Swannanoa FANS Logo
Mountain View
  • Home
  • About FANS
    • Our Mission
    • History of Our Organization
    • Our Board
    • Get Involved
  • About Swannanoa
    • Facts & Figures
    • Our Community
    • Our Rich Heritage
      • A Brief History
      • Beacon Blankets
  • Our Projects
    • Swannanoa Winterfest
    • Welcome Sign
    • Swannanoa Community Garden
    • Clean-Ups
    • Swannanoa Community Newsletter
    • Community Yard Sale
    • Bus Shelter
    • Greenways
    • Other Projects
  • Photo Galleries
    • Thumbnail Directory
    • Swannanoa Community Garden
    • Swannanoa Yard Sales =>
      • Yard Sale Fall 2014
      • Yard Sale Spring 2014
      • Yard Sale Fall 2013
    • Swannanoa Sweep =>
      • In 2013
      • In 2012
    • Other Events
      • Groovin’ On Grovement
      • River Cleanup
      • Mill Around the Village 2011
      • Mill Around the Village 2012
      • Holiday Party and Benefit 2012
      • Dave’s House Wall Raising in Beacon Village
  • Helpful Resources
    • Swannanoa Organizations
    • Other Information
  • Contact
  • FaceBook

Ten-Year Anniversary of Beacon Fire

by FANS Admin
September 2nd, 2013

Beacon Manufacturing FireIt’s hard to believe that ten years have passed since that tragic day in 2003 when the Beacon Mill, once the heart and soul of the Swannanoa community, burned almost to the ground. Back in its Burning of Beacon Mill heyday, the mill employed thousands of people and was the largest blanket manufacturer in the world. But as textile manufacturing moved overseas, the workforce at the Swannanoa mill dwindled. The doors of the mill were shut for good in 2002. The massive structures sat vacant until the early morning hours of September 3, 2003, when an arsonist ignited a pipe bomb inside one of the buildings.

That morning, residents in the Valley woke to the smell of smoke. The flames from the mill fire reached so high into the sky that they could be seen from great distances. People left their homes and began to gather together on street corners and in parking lots. Old timers, newcomers, and former mill employees stood side-by-side, watching in stunned silence as the buildings burned. Tears were shed; stories and memories were shared.

The closing of the mill dealt a heavy blow to Swannanoa, but in many ways, the fire had an even greater impact. It was final, and it put an end to the hope that the mill might one day re-open.

Thirty-two fire departments and hundreds of fire and emergency personnel were involved in the effort to contain and extinguish the fire. Thanks to the leadership of the Swannanoa Fire Department and the many responders on the scene, the fire was contained to the mill site, and no injuries were reported.

To see an archive of newspaper articles about the fire, visit the Swannanoa Fire Department’s website at www.svfd.net. To read a Swannanoa resident’s account of the fire and its impact on the community, click here.

To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the fire, an exhibit about the Beacon Mill will be on display at the Swannanoa Library, 101 West Charleston Ave., during the month of September. The photos and artifacts in the exhibit are on loan from the Swannanoa Valley Museum.

Categories History
« FANS Raffles a Motor Scooter
New Develpment Planned for Beacon Mill Site »

Recent News

  • Swannanoa Resident Billy Edd Wheeler Publishes His First Novel
  • Swannanoa Sweep Community Cleanup Saturday, April 10
  • Save the Date for Swannanoa Community Yard Sale
  • Kids Fishing Tournament at Owen Park
  • Free Clothes Closet at Swannanoa First Baptist Church
  • Swannanoa’s Breakfast Shoppe Reopens in New Location
  • Remembering Swannanoa’s Past
  • Warren Wilson Ranked Top Outdoor College in the U.S.
  • Free “To Go” Meals Every Wednesday and Saturday
  • Local Farmers Market Gears Up for Growing Season
  • ACA Lions Bring Home State Basketball Championship
  • Like Us On Facebook
  • Free Tax Assistance at Black Mountain Library
  • Swannanoa Ingles Offers Curbside Pickup
  • Participate in “Takeout 21” and Support Swannanoa Valley Restaurants
  • Got Vaccine?
  • Swannanoa Scenes
  • Save the Dates for Yard Sale and Swannanoa Sweep
  • Friends and Neighbors of Swannanoa Needs You!
  • Support Our Local Businesses and Nonprofits
  • A Special Thank You to Our Newsletter Sponsers
  • Be a FANS E-Newsletter Sponsor
  • Be a Fan of FANS

Archived News

Friends And Neighbors of Swannanoa (FANS)
P.O. Box 697
Swannanoa, NC 28778
(828) 581-9848
Copyright ©2021 · FANS · All Rights Reserved
Powered by Wordpress. Customized by wordsandwebs.com.

MENU
  • Home
  • About FANS
    • Our Mission
    • History of Our Organization
    • Our Board
    • Get Involved
  • About Swannanoa
    • Facts & Figures
    • Our Community
    • Our Rich Heritage
      • A Brief History
      • Beacon Blankets
  • Our Projects
    • Swannanoa Winterfest
    • Welcome Sign
    • Swannanoa Community Garden
    • Clean-Ups
    • Swannanoa Community Newsletter
    • Community Yard Sale
    • Bus Shelter
    • Greenways
    • Other Projects
  • Photo Galleries
    • Thumbnail Directory
    • Swannanoa Community Garden
    • Swannanoa Yard Sales =>
      • Yard Sale Fall 2014
      • Yard Sale Spring 2014
      • Yard Sale Fall 2013
    • Swannanoa Sweep =>
      • In 2013
      • In 2012
    • Other Events
      • Groovin’ On Grovement
      • River Cleanup
      • Mill Around the Village 2011
      • Mill Around the Village 2012
      • Holiday Party and Benefit 2012
      • Dave’s House Wall Raising in Beacon Village
  • Helpful Resources
    • Swannanoa Organizations
    • Other Information
  • Contact
  • FaceBook