With all of the interest surrounding the 25th anniversary of the Northwestern National Bank fire, there were a lot of questions about the beginnings of the blaze. When asked about it, most people say it started in the old Donaldson's  building. Now, I am not a native Minneapolitan, nor was I alive prior to 1982, so this reference does not exactly paint a picture for me. So in an attempt to make the events in downtown Minneapolis on Thanksgiving Day in 1982 a bit clearer, I did a little research…

Donaldson's  was founded in the 1883 by Scottish immigrants. It was located between 6th St. and 7th St. on Nicollet Mall  — the company owned the entire block. Donaldson's sold everything from clothing, bedding, footwear and furniture, to jewelry, beauty products and housewares. It was "a peculiar jumble of stores, all connected with a warren of hallways and showrooms," writes lileks.com . At the start of the 20th century, especially, Donaldson's brought, "Continental flavor to the cramped dim retailing style of the time. At night, the store sang with light; in the day, the dome on the corner of Nicollet and 6th made the Midwestern shopper think she might have wandered into the Bon Marche of Paris."

The "dome" was part of the Glass Block Building , originally constructed in 1884. The company that worked on the building (and many of its subsequent renovations) was the local Pike and Cook Company, now the George F. Cook Construction Company. The dome, visible in many of the lileks.com pictures, was dismantled during World War II for scrap metal.

After the war, Donaldson's was remodeled beyond "historical recognition." There were several modern designs  for a new store, all sleek and ready for the consumers of the 50s. The final incarnation of the department store, in its original location, looked like this , before it was destroyed in the 1982 fire. It is this façade that is immortalized in pop culture history by Mary Tyler Moore . In the opening credits of the first season of the show, Mary triumphantly tosses her hat directly in front of Donaldson's.

Across the street from Donaldson's was their rival, Dayton's . The two stores battled it out for the greater part of the 20th century — Dayton's always staying just a step ahead. In 1982, Donaldson's left their historic beginnings before the fire occurred, to relocate in the newly built City Center. (It was the empty original building that burned.) In 1987 Donaldson's was bought by Carson Pirie Scott & Co.  and renamed Carson's. These stores were unsuccessful and the entire business was sold to Dayton Hudson Corp, ironically, who re-opened the stores as part of its Mervyn's  chain.

Mervyn's is now focused in southwestern and West Coast markets. It's merchandise, however — clothing, footwear, bedding, furniture, jewelry, beauty products, electronics, and housewares — remains the same as it's long-gone ancestor, Donaldson's.

Posted by Melissa at 11:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Found in Fires, Minneapolis, Misc, Museums, Natural Disasters, Remember, Thanksgiving, Wells Fargo Bank

One of my closest friends lives in Rancho Bernardo . Four houses down from his place is a home nearing completion. The original house burned down in the Witch Creek fire  less than three months ago. The new one is bigger and better, like the linebacker whose construction company  built it.

Shawne Merriman  is known for — and maybe infamous for! — his "Lights Out" victory dance , which he executes after many of his behind-the-line-of-scrimmage sacks. Some sports fans out there may remember when New England Patriots players mimicked the dance on the Chargers home field after knocking Marty Schottenheimer's  14-2 San Diego team out of last year's playoffs.

Say what you will about Merriman, but even though he was unable to complete the house by his self-imposed deadline of December 25th, 2007, he has built a nice house for this family in lightning-quick time. It may not make it to "Extreme Home Makeover"  level, but it's not a bad effort.

There's a lesson behind Mr. Merriman's efforts. The "What's in it for him?" question can be asked, sans  the arch cynicism of our particular public moment. What's in it for him is the same thing that's in it for any company, who — when faced with disaster — decides that there is an opportunity to do the right thing. In Rancho Bernardo, a lot of folks will remember Mr. Merriman  more for this trick than his sack dance.

Communities are built one decent act at time. I like to think this is what Wells Fargo stands for as a company. Every time I go see a game and I see that logo, I am reminded that I am part of the Wells Fargo community.

Posted by Allan at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Found in Christmas, Fires, First-hand Accounts, Misc, San Diego, Wells Fargo Bank

Wells Fargo's Minneapolis History Museum has a program this month commemorating the 1982 Thanksgiving Day Fire. The Fire and people's memories are also featured on Wells Fargo's History site.

That blaze in downtown Minneapolis destroyed the Northwestern National bank headquarters, the company that rebuilt itself as Norwest and later merged with Wells Fargo.

The fire took everyone by surprise and the event was seared in the community's memory.

This year marked the 25th anniversary of the Fire. Minneapolis Curator Megan Schaack blogged about the fire, developed exhibits and hosted events that culled memories of the disaster, good and bad.

WellsFargoHistory.com has video memories from employees, including today's CEO John Stumpf, who began work immediately to get business back on track. The fire occured on Thanksgiving Thursday and burned through the weekend, but the Company opened first thing the following Monday morning. Rock stars!

The fire is a big deal in the Twin Cities. The Museum's events got a lot of attention from the media, in print from the Downtown Journal  and on TV at KARE  (Channel 11) and Fox 9 

(Check out how Channel 5   uses WellsFargoHistory.com as their content — that darn media!)

Posted by Charles at 02:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Found in At Work, Events, Experts, Fires, First-hand Accounts, Minneapolis, Misc, Museums, Natural Disasters, Participate, Perspective, Prepare, Remember, Thanksgiving, Wells Fargo Bank

The 25th anniversary of the Thanksgiving Day fire that destroyed Northwestern National Bank  (now Wells Fargo) in downtown Minneapolis is fast approaching. The fire was, at the time, the largest office fire in US history and caused an estimated $100 million in damages. The flames burned for four days and demanded the efforts of 180 firefighters. Amazingly, the first five floors of the bank building were untouched by fire. Charles Lindberg’s first plane, a "Jenny" , on display in the lobby was unscathed (Lucky Lindy lives on), as were the safe deposit boxes and vault.

A new emergency plan — quickly put into place along with computer backup files stored four blocks away (new technology in those days) — allowed the bank to continue business the next day. By the following Monday, 1,500 team members were working from new office spaces throughout town.

The empty shell of a building stood for two years until it was demolished in 1984. The city block stood empty for another four years until the construction of the Norwest Center (now called the Wells Fargo Center ). Designed by Cesar Pelli , the 57-story bank tower opened in 1989. Pelli salvaged and reused many architectural parts from the demolished 1930 bank building. “These elements," Pelli declared, "help make the connection between past and present, old and new, to strengthen the continuity through time that is the hallmark of all great cities.”

Join us in remembering the fire. Contribute your stories online at our history website. And visit the museum on Tuesday, November 20, for a reception from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. CST. Objects on display at the Wells Fargo History Museum in Minneapolis include a melted telephone retrieved from the charred office remains.

Posted by Megan at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Found in At Work, Fires, Get Involved, Minneapolis, Misc, Museums, Natural Disasters, Participate, Perspective, Prepare, Remember, Thanksgiving, Wells Fargo Bank

Almost four years to the week from the Cedar Fires , San Diego is again the center of a firestorm. For me personally, this one was both nearer and farther away.

Good friends have been staying with us all week, unable to move back into their heavily damaged Rancho Bernardo  neighborhood. Their house has survived but all around them destruction has visited and left its cruel calling cards. If we've learned anything about the rebuilding process from the previous conflagration, it's that it will be years before those destroyed homes will be replaced. And much of what they lost is irreplaceable, no matter how many kings’ horses and men  are called on to help them.

The response of the firefighters , police, and public officials has been much improved. Communication between different agencies and cities was clearly better. A reverse 911 system  warned many residents that flames were headed their way, but by no means were the warnings given to everyone who needed to hear them. My friends were warned with that most intimate and American of all emergency notifications: a neighbor knocking on the door at 4 in the morning. They received no call, but managed to evacuate in a hail of embers.

The incessant finger pointing of four years ago has been largely replaced by pats on the back and kudos, and much is well-deserved. The local news agencies'  shotgun approach to covering the fires and evacuations was mostly effective in getting important information to the residents of the afflicted communities, but you could miss a lot if you weren’t both internet and media savvy . Some of the best information came from residents being interviewed about what they knew. As such, it seems to me that Journalism should no longer be an elective course in our school systems. If you don’t know how to evaluate the utility of different information streams, you will likely pay a high price in ignorance and frustration — or perhaps worse.

Blogs may be good for getting some facts out, but the lessons from this fire will require a more substantial hearing. Perhaps my handlers will allow me to revisit this topic weeks from now, after the smoke clears and some clarity returns to the skies surrounding San Diego.

Posted by Allan at 09:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Found in At Home, At Work, Events, Fires, First-hand Accounts, Misc, Museums, Natural Disasters, Perspective, Prepare, San Diego, Wells Fargo Bank

Alonzo Delano was born in Aurora, New York  in 1806, and headed to California in 1849 – not for the gold, as did thousands of other people, but for his health as his doctor advised.

Delano set out as a writer also. He chronicled his journey to California, and then started writing stories about the lonely, hardworking miners and settlers once he had arrived. His use of local color, humorous characters, and sensitive stories are contained in his books , Life on the Plains and Among the Diggings, and Pen-Knife Sketches; or, Chips Off the Old Block. Delano acquired the nickname "Old Block."

Writing was not Old Block's only claim to fame. He was one of Wells Fargo's finest agents. He began his career with Wells Fargo in Sacramento, serving under Isaac Hubbard for a few months in 1854. Although his stay in Sacramento was short, he came to believe that being a Wells Fargo agent was something special, with obligations and a reputation that should not be taken lightly.

Delano moved to the small Sierra foothill community of Grass Valley, where he served Wells Fargo and his community. During the financial panic of 1855 , as banks closed in droves, Old Block kept the Grass Valley office open. His dedication and reliability renewed the community's confidence in Wells Fargo.

Shortly after the financial crisis Grass Valley was almost completely destroyed by fire . Again Old Block did not let his community down. He walked through the smoked-filled air and smoldering embers with a large Wells Fargo and Co. banner, announcing the company was still open for regular business.

Alonzo "Old Block" Delano died on September 8, 1875, but due to his wonderful writings and dedicated service to Wells Fargo and the Sierra community, his legacy lives on.

Posted by Martha at 12:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Found in Fires, Misc, Perspective, Remember, Sacramento, Wells Fargo Bank

Minnesotans, like most Midwesterners, love to talk about the weather. What else do you say to someone while standing in line at the post office?

In Minnesota, we made it an institution when Northwestern National Bank installed the 157-foot-tall Weatherball atop its building in downtown Minneapolis in 1949 (celebrated with fireworks and balloons, no less). The Weatherball broadcast the weather in a time before Doppler Radar and the Weather Channel with a simple color code. A snappy jingle made the code easy to remember. (The original jingle was updated in 1956—that’s the one most people remember. You know, "When the weatherball is shining white, colder weather is in sight!")

The largest bank sign between Chicago and the West Coast, the Weatherball and its 1¼ miles of neon tubing could be seen from more than 15 miles away. Originally a bank employee set the color each day at 4:15 p.m., but in 1977 a direct line to the National Weather Service allowed it to be updated four times a day.

The Weatherball was so popular that it became the bank’s symbol. In 1950 “Mr. Weatherball” was introduced. The “jolly creature” gave some life to the big steel sign and took on a life of his own. The Weatherball Dining Room was on the top floor of the original bank building with Weatherball silverware, placemats, and match books. That same year, smaller versions of the Weatherball appeared at nine other Northwestern National Banks in neighborhoods in the Twin Cities. Beginning in 1959, customers opening a savings account with a deposit of $25 or more could receive the collectable Weatherball coin bank.

The Weatherball could withstand winds up to 140 miles per hour but not a fire. On Thanksgiving Day 1982, a fire destroyed the Northwestern National Bank building in Minneapolis, putting out the light atop the Weatherball for good. The following year, the Weatherball was donated to the Minnesota State Fair with the intention of it being rebuilt on the fairgrounds. Instead, it languished in storage for 17 years until it finally met its fate at the scrap yard.

But never fear—the memory of the Northwestern National Bank Weatherball lives on at the Wells Fargo History Museum in Minneapolis, where visitors can bask in its glow. Let’s check the weather: Yes! "It's glowing red—warmer weather is ahead!"

Posted by Megan at 10:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Found in Artifacts, Fires, Museums, Remember, Wells Fargo Bank

Before the 20th century, with its many innovations in firefighting and other preparedness, communities were often ravaged by fire and other disasters. Such a disaster in Iowa Hill, Calif., made one of the legends that adds to the fame of Wells Fargo. Here's the story of a dog who remained steadfast in the line of duty.

In gold rush days, Wells Fargo agents sometimes had dogs to help guard Wells Fargo treasure. In Auburn, Calif., agent John Q. Jackson had a 128-pound Mastiff as "friend, counselor and safe guard." Down the road at Iowa Hill, agent T.S. Hotchkiss also had a loyal canine.Wells Fargo's office at Iowa Hill was prospering, with as much as $100,000 in gold passing weekly through the office. (That's about $1.5 million today.) To enhance security, Hotchkiss got a powerful dog named Tiger. "Tig" was trained to lay by the safe and guard it from the hands of all but his master. Tig performed his duty without incident for several years.

In1857, fire swept Iowa Hill and destroyed most of the buildings in town. The Wells Fargo office was among the structures destroyed; at the time of the fire, Tig was at his post. Agent Hotchkiss rescued him from the office twice, but in the excitement Hotchkiss did not have time to tie the dog securely and keep Tig from harm. Attention centered on the fire, which spread rapidly and enveloped the office completely. It was not safe in the street, and it was not possible to enter the buildings.

The following morning, Agent Hotchkiss found the charred remains of his heroic friend in the ruins.

Such faithfulness led dogs to become a universal symbol of security and service for the express business. A dog on the treasure box graces the cover of Wells Fargo’s Directory of Agents and Offices for 1883 with the legend "alert and faithful." In 1893, a Wells Fargo employee posed his bulldog puppy on top of a Wells Fargo Treasure Box at the Midwinter Fair in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. Thereafter, the image of Jack on the treasure box became a favorite of Wells Fargo offices around the country. "Jack" has become a part of Wells Fargo history and remains a favorite of Wells Fargo team members today.

But for Wells Fargo, it means more than just fierce protection of customers' assets. Jack the Dog also remembers Iowa Hill’s Tig, a Wells Fargo legend for making the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.

Immeasurable thanks to Marianne Babal, Wells Fargo Historian, whose core research and texts comprise this entry.

Posted by Charles at 02:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (22)
Found in Artifacts, Fires, Museums, Remember, Wells Fargo Bank

Guided by History completes a triptych on the "Great Thanksgiving Fire" of 1982 that destroyed a block of iconic buildings in downtown Minneapolis. (Read Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.)

Thanksgiving Day.

The Donaldson's building at Nicollet Mall and 6th Street was being demolished, and the fire began when debris in the building was ignited. The suspicion at first was arson, though it was unclear while firefighters tackled the blaze and for a few days following. Fire from the vacant structure leaped to the adjacent Northwestern National Bank building and the top12 floors of that building. Snapshots from eyewitnesses record a dramatic show of flames, smoke, sparks and the streams of water. With daylight on Friday, the whole block was an eerie world of icicles and frozen monuments of rubble as damp smoke rose from the stubborn fire.

The Minneapolis Fire Department  was a little short-staffed due to the holiday, but those on duty rushed to fight the historic fire. They were joined by 50 more off-duty personnel who left their dinners. Neighboring St. Paul firefighters  monitored activities closely in the event their assistance was needed. Very quickly on arrival at the fire, the Fire Department was able to contain it to the one city block the buildings formed. Firefighters were able to attack the blaze from inside the structures by 8:00 p.m.

Posted by Charles at 08:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Found in At Work, Fires, First-hand Accounts, Prepare, Remember, Wells Fargo Bank

Guided by History continues a week-long memoir of the "Great Thanksgiving Fire" of 1982. The fire destroyed a block of downtown Minneapolis, including the Northwestern National Bank Building. NWB was an icon in the region to thousands of employees, customers and neighbors. (Read Part 1 and Part 2.)

Diane Lilly, Government Relations Manager for Wells Fargo in Minneapolis, worked for Northwestern National Bancorporation at the time of the fire. She stopped by my desk the other day to talk about what she remembers about the blaze.

Home on Thanksgiving Day, Diane heard there was a fire downtown. She turned the radio on to discover that it was Northwestern National Bank. A few days later, in hip boots and lighted helmet, Diane toured the 12th floor—the most devastated area. Everything was destroyed; even her telephone had melted away.

Diane learned one difficult lesson: Never leave anything of value at work. The day before Thanksgiving she brought an heirloom pearl necklace to work to have restrung, and it, too, was gone. Looking in the nearly knee-high muck, she managed to find just one pearl.

The hardest thing to live without was a contact list—it was impossible to call people. With no office computers for backup, all information was lost. Although it was possible to continue to work, it wasn't back to normal right away, something people not affected by the fire were quick to expect. But something that unsettling stays with you for a long time.

Posted by Megan at 10:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Found in At Work, Experts, Fires, First-hand Accounts, Perspective, Prepare, Remember, Wells Fargo Bank

Guided by History continues a week-long memoir of the "Great Thanksgiving Fire" of 1982. The blaze destroyed a block of downtown Minneapolis, including the Northwestern National Bank Building. NWB was an icon in the region to thousands of employees, customers and neighbors. (Read Part 1.)

In a small town, something big like a fire burning down the bank would be talked about for years. Does the same hold true in a city like Minneapolis? Personally, the Thanksgiving Day Fire never registered on my radar. But then I was eight in 1982.

I do know from working at the Wells Fargo History Museum in Minneapolis that there are people—many of whom had worked for Northwestern National Bank—who will never forget that day or that fire. People like those who stop by the museum and point out photos of the fire to friends and family, who still have Thanksgiving Day Fire Survivor T-shirts in their closet, and who can clearly recall the marble columns of the 1930 bank building.

Perhaps the greatest impact of the fire was that the Northwestern Weatherball  was removed from the top of the building. The 157-foot-high sign broadcast the weather in colored lights to Minnesotans from 1949 until 1982 (it was removed in 1984 before the building demolition). A replica stands in the museum where visitors recite the jingle that went with it.

The fire left a lasting mark by dramatically altering the Minneapolis skyline. Gone is the 16-story building. In its place is a 57-story building  designed by Cesar Pelli—it's the third-tallest building in downtown Minneapolis (just a tad shorter than the IDS  and 225 South Sixth ). Lit up at night, the Wells Fargo Center  is the jewel of the skyline (OK, I might be a little biased, but really, it is the prettiest building).

Today, the legacy of the fire can't compete against Black Friday  and the siren of the shopping malls. Even back in 1982, news reports focused on the effect of the fire on post-Thanksgiving Day shopping downtown. And really, the balmy 50-degree weather we're expecting this Thanksgiving does nothing to remind us of the chilly weather that turned the water-soaked building into an ice castle 24 years ago. But I think there are a few out there for whom the smell of smoke on Thanksgiving Day will always bring back the memory of a red-tinged sky over Minneapolis.

Posted by Megan at 01:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Found in At Work, Experts, Fires, First-hand Accounts, Perspective, Prepare, Remember, Wells Fargo Bank

This week, Guided by History takes a look back at the "Thanksgiving Day Fire" of 1982, which devoured a block of downtown Minneapolis. The Northwestern National Bank Building, a fixture in the city, was destroyed. A magnificent new tower now stands on the site.

At 5:00 p.m. on November 25, 1982, a fire broke out in the Donaldson's department store building in downtown Minneapolis. The Northwestern National Bank Building, which occupied the block with Donaldson's, caught fire, and the blaze went to five-alarm soon after. Fire crews battled the flames through the night and were still dousing hot spots the next morning. The complex sustained damages of at least $75 million.

For Northwestern National, the loss could have been a major interruption—it caused financial chaos for months. But the company had completed a new disaster preparedness action plan only five months earlier. The plan went into action the very next day, and the story of quick, efficient recovery has become legend in the industry.

The plan was the product of an operations initiative, headed by Virgil Dissmeyer. A blizzard the year before, which caused the fiberglass roof of the Metrodome  to collapse, had prompted a look at the bank's contingencies for everything from nuclear attacks to, well, fire. Employees had to be notified and routed to different locations. Systems and machinery had to be maneuverable. And a new consideration for the time—"minicomputers," today's PC —had to have backup and recovery in place. When it came to records, and the ability to record transactions,  duplication was the chief concern. It is quaint to look over the plan today and see the domination that paper had over business, compared with today's digital basis.

The implemented recovery plan was called "up to speed" by a trade publication  within two weeks. Banking operations were functioning, with some limitations, the day after the fire. Drive-thrus and ATMs were operating. All systems were largely available, but credit was given to the self-sufficiency of the bank's staff.

Posted by Charles at 09:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Found in At Work, Experts, Fires, Prepare, Remember, Wells Fargo Bank

Memorial services are being held today  for one of the five firefighters killed on October 26. The five lost their lives  while fighting the the Esperanza fire in Southern California.

Those killed were Jason McKay, 27, of Apple Valley; Jess McLean, 27, of Beaumont; Daniel Hoover-Najera, 20, of San Jacinto; Mark Loutzenhiser, 43, of Idyllwild, the captain of Engine 57; and Pablo Cerda, 23, of Fountain Valley .

"Bump Up," Engine 57. Godspeed.

Posted by Charles at 11:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Found in Fires, Natural Disasters, Remember, Wells Fargo Bank

The National Weather Service has a pretty benign set of warnings  today. Watch out for fires in the Northwest and in the Plains, it’s hot in central regions, and there are thunderstorms expected in many areas. All in all, just another day across our continent .

So why prepare?

The obvious is, well, obvious. You can save your own life by having the right implements and the right knowledge. The right tools and supplies  will get you through the days without access to food, water and shelter. First Aid  is critical if trauma happens and access to care is impeded because of disaster conditions. You prepare to get through The Big One.

Keep in mind, though, that preparation lasts longer than the event and its aftermath. Preparedness is an important feature in community response to crisis. When you are prepared, and prepared as a group, your community gets through it better and recovers faster.

New Orleans might never get back on track, or take a long time getting there, but it will be only because of physical changes to the place. Many people have returned after a long year away and those who have not returned are still part of that city. "Voices of Katrina" from the New Orleans Times-Picayune  displays letters of support and affection between neighbors far and wide. The spectrum runs from bittersweetness  to dogged persistence , but it’s all the same thing. A city getting its life back.

Posted by Charles at 12:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Found in At Home, At Work, Earthquakes, Events, Fires, Floods, Hurricanes, Natural Disasters, Prepare, Tornadoes, Tsunamis, Wells Fargo Bank