October 23: Burnt Into Memory: How Brownfield Faced the Fire

In October 1947, in just a few hours, a terrible wildfire destroyed almost all of the town of Brownfield, in western Maine, including all its churches, schools, post offices, and other public buildings. In the face of the fire, Brownfield residents responded with courage, care, and, in some cases, obstancy—retired schoolteacher Mabel Stone, for instance, chose to stay home with her beloved dog Woofie and fight the fire with a broom, a bucket of water, and her snow rake. Confronting the devastation after the fire, neighbors ingeniously made do, shared what they had, and rebuilt what they could.

Join Jo Radner as she presents “Burnt into Memory: How Brownfield Faced the Fire,” on what will be the 78th anniversary of the incident. Radner spent a year interviewing people who experienced the Brownfield fire, and from those interviews and historical documents, she will share a powerful story of terror, courage, neighborly responsibility, recovery and even humor.

DATE: Thursday, October 23, 2025
TIME: 6:00 PM

This event is made possible by a grant from New Hampshire Humanities.