PENSACOLA, FL - It was Halloween, 1905, the face of downtown Pensacola would be changed forever.



The centerpiece of the thriving business and professional community was an area bounded by Palafox, Baylen, Garden And Romana Streets.



The block was owned almost entirely by banker Francis Brent And Attorney William Blount.



Around midnight, two men walking home from the Osceola Gentlemen's Club noticed a fire.



By the time the municipal fire department arrived on their horse drawn units, the flames were raging.



Fishermen emptied the downtown bars and came to help.



John Appleyard, Author/Historian; They broke into the stores, carried all the merchandise across the street and stored it safely in doorways on the east side of Palafox. Meanwhile, a similar group created what we might call a human chain and they managed to bring all of the wonderful law books in the great collection of Williemae Blount from the third floor of the Blount Building and brought them carefully and placed them safely across the street.



By daylight, only one building was left standing in the entire block; the building that is now the Dollarhide Music Company.



The two owners Brent And Blount rebuilt the area with an eye to the future of downtown development.Halloween 1905 Fire Changes Pensacola Look