Richard Turk - Newly Acquired Photo

Richard B. Turk, room 1022, used a blanket and a rope to help three other guests escape the fire before escaping himself. His story is told beginning on page 68 of The Winecoff Fire.

Crime Scene?

Little doubt remains that the Winecoff Hotel was the scene of a vicious crime in 1946. Today, some claim it is also the scene of a colossal case of mortgage fraud. Writing for OpEdNews.com Micheal McCray raises the issue anew. His article is here. His second article is here.

Bob & Pauline Bault - Newly Acquired Photo

Few survived The Winecoff fire as narrowly as Bob & Pauline Bault. Fourteen floors above Peachtree St. searchlights found them and spectators gasped as they moved precariously from the window of room 1404 to the window of room 1406. Trapped there, room 1406 became a virtual oven during the fire. It was directly above the middle floors which were roaring flames from their windows during the fire's explosive flashover. Fortunately, eleven month old Sally Bault was safe at home with the family's maid. The Baults' story is told in chapter three of The Winecoff Fire.

Tested And Found Worthy

Atlanta firefighter Richard Ellington, 56, moves across his ladder from the roof of The Mortgage Guarantee Building toward room 1518 of the burning Winecoff Hotel. Even through dense smoke rising in the alleyway, many were rescued using this method. Ellington's son Relford, 26, also fought the blaze.

Margaret & Warren Foster - Newly Acquired Photo!

Margaret and Warren Foster were rescued by ladder from room 508.
It was what Warren overheard happening in the room next door, prior to the fire, that has intrigued arson investigators ever since. He overheard an argument, a fist fight, breaking glass and a threat as a man departed room 510-12, "I'll get even with you before the night's over!"

Connie Foster

One year old, Connie Foster and her parents were recued from room 508 by Atlanta Fire Captain Rick Roberts. He carried little Connie down a ladder to the safety of Peachtree Street. "That baby was smiling all the way down the ladder," said Captain Roberts.
This newly acquired photo shows Connie in the dress her parents bought for her at Davison's Department Store following the fire.
Connie Foster and Rick Roberts were reunited first in 1993 after the the publication of The Winecoff Fire and again in 2006. Said Roberts, "I recognized her eyes immediately!"

Water Pitcher Discovered

Winecoff Fire reader Julie Cleaves discovered this hammered copper water pitcher at a Pennsylvania antiques auction. What caught her attention was a mysterious tag attached to it. It reads: "Hand Made Hammer Copper Water Picture From Wine Coft Hotel Atlanta". Julie quickly assumed that the word "picture" was intended to be "pitcher" and that "Wine Coft" should read "Winecoff". Did this pitcher actually come from the Winecoff Hotel? We're posting this photo in hopes the pitcher will look familiar to one of our readers. If so, e-mail Winecoff Fire co-author Allen B. Goodwin: allenbgoodwin@yahoo.com

Tornado Strikes Downtown Atlanta

Only minor damage to the old Winecoff Hotel building was reported: "A couple of broken windows," said an Ellis Hotel telephone operator. The tornado struck March 14th at 9:38 pm and caused significant damage elsewhere in the downtown area.