You Are There: 1936 Pendleton Town Hall Disaster January 5, 2008

YOU ARE THERE: 1936 PENDLETON TOWN HALL DISASTER

We don’t have Walter Cronkite anymore, but we do have our unofficial Pendleton Historian, Doug Owens to take us back to Thursday, January 9, 1936. On that winter evening, Pendleton residents were going about their usual business. The newly elected Pendleton Town Board was meeting for the first time when Irvin Taylor dropped his spectacles through a grating in the floor, and went below to search for them, using an electric searchlight. The Town Marshall advised him to look in the old abandoned cistern in the basement, and Taylor removed its cover. At that moment, the Town Marshall struck a match and a tremendous explosion followed. It shook the town, and was felt and heard in Anderson. Five people were killed and several others were injured.

This historic program will be held at the Pendleton Community Library, 595 East Water Street, on Saturday, January 5th at 10:00 a.m. Refreshments will be served.

RSVPs for the program are appreciated. Call the library at (765) 778-7527 or email [email protected] to reserve a place.

As Uncle Walter would say, “What sort of day was it? A day like all days, filled with those events that alter and illuminate our times … and you are there.”