KEY PORT’S TWO BIG FIRES

In September 1877 some Key Porters were attending the Centennial celebration in Philadelphia. Here in Key Port something happened which is still remembered, for it was almost the end of the town.

Even a young town somehow caught fire in the midst of the West Front Street stores, which were badly burned. The almost new town would have been lost, for they had no fire company, if Matawan had not come to their aid.

Just as the flames were close to Henry H. Seabrook's store the wind turned away from the store and the building was saved.

Key Port men gathered together in October 1877 to organize a Fire Company which is still going.

Such things seldom happen twice in the same place but on Thanksgiving night in 1889 a second terrible fire occurred in which two men lost their lives and again many people lost their buildings and also their insurance.

Once again the unbelievable happened. The wind turned just as it was about to catch fire at the Seabrook store.

Photo Caption: In spite of Key Port's own Fire Department, assistance from other towns helped save many buildings, but the unbelievable had happened again!