The Parker Fire

[JoeRags]

Here's an article from the Record Journal last week... it was the weekly "Throwback Thursday."

There are a few pictures from the devastating fire that destroyed the long abandoned Parker Factory on December 5th, 1976.

http://www.myrecordjournal.com/home/9707057-154/throwback-thursday-memorable-fires-of-meridens-past.html

[calvin humburg]

Wonder what was in it? Anything Parker? Was it vacant?

[Kevin McCormack]

Thanks Joe - you can also see some great color shots of the blaze by Googling Meriden CT Charles Parker Co. warehouse fire etc. I did it years ago but forget the exact local website.

[Brian Dudley]

Wasnt the factory being used as storage for the unovac thermous operation at the time?

[Bill Murphy]

It was the storage facility for the new rare Clown catalogs. There were bales of them in there.

[Kevin McCormack]

I heard the fire was intentionally set after a time and motion study calculated that the Clown catalogs already in circulation would be deteriorated to the point that when collectors became interested in them, the existing inventory in storage at the warehouse would dilute the value to the point that anyone could afford one. Thus, they were torched.

[JoeRags]

I'll have to ask around for some details... I have a few friends in in the MFD... maybe they know of some stories.
Regardless of the cause, it's a shame whenever a historic structure is lost.