Name/Title
Building Debris After Powder Co. Explosion, 1934Entry/Object ID
TIN-0067.7Description
Building Debris, 1934. This image was captured at what remained of the J.A. Denn Powder Company dynamite plant following two explosions which occurred on July 27, 1934. This image shows a very large amount of wood and metal debris scattered across the grounds of the J.A. Denn Powder Company dynamite plant. This debris appears to be made up primarily of lumber strutural elements and corrugated metal sheeting from the destroyed buildings. Several damaged metal barrels can be seen to the left of the center of the image. Near the left edge of the image is also a rack or platform with three metal barrels laying on it. Immediately above the center of the image is the frame of what appears to be a small building tipped up onto its side. Within this frame are five set of vertical bars which are evenly spaced through the frame. Immediately behind this frame is what appears to be several vertical wooden poles and a metal smokestack. Farther beyond these items is a large building which appears to be made of concrete. The roof is peaked. This building appears to be largely undamaged. Large evergreen trees occupy the background of the image. The trees to the left side and the right side appear undamaged, while the trees in the center of the background are largely stripped of any foliage. It is unclear if this damage is a result of the explosions.
Written on the reverse side of this image is "this Picture Showd Whear Clearence Was Kiled up to Wards the Concrete Bilden." There is a dashed line between this text and some additional text, which reads " and the mark on the Big Concreat Shop is Whear Pearl Was Kield and then Blowen 200 feet to Ward the office." Additional text reads " Lacey, Wn." and "Ruth Southwick."
The J.A. Denn Powder Company was owned by Joseph A. Denn, with its headquarters located in Portland, Oregon. The Hawk's Prairie dynamite plant was built in 1933. On June 27, 1934, two consecutive explosions occurred at the plant, killing ten and leveling all but two of the eight buildings which made up the plant. One additional person died from their injuries the following day. The specifc cause of the explosions remains a mystery. ("Explosions at the J. A. Denn Powder Company, in Hawk's Prairie near Lacey, kill 10 and injure seven on June 27, 1934,” Historylink.com, posted July 8, 2007, http://www.historylink.org/File/8155.)Made/Created
Date made
1934 - 1934Place
Neighborhood
Hawk's PrairieCity
LaceyCounty
ThurstonState/Province
WashingtonCountry
United StatesContinent
North AmericaNotes
Date: July, 1934
Medium: Photographic Paper/Photographic EmulsionLexicon
Search Terms
Buildings, Industrial Accidents, J.A. Denn Powder CompanyRelationships
Related Events
Event
J.A. Denn Powder Company Explosion, 1934
