It’s Saturday! Did You Know…
* 1916 – Centre Block of the Parliament Buildings Destroyed by Fire.
The huge and impressive Gothic stone and wood Parliament had dominated the skyline of Ottawa, the capital of the young country for just over 50 years.
Late in the evening of February 3rd, 1916, as the First World War raged in Europe, smoke was seen escaping from the reading room of the Centre Block. The fire spread quickly and by 21:30 the roof collapsed, and in the early hours of February 4th, the clock tower collapsed. Seven people died in the blaze. By the next day, the fire was out, but the structure was a smoldering icy shell. Continue reading “John’s Believe It Or Not… February 3rd”