 7, 1946 a suspicious fire tore through the Winecoff Hotel claiming the lives of 119 people. Dozens more were injured. Despite the enormous tragedy of the event, the fire impacted fire safety codes worldwide for the good. The building still stands at 176 Peachtree Street. More from The Atlanta-Journal-Constitution here. And from WSB-TV Atlanta here.

Sam Heys Pens Rosalynn Carter Tribute For AJC

See today's Atlanta Journal-Constitution, page A15, for a moving personal tribute to Rosalynn Carter written by Winecoff Fire co-author, Sam Heys. Also on AJC.com.

The Winecoff Fire - New Media Editions

The Winecoff Fire: The Untold Story of America's Deadliest Hotel Fire is also available in e-book and audio-book editions. 

The e-book is here.

The audio-book is available on Audible, Spotify, Google Play, Chirp, Scribd and Rakuten Kobo.

Winecoff Fire Authors Speak at Georgia Tech

Winecoff Fire co-authors Allen B. Goodwin (L) and Sam Heys (R)

Sam Heys points to firefighter Richard Ellington using his ladder to cross a ten-foot alleyway into room 1518 of the Winecoff Hotel. The authors spoke to Dr. Matthew Hild's history class at Georgia Tech February 28th. 

Who Was She?

Ruth Powell, 16

When Winecoff Fire reader, Ashley Webb, 35, found an old photo among her grandmother's effects she started asking questions but got few answers from her family. "She was killed in a hotel fire," she was told. No further details were forthcoming so she reached out to winecoff.org. We determined her photo is of her grandmother's sister, Winecoff fire victim, Ruth Powell, 16. Ruth was in Atlanta on December 7, 1946 as a Youth Assembly delegate from Bainbridge, Ga. 

We arranged a phone call between Ashley and Sara Parker, 92, who knew Ruth Powell well. The two women spoke for fifty minutes and Sara shared her wonderful and vivid memories of Ruth Powell.  "Ruth was just the sweetest and funniest, always in the best mood, laughing and fun," person to be with. Ashley was thankful for the call and the women made plans to meet. More here.

Ashley Webb's e-mail inquiry to winecoff.org is here.

Gainesville High School Plaque Re-Dedicated

A brief but moving ceremony was held at Gainesville High School December 7th to re-dedicate the school's plaque honoring the memory of the four senior girls - Gwen McCoy, Ella Sue Mitchum,  Suzanne Moore and Francis Thompson - who perished in the 1946 Winecoff Hotel fire. 

New construction on campus has forced the plaque to be moved a few times over the years. This latest outside placement is in a prominent space on campus and is easily visible to visitors. Originally a wall plaque, it's now affixed to a large smoothed stone and looks excellent. 

Listen to Sandra Parrish's WSB Radio News report here. See Berndt Petersen's WSB-TV News report here. See Paola Suro's WXIA-TV News report here.

Gainesville, Georgia Plaque Re-Dedication December 7th

Winecoff fire victims Suzanne Moore, Ella Sue Mitchum, Gwen McCoy & Francis Thompson

The Gainesville Times reports a brief ceremony is planned at Gainesville High School December 7th at 4:30 p.m. to re-dedicate the plaque honoring the memory of the four senior girls who perished in the Winecoff fire. New construction on campus has forced the plaque to be moved a few times over the years. The public is invited. The Gainesville Times notice is here.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution - 75th Anniversary Article

In Atlanta, December 7th is a date that lives in infamy for two reasons: the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor and the 1946 Winecoff Hotel fire. Veteran Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter Bo Emerson has written an article for publication December 7th. But the article is already available for viewing on AJC.com, the newspaper's pay-to-read internet service that is free for regular subscribers. Emerson's 75th anniversary article is here.

Update: Bo Emerson's article has been picked up by the Columbus Ledger-Inquirer as well as the U.S. News & World Report website via the Associated Press. Read it here. 

Winecoff Book Makes New-Media Debut

 

The Winecoff Fire: The Untold Story of America's Deadliest Hotel Fire is now available in e-book and audio-book form. 

The e-book is here.

The audio-book is available on Audible, Spotify, Google Play, Chirp, Scribd and Rakuten Kobo.

Vintage Goodson Family Photos Surface

Gladys Goodson and son, Joe III, circa 1943

Newly discovered photos of the Goodson family of Clay City, Illinois have surfaced. Cheryl Pampe Fowler tells the story of her discovery here. The photos are here.