This presentation covers the December 1975 fire that destroyed the Masonic Building, a four-story structure built in 1879.

3. Fairmont Hall, 1880s

4. Main Street, 1910

8. Main Street, 1940s

9. Masonic Block, 1950s

11. Masonic
Block, 1960s

12. Front entrance, No. 208

13. Masonic Block, West side

14. UB side entrance

15. Masonic Building, 1970s

16. Lodge Interior East/South

17. Lodge Interior West

18. Inflation: 9.2%
Dow: 858
Interest Rates: 7.25%
New House: $42,000
New Car: $4,250.00
Gallon of Gas: 57 cents
First-Class Stamp: 10c

19. President - Gerald Ford
Governor - Mike Dukakis
Mayor – Edgar Gadbois
UB Master - Leo Barsamian

20. Unseasonably cold
Four suspicious fires in 10 days
Pastilles Liquors broken into Dec. 6

21. 5:05 pm – Dumpster fire at
Jr. High School
Smoke seen in back of Riseberg’s,
206 Main St.
5:35 pm – Alarm 1 pulled at
Newton & Main

25. An explosion is reported from
Riseberg’s…
“The building became an
inferno front and back.
I saw the front of the building
blow out and flames shoot out.”
-- Police Lt. Det. Robert Jusseaume

28. Flames jump from Riseberg’s roof
to the Masonic building

32. Fighting from the rear

34. All of Marlborough’s 85 firefighters
150 - 200 total, from 9 (15?)
communities as far as Needham,
Wellesley & Lancaster
$2.5M worth of apparatus

36. Although Main Street was closed Bolton to
Monument Sq., 1000 spectators stood 10 deep

38. Temperatures plummeted into the teens.
Firefighters slid on sheets of ice.

39. Water pressure dropped from 100 to 40

42. “It was a
miracle no
one was
hurt. It’s the
biggest fire
I’ve seen in
20 years.”
– Jusseaume

49. Demolition cost $20,000+

57. First National Bank acted as fire break,
shielding Main Street East

59. “The meeting rooms
were filled with
valuable things, many
that can’t be
replaced. Antiques,
carpets, oriental
chairs” and an organ
that cost $8,000 in
1945.
–Joe Aykanian

62. In gratitude to:
• Joan Abshire & • Claudio Elias
The Marlborough • Gary Jusseaume
Historical Society • Bill Maroney
• Leo Barsamian • Paul Polewacyk
• Paul Chamberlain • David Wills
• Walter Demoorjian • Steve Weston
• Max Wills