12/28/2025
Remains of the Business Section of Ebensburg, Cambria County after a major fire swept through town in 1915. This account was written in the Indiana Weekly Messenger on February 24, 1915: Practically the entire business section of Ebensburg, mountain summer resort and county seat of Cambria County, was wiped out Thursday morning by fire which broke out in the pool room of the Mountain House. Every building in the block from the Mountain House to the county court house was destroyed. The loss is estimated at between $250,000 and $300,000.
The court house was not damaged although the buildings adjoining were destroyed. Fire companies from many northern Cambria towns were summoned to assist the Ebensburg company. The Johnstown City Fire Department also went to the scene. The buildings destroyed include the fine building of the Cambria Savings and Company, several hotels, a livery barn, a bank building and a number of small office buildings. The telephone communications were cut off. The buildings destroyed were thirteen in number. A cigarette dropped in the poolroom the night previous is believed to have started the fire.
(Photo and text from http://www.gendisasters.com/)
