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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Ashland police find suspected car thief asleep in stolen vehicle ... Cooking oil fire damages SOU-owned home, displaces two ... Rogue Valley pair hope supporters will breathe life into 'Don't Die' ... Ashland police find suspected car thief asleep in stolen vehicle ... Cooking oil fire damages SOU-owned home, displaces two ... Rogue Valley pair hope supporters will breathe life into 'Don't Die' ... SINCE YOU ASKED Since You Asked: Original Medford Hotel burned to ground in 1988 Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Sep. 30, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Sep. 30, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News I'd heard from a friend that the big brick Medford Hotel building on Main Street is a rebuild, and that the original building was destroyed in a fire. When was this fire, and what caused it? — Anonymous, via phone message We're grateful you came to us for your question-answering needs instead of resorting to further hearsay from your friend, unnamed inquisitive caller. Indeed your friend is correct, the historic Medford Hotel, which had its grand opening on Sept. 19, 1911, ultimately saw its demise when it burned to the ground the evening of Aug. 8, 1988. The first alarm came at 9:09 p.m. according to Mail Tribune archives, and 50 firefighters responded from Medford, Phoenix and Central Point fire departments, as well as Jackson County fire districts 3 and 5. Power to several city blocks in the area was cut for two hours, and more than 3,000 spectators gathered downtown to watch. The building, designed by Frank Clark, had seen its last day as a hotel on Jan. 1, 1987, and was undergoing construction to be converted into a subsidized housing complex. According to the Aug. 18, 1988 Mail Tribune, Medford Fire Department and insurance company investigators determined that the fire's point of origin was in the middle of the basement, caused by slag from welders' cutting torches smoldering among wood joists. The building, located at 406 W. Main St., was well-insured. Just under two years later, residents moved into the rebuilt replica building on Aug. 2, 1990. Although the original building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the reconstruction is compatible with Medford's downtown historic district, the replica hotel, now known as New Medford Apartments, does not have a historic designation. —Send questions to “Since You Asked,” Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected]. To see a collection of columns, go to mailtribune.com/youasked . We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Sep. 30, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501