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This photo shows the smoke-darkened shell of the Fraser House fire — once a landmark hotel in Bay City — after a disastrous downtown fire. Reports at the time said the blaze broke out in an annex area tied to the boiler and laundry, then raced through the building as guests fled into the cold in night clothes. One hotel fireman, John O’Neil, was badly burned and later died.
The site didn’t stay empty long. The Wenonah Hotel was later built on the same corner.
What stories have you heard about the Fraser House — or the hotels that came after it?
Other Michigan Fire Disasters Worth Reading
Michigan’s fire history did not end with the 1908 Metz Fire. Across the state, hotels, schools, villages, forests and rail towns faced fires that reshaped local memory and public safety.
Fraser House Fire — Bay City, 1907
The Fraser House fire left Bay City with a stark reminder of how quickly a downtown hotel disaster could unfold in the early 1900s. The aftermath showed the limits of fire protection in dense commercial districts.
Read: Aftermath of the Fraser House Fire, Bay City, Michigan, 1907
Omer, Michigan — Fire, Flood and Survival, 1866-1940
Omer’s early history was marked by repeated disaster, including fire and flood. The small city’s story shows how vulnerable river communities were before modern infrastructure and emergency response.
Read: History of Omer Michigan — Fire, Flood and a Small City That Endured Disaster
Parisville Fire — 1881
The 1881 Parisville Fire destroyed much of a Thumb-area community and became tied to stories of faith, loss and survival. It remains one of Michigan’s most dramatic small-town fire accounts.
Read: 1881 Parisville Fire — Devastating Blaze Destroyed a Town and Brought Miracles
Elkton School Fire — 1930
The Elkton School Fire brought fear to a Huron County town and left a lasting mark on local memory. School fires forced Michigan communities to rethink building safety, exits and emergency planning.
Read: The Elkton School Fire — The Dreadful 1930 Blaze That Changed a Michigan Town
Caseville Forest Fire — 1924
Caseville faced a serious forest fire threat in 1924 as flames pushed toward the Lake Huron shore. The story stands out because local residents and responders fought to protect a community that could have suffered far greater damage.
Read: Flashback — The Heroic Battle to Save Caseville, Michigan from a Raging Forest Fire
Oscoda and AuSable Fire — 1911
The 1911 fire that struck Oscoda and AuSable became one of northern Michigan’s most destructive community disasters. It showed how lumber towns near Lake Huron remained exposed to fire long after the peak logging years.
Great Fires of 1871 — The Burning Great Lakes
The Great Fires of 1871 burned across several Great Lakes states during the same period as the Chicago Fire. Michigan communities were part of a wider regional disaster driven by drought, wind and heavily cut timberland.
1881 Michigan Fire — The Thumb Changed Forever
The 1881 Michigan Fire devastated the Thumb and became one of the state’s defining wildfire disasters. It destroyed farms, homes and settlements across a region still shaped by logging, land clearing and dry weather.
Mendon Fire — 1916
The 1916 Mendon Fire left behind the story of a Michigan village that was never the same. It is a reminder that fire could erase a community’s business district, homes and future plans in a matter of hours.
Hinckley Fire — 1894
The 1894 Hinckley Fire happened in Minnesota, but its smoke and fear reached Michigan. The event remains relevant to Great Lakes fire history because it showed how regional weather, timber waste and drought could create disasters felt far from the burn zone.
Read: 1894 Hinckley Fire — When the Sky Went Black — Michigan’s Day of Smoke and Fear
Metz Fire — 1908
The 1908 Metz Fire destroyed the village of Metz, Michigan, and killed 37 people. Hundreds were left homeless. The most painful chapter came when a Detroit & Mackinac Railway relief train derailed after intense heat damaged the rails near Nowicki’s Siding.
Read: History of The 1908 Metz Fire Michigan – The Shocking Day a Railroad Village Burned
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