Warwick County Historical Society Hosting Lecture on Great Smithfield Peanut Fire
History buffs, get ready! The Warwick County Historical Society Lecture Series is back with a new program, “Up in Smoke: Remembering the Great Smithfield Peanut Fire.” Join them on Wednesday, August 18 at the 1884 Warwick Courthouse (14421 Old Courthouse Way) as Isle of Wight historian and volunteer firefighter Albert Burckard shares the story of this historic event. The program begins at 7 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Smithfield’s peanut industry changed dramatically on August 17, 1921, when an early morning fire broke out in Warehouse No. 1 of the Gwaltney-Bunkley Peanut Company, which was owned by the American Peanut Corporation. The fire spread to the nearby Smithfield Peanut Company. Responding to the calls for help, Suffolk sent firefighters, and Newport News sent a fire-fighting tug. Responders contained the fire and prevented it from causing more damage. No lives were lost, but by the time the fire was put out, it had destroyed property across two blocks, including five peanut warehouses, two piers, a woodworking plant, several tenant houses and a livery stable. Smithfield’s peanut-centric focus was no more. When the American Peanut Company rebuilt its warehouses, they did so in Suffolk to have better access to railroads and highways. For more information, call 757-525-7372.