The Great Wykoff Fire of 1895

In the early morning hours of March 28, 1895, fire tore through the heart of Wykoff.

Starting near the town hall, the flames raced through the village’s business district, destroying stores, homes, barns, and nearly an entire block before finally burning itself out. With limited firefighting equipment, intense heat, and rapidly spreading flames, residents turned their attention to saving whatever goods and belongings they could carry into the street.

By morning, Wykoff’s once-busy commercial center was reduced to smoking ruins—but the town was already talking about rebuilding.

In this episode, Preston and Lenora revisit the devastating 1895 fire that changed Wykoff’s Main Street, the businesses that were lost, the questions surrounding how the fire began, and the community effort that followed.

This September, Roots & Riddles is celebrating Wykoff’s 150th birthday with a month of stories from the town’s past.